Just bought a Windows Vista (Basic) Toshiba laptop, and whomever owned it previously put a password on it that pops up right after the first boot screen appears. It looks like the same text interface you see when changing system settings, and even pops up if you hold F2 when turning the unit on... For what it's worth, it'll shut the computer off after 3 incorrect tries. Any way to get around it? Thanks in advance...
Don't buy stolen merchandise? Honestly I don't know. ? http://itsvista.com/2007/04/itsvista-tip-50-reset-your-lost-vista-password-without-a-reset-disc/
Shit. I'm sorry. I wouldn't pay 40 bucks to do that. I should have actually read that link before I posted it.
Well, it's not *that* password that's the problem - it seems to be a 3rd party program that integrates into the bios or the boot sequence, and gives you a generic prompt (that looks like the DOS-style F2 or F8 screen). It's running Phoenix BIOS, and the backdoor passwords don't work (so I don't think that it's a BIOS password), and I even took out the HDD and started it up, and it still went to that password screen. One time, I held down the ESC key when I powered it on, somehow bypassed the password entry screen because I constantly hit F8, and was left with a screen that showed the status of my system and didn't have that damn password screen on top, but I haven't been able to replicate it since... Here's the deal - this pawn shop that I find 360 games at had this laptop, fairly new, on sale cheap because they said the monitor stopped working. I looked at it yesterday, took some notes, and came back today and ended up buying the thing after I got the monitor to work (in their store, when they weren't looking, I took out the RAM, cleaned the contacts and reseated the strip). So, whomever pawned the thing must've done so with a new employee, and managed to get by without providing the password. Everything seems to work, and I don't really care for anything he/she might have saved on the computer, but obviously, I would like to be able to use it. I have an unused Vista Ultimate disc handy, but I hate to put that OS on a computer that I may not even keep. It carries a "Basic" license, and I have the serial number on the sticker, so I might want to completely reformat/reinstall/whatever (with a "Basic" version of Vista, seeing as I have a license for it...) But, at the same time, I'd still like to get into this computer the way it is... Suggestions?
If you get a password before windows right at the start, then thats a BIOS password, not a windows one and its more secure on laptops, seeing as you can format a laptop with a windows password and just reinstall any OS. You can only remove BIOS password if you clear it, with jumper settings on the board (laptops might be very tricky) or taking the CMOS battery out and then putting it back in (again tricky) the only way to remove safely it is to ask the guy for the password, then enter it and immediately goto into the BIOS and disable it, the BIOS key on laptops is sometimes a different key (to the regular pc's DEL key), something like F2 or F5 but look up the make and model in google, their homepages list the bios keys and may list how to remove the password too. Also about windows and keys, I havent registered a copy of Xp for as long as ive had a PC, see if you can find a torrent of the 11-in-1 disc, which somebody has put together, it has pro corp xp, about 5 other types of xp and a bunch of utilities and all works from a boot menu selection, the corp xp doesnt need a key.
Phatboy said: "I have a USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter, if you just want to see whats on the disc. It only cost like 40.00, and it works on all drives that I have encountered. The nice thing is you dont have to hook it all up before you boot, and plugging it in USB is like having a really big thumb drive. You can access the files that way. If you dont care whats on the drive, just wipe it, flash the bios, then fdisk it (remove all partitions), format it, and install xp sp2. Then sell it. What model is it? I would think someone lifted it, then when they couldnt get into it, they just pawned it, probably even knew the person they were pawning it to, who knew it was stolen. Can you take some pictures of the DOS type screen it comes to when you boot it? I had an issue with a StinkPad onetime that a guy 'got from a friend' that had a similar deal on it. Couldnt use any of the backdoor tricks to get in, turns out it was a company PC and the 'friend' stole it. Awesome."
Now your question is posted in this thread too because I was trying to help you out. http://forums.fugly.com/showthread.php?p=156741#post156741
I've got one of those USB cables, too - but this HDD seems to have a different connector, like a mini-SATA instead of IDE? I read about removing the battery and changing jumpers, I was really hoping I didn't have to go that far. Now, supposing I were wanting to reformat and reinstall a new copy of Vista (might as well use the license key on the laptop itself, right?) Can I go the same route as with XP? That is, use a generic OEM install, with the laptop's product key to unlock? I'm a bit behind, as I've not used/installed Vista on any of my machines. After all, they're 20 years old...
you cannot boot from anything, that is hdd, USB disk, or CD/DVD(hence, to install any OS), until you get past that screen
So is it a Bios password? Or is it a 3rd party password software? Does the name of the password software come up? The moherboard type and Bios version would be of great help.
I will post pics of the screen tonight if I can. Apparently, the battery is soldered to the main board, but there should be a way to short it out without removing it... Will post more after work...
here are the phoenix bios backdoor passwords. BIOS, CMOS, phoenix, and PHOENIX. Try them if they don't work I need the motherboard model. Also if it is 3rd party I need the name of the software. All those passwords are case sensitive.
OK. Here's where we stand today. I disconnected one of the terminals on the motherboard battery, and let it sit for probably 20 minutes or more. Resoldered the terminal, restarted it, and it looked as if I had cleared it. Then the damn password shows up again. I have the laptop completely disassembled at this point. Battery terminal disconnected again, will leave as such while I'm at work. Here's the pictures, the first two are of the same screen, but some of the text is more readable in the second picture. The third is the password screen itself after hitting F2 (if no key is pressed, that password screen shows up over a blank screen). I don't see any jumpers on the board at all, if there's another password I could use this would be so much easier.
shit, forgot to mention that... The passwords didn't work... Can you tell from the screenshot if it's a third-party pw, and if so, any other pw's to try? When I get home, I want to determine which chip is the BIOS, and start shorting pins, too...
