I turned on my computer last night and was locked out with a BIOS password prompt. Super frustrating and it takes a lot of time to send in laptop for "free" repair as noted on Toshiba Support Notice: http://askiris.toshiba.com/ToshibaS...iceId=&dialogID=33671841&stateId=0 0 33673053

I found the repair info over several blogs and forums regarding this problem. It is a really easy fix, with just a little bit of work and patience. I have a Toshiba Satellite A105-S4014. This should also work on a A100 since they are of the same family.
1) like always with anything that you do when taking your computer apart, take out the battery and unplug it (common sense)
2) Remove the plastic cover piece above the keyboard, called the "keyboard bezel". this is the piece where you can see the speakers. This page gives several pictures as to how to do this. http://www.irisvista.com/tech/laptops/toshiba-satellite-a135/remove-mainboard-2.htm
**I found it a little bit difficult to get the plastic retaining clips to "pop" loose, but if you are careful, you can use a small screw driver and slowly "wiggle-pry" between the two screen mounts. this is done with the screen all the way back. you could use a paper clip with a little 1/8" bend at tip to do this also. (it is a tight working area) Once these three retaining clips have come loose the others are fairly easy to "pop" Just be patient and work it slowly. once this is bezel is off the rest is super easy.**
3) Remove the keyboard. Remove the two screws that are evident once the bezel has been removed. These hold the keyboard in place. Lift the keyboard up from the screw side and the retaining clips at the front of the keyboard will lift out. (there is no need to pry here). Once the keyboard is loose you will have to either leave it connected, just off to the side, or disconnect it from the mother board. The keyboard cable connector has a black clip along the top of it. just lift this clip up a little and the keyboard cable will slide out. (the keyboard cable does not have a fixed connector, but is just a ribbon that is held in place by the black clip along the top of the keyboard cable connector) Once you have removed it you will better understand what I mean.
4) Remove the wireless card. It is the only card visible at this point. It is connected by metal spring clips. just unclip in a similar fashion as removing ram. You do not need to disconnect the wires connected to card, just move card over to expose area below card.
5) This is where the magic is... you will see C88 clearly labeled right next the jack that the wireless card plugs into. There are two little solder squares (approx 1/16") at this location. *** At this point plug the power adapter to your computer again. ***
You will have to jump the two solder squares at label C88. I used a paper clip to do this. I used pliers to bend a 1/8" long "L" and then "scuffed" up the paperclip with the teeth of the pliers. (my first try at this did not work because the paperclip had a varnish coating on it and did not adequately conduct electricity.) Once you have your paperclip set up (or the one you used to pry the bezel with) hold it in place on these two solder contact squares and press the power button to boot your computer.
6) Your computer should boot right up and bypass the bios password, which is now reset/ erased. (You might see the Windows Error startup screen that gives you different options of start up to choose. If you disconnected your keyboard, just wait for screen to time-out and it will continue on its own) Once you have booted into windows use your mouse pad to shutdown, via start-shutdown method.
7) Disconnect your power. Reinstall your wireless card and keyboard (with screws). Don't reinstall keyboard bezel at this time. Once everything (but bezel) is reinstalled, restart the computer with battery and AC adapter connected. This should boot right into your computer without any trouble. (if for some reason it does not boot up correctly and asks for the bios password again you will be glad you left the bezel off. just redo the steps again.)
8) Go to Toshiba and get the latest Bios for your laptop. here is the link: http://www.csd.toshiba.com/cgi-bin/tais/su/su_sc_modSel.jsp
Choose your computer in menus provided. download the latest bios version. Using a cd burning program like "Nero" burn the image file to a cd. reboot computer and press F12 to choose boot method and boot from cd. this is the best way to update your bios. there is a way to just run from windows but I do not recommend it. This is a way to get into even worse trouble. If you need software to burn Image files just go to Nero and download their trial. It will work for 30 days and will work perfectly for this important task.
9) If for some reason you are still having trouble just reply to post and I will see if there is more that I can do to help.
I hope this has been of help to those as frustrated as I was. It is long winded but I like things explained fully before diving into a toy that costs a lot of money. I also do not like to send my computer away to some company that may or may not invade my privacy. I have a lot of personal stuff on my computer, as we all do. When the fix is this easy, I would rather do it myself.
SUB
SHOULD WORK ON FOLLOWING COMPUTERS: (other models probably follow a similar approach though.)

