Dell BIOS Password Removal

Mr Plain Key,

I finally cracked the Primary BIOS Password on an Inspiron 1150. It required obtaining a USB 2.0 Bootable Floppy Drive to run the diskette I previously spoke about. But first, shorting the 24LC16B
requires shorting a different set of connections than the well documented 3rd from the left end, bottom and top for the 24C02 Chip; 4th from the left on the bottom and 3rd from the left on top
Is needed for the 24LC16B. The first three conections on the bottom side are not even conected on this chip, only the 4th which is the VSS(ground) connection. Using these 2 cleared the chip to Manufacturing Mode and then running the diskette reset the ServiceTag with normal operation thereafter and NO Passwords

The early Inspirons dated before the Inspiron 3700 did not use a Service Tag based Password System. Dell's number designations made no sense, as the 7000/7500 preceded the 3700. The Service Tag on the case is strictly a System Identifier. I have no insights to offer for those

I just bought this dell latitude d600 off of ebay. It has an admin pw set in the cmos and doesn't respond to latitude.exe or the master version. The service tag is 8MNZF51 with express service code 18843584869. It has niether a cd nor floppy drive so the debug method isn't an option atm. Is there any thing else I can do because I'd rather not crack it open and start possibly messing somethin' up.

email removed for a fix.

I cracked a C600 Primary Password yesterday; on this model the mother board is almost completely enclosed in an aluminum frame and the chip is difficult to access. I disassembled the frame, found the 24C02 chip, then cut a 3/4" hole in the frame directly over the chip and then reassembled the board and frame to a bootable condition unit using an External Monitor and Keyboard, and AC Adapter. I then shorted the chip to clear it to Manufacturing Mode and used this Diskette I have in a floppy drive plugged into the board to reset the Service Tag. Any Passwords went when the chip cleared to MM and the resetting of the Service Tag restored normal operation

Can anyone please post the LatitudePW.exe program. Google cannot find it.
Thanks

Edited: Found the Latitude_MasterPW.exe on post #53, but it doesn't work on tag xxxxxxx-595B.

I was able to reset EEPROM using paragon33's bootdisk (thanks heaps). If you don't have a usb floppy drive handy here is the boot cd that I made
http://rapidshare.de/files/5361813/bootcd.iso.html

Good luck

Hello everyone
I wondered if someone can assist me in any way. I have a Latitute c640 service tag 8TQ3121. I can not seem to be able to change the date , time or anything in the bios. I have tried the latitude PW.exe and it doesn't seem to be working or I may be doing it wrong. Admin password says enabled but i can't even try it. Config password is the one that asks me for one.
Is there a way i can get pass this so that i can change the date , time. etc.
I have read about the paperclip doc but is there a way i can get this somewhere?..
thanks

email removed I will send your 6-7 attachments which total around 8mb, so make sure you have sufficient room in your Inbox. The DST.zip should be Unzipped/Extract All to a DOS Bootable Diskette made in the A:\ drive format window with W-XP or W98 . That diskette allows you to delete and then reset your SAME Service Tag. Those actions erase the EEProm Chip and the password is erased also. The .pdf file covers the shorting procedure to clear the Primary Password and is enclosed for possible future use; it has the picture of the 24C02 EEProm chip.

I was able to reset EEPROM using paragon33's bootdisk (thanks heaps). If you don't have a usb floppy drive handy here is the boot cd that I made
http://rapidshare.de/files/5361813/bootcd.iso.html

Good luck


What is the worst thing that could happen to the laptop if this program doesn't work to reset the service tag/pass? I don't want to have a heavy paperweight on my hands taking risks :dead:

The laptop should continue to function at status quo. What model do you have, what is your general locale, do you have a floppy drive and do you get a grey screen asking for a password, or are you able to enter bios setup, but can not change anything? I can only tell you it has worked for me every time. Contact me at:
email removed

What is the worst thing that could happen to the laptop if this program doesn't work to reset the service tag/pass? I don't want to have a heavy paperweight on my hands taking risks :dead:

Good to be cautious. Initially I had the same view about flashing BIOS or any non-volatile memory. Luckily all my flashing attempts have been successful (BIOS, CD/DVD Drives, Wireless Router). It's pretty much try it at your own risk but if it's any assurance others have done it before successfully and I have not yet seen a catastrophic unrecoverable error from flashing.

The iso boot image is made from windows 98 boot floppy image and paragon33's DST.zip. It should function the same way as the floppy.

I am glad that the ISO worked for you, Phuang; the reason I do not recommend it is this; on some Dell models, the CD drive is slaved to the harddrive and will not even be recognized by BIOS unless the harddrive is present. It is possible to reset the BIOS Default boot order to Diskette first, by disconnecting the CMOS/Reserve battery and leaving it disconnected overnight(?), BUT that also moves the Harddrive to 2nd place and the CD Drive to 3rd. On some models, removing the Harddrive will force the boot from the CD drive, but not on the ones that have it as slave to the harddrive; on those it puts the CDROM out of business. Specifically, the Dell models for whichI know this problem exists are the Inspiron 8000, 8100, 8200 and the Latitudes C800, C810, and C840. On those you need to use a modular bay CDROM and remove the Harddrive to force a boot from the CD Drive to use the ISO CDR method.

The laptop should continue to function at status quo. What model do you have, what is your general locale, do you have a floppy drive and do you get a grey screen asking for a password, or are you able to enter bios setup, but can not change anything? I can only tell you it has worked for me every time. Contact me at:
email removed


I actually e-mailed you last week I believe but I don't have a floppy drive available to me and I was going to buy one but now that the bootable cd has been posted I might try that. I am in the Las Vegas area and own a Dell Latitude D610. I can go into the BIOS but I can't change the admin password. Thanks for all the help so far :)

I actually e-mailed you last week I believe but I don't have a floppy drive available to me and I was going to buy one but now that the bootable cd has been posted I might try that. I am in the Las Vegas area and own a Dell Latitude D610. I can go into the BIOS but I can't change the admin password. Thanks for all the help so far :)
Scoo, as far as I can determine, the CD Drive in yours is not slaved to the harddrive, and therefore should boot to it when you pull out the harddrive, as it will be the only bootable device left. That is assuming that the boot order has been reset to default by unplugging your CMOS/Reserve Battery overnight or maybe just a couple of hours. Yes, you can alter your settings for boot order that far by unplugging that battery. The easy way to tell is after you reconnect the battery, and go into BIOS, the Date/Time will be wrong or at least different.

Paragon, thanks so much!

I received your files this morning and read the doc. From the time I touched a screw driver until the time I had a working lap top was 10 minutes. It took me 3 tries to reset the password and I had to keep putting the memory back in to test the reset, otherwise it would have been about 5 mins.

I happened to have a latitude (C610) that didn't require any disassembly (I only needed the screw driver to open the memory panel) so it was extremely easy.

It took another 5 mins to make a floppy and assign an asset tag. Laptop is as good as new!

Thanks again!

Hi,

IMHO the choice is Active@ Password Changer tool. It will be easy able to restore or change your pass info. It saved me before, and I'm sure it will be able to help you.
spam link removed; this service can now be found freely
This discussion is concerning BIOS Dell passwords, not WINDOZE Passwords. I am sure this info would be of assistance in the right thread, and should be posted there.

I have dell latitude C840 with primary system bios password that can`t be solved with Latitude_MasterPW.exe. I found 24c02w on the MB, and create short between pins 3 and 6 (3 and 7 if you count left to right), but when I power on, system turn off after 2-3 sec ( I tried it for 100 times trying to short them in all conditions - while booting). Next time i boot without shorting, pass is still there. Is there anything else I can try?

Try pressing the power Button On and off several times rapidly and at random while shorted, then remove the "shorter" and let it boot up normally. If you get the Manufacturing Mode screen, you are successful. If you still get the password screen, be patient and repeat the procedure. I cleared 2 8100's and an Inspiron 1150, and a single power on did not cut it

Thanks Paragon. I finaly done it.

Good-O, Gordon, another satisfied dell laptop owner

Paragon,
thanks for your help on the forum. would you email me the same instruction file at email removed please?

thanks!
george

I tried to answer but the Email was not delivered. Check your Email address and also consider getting Free Yahoo mail. The inbox floor is large enough to accept large attachments.

My Dell D600 has a configure password so that it's not possible to change boot sequence etc. Infrared can't be modified and switched on.
So it's not necessary for admin password but for configure password.
What to do? :bounce: :bounce:

The Configure Setup Password and the ADMIN BIOS Password are the SAME. You use the password to first Enable Configure Setup and the use it again to Disable the ADMIN Password. If you do not have this Password, email me at email removed and I will send you a ZipFile to make a Diskette that will delete and then reset the Service Tag. When you do this, the Password that is also stored on the EEProm Chip with the Service Tag is also erased

Here are all the pics of my Latitude C600 and where is located the famous 24c02 EEPROM:

<http://bazanyjaweem.free.fr/dell_c600/>

NiggaPhil

http://bazanyjaweem.free.fr/dell_c600/

Contact me at email removed

That circled one is the eeprom chip

Hey guys, I'm was so glad when I found this forum. I thought, "Finally, a solution!" But, for some reason when I type in my service tag into latitude_MasterPW.exe it tells me that its an invalid input. I've done what you guys said and typed in the whole number, but it doesn't work for me. Somebody please help! My service tag is: #8UBNR**-D35B

Thanks

Hey guys, I'm was so glad when I found this forum. I thought, "Finally, a solution!" But, for some reason when I type in my service tag into latitude_MasterPW.exe it tells me that its an invalid input. I've done what you guys said and typed in the whole number, but it doesn't work for me. Somebody please help! My service tag is: #8UBNR**-D35B

Thanks
Type/enter 8BUNR**D35B That gives 2 possibilities, cigun16z and mie9a6i6
See if one of those will work

I just wanted to say a couple things about "Latitude_MasterPW.exe".

1.) If your "Primary Password" is disabled enable it so that when you reboot you can get the whole "serial number" for your Laptop. (Do not put the leading # sign into the "Latitude_MasterPW.exe" program, put in everything else up to but not including the comma) I know this sounds funny about the "Primary Password" but on this Laptop only the "Admin password" was enabled. That means the "initial password protection screen" will not come up when you start your Laptop and that is where THE number is. So anyway when and if you enable the "admin password" then the "configure setup" option is viewable and comes up Disabled so that no one can make changes to your bios settings. You can't even change the date and time! If you disable "Admin Password" then "Configure Setup" is not viewable. Try it. A former employee set this for me and that's why I was stuck. No I wasn't going to call him he got fired.

2.) So in my case once I got the "initial password" screen up and had a new password from "Latitude_MasterPW.exe" I tried what I read and heard from Dell and thi post. Just pressing enter after typing the "new password" clears the "Master Password" but not the "Admin Password". I read the posts again and found one that said to press enter twice while holding down the Ctrl key. That didn't work. But what did work was to press Ctrl+enter and hold it down for a while. I'm thinking I held it until the boot process started and maybe even until the bios setup screen appeared. Then when you go to the security page the "Master Password" and the "Admin Password" options are disabled and there is no "configure setup" option. Cool, ty all.

3.) Just thought I'd add a 3rd thing. I did call dell and they gave me the same "default password" number as the "Latitude_MasterPW.exe" did. Between dell and you guys I can know set the date and time to the proper value. Where Dell support failed, in my case, was not to tell me to hold down the ctrl+enter key for a while. Of course this is just one BIOS in one Laptop in a world full of Laptops. My personal opinion is that if you need security
that bad to protect your computer just live with putting in a "master password" only. But opinions are like A HOs. Everybody has one.

Dave Out

Where the heck did you find this chip on the board?

It literally can be anywhere. What model do you have?

I have model PP08L and since I asked the question, I found the little bugger 24LC16B. I had to take apart the entire