Satellite A100-ST1041, Satellite A100-ST1042, Satellite A100-ST8211, Satellite A105-S4001, Satellite A105-S4002, Satellite A105-S4004, Satellite A105-S4011, Satellite A105-S4012, Satellite A105-S4014, Satellite A105-S4021, Satellite A105-S4022, Satellite A105-S4024, Satellite A105-S4031, Satellite A105-S4034, Satellite A105-S4051, Satellite A105-S4054, Satellite A105-S4064, Satellite A105-S4074, Satellite A105-S4084, Satellite A105-S4092, Satellite A105-S4094, Satellite A105-S4102, Satellite A105-S4104, Satellite A105-S4114, Satellite A105-S4124, Satellite A105-S4132, Satellite A105-S4134, Satellite A105-S4144, Satellite A105-S4154, Satellite A105-S4164, Satellite A105-S4174, Satellite A105-S4184, Satellite A105-S4194, Satellite A105-S4201, Satellite A105-S4204, Satellite A105-S4211, Satellite A105-S4214, Satellite A105-S4244, Satellite A105-S4254, Satellite A105-S4274, Satellite A105-S4284, Satellite A105-S4294, Satellite A105-S4304, Satellite A105-S4324, Satellite A105-S4334, Satellite A105-S4342, Satellite A105-S4344, Satellite A105-S4374, Satellite A105-S4384, Satellite A105-S4397, Satellite A105-S4547, Satellite A105-S45472, Tecra A7-S612, Tecra A7-S712

Toshiba Password error

Hey Subscan
Thanks so much for the great post. I have seen your fix on other posts also. I have a different model but same problem Satellite M105-S3004 bios password error. I have a different layout on my model. I cannot find terms c88 on the board from what I can see without taking the body apart, My wireless is in a different location on the bottom thru a access panel. I have tried a boot disk that wood update bios and fix issue but no fix there either, What does c88 bypass when jumped? I also have a finger scan that gives me the scan your finger or enter password error, Any help or Ideas wood help greatly. Thanks
Woodu

someone should make subcan's post a sticky. it is really useful information I think.
thanks for posting this!

Woodu: sorry for the slow reply. I have been away from any type of internet connection for a few days and in withdrawal. Anyways, I will take my computer apart and post a picture of the c88 solder points. I will try to get to it tomorrow.

usually, you can find this information in service manuals. but not for all models of toshiba laptops.

This works perfectly on the A105-S4384.
I just used an appriopriate sized flat blade screwdriver.(Instead of paperclip)
Hold it accross the C88 contacts while powering on...PRESTO.
Now I can update it past the buggy BIOS...
THANKS.
Rottenweiler

Tried the fix, still have problems

Hi,
I'm working on a Toshiba A105-4001. I tried the fix. I was not successful with jumping the two contacts until I removed the hard drive, then it worked. I updated the bios- all seemed well (with the exception of a checksum error message, which I ignored).

I can turn the machine on and get into setup with no problems. However, when I put the hard drive back in the machine and boot it up I get the password screen again, as though I had not done any repair. If I remove the hard drive, I am again able to get into set up.

the hard drive has windows XP pro on it, possibly corrupted. I had hoped to be able to format it, but I can't get that far.

I don't know what else to try.
Dannno

hdd may be locked itself by password.

I'm reaching that conclusion too.
Dannno

A new hard drive did the trick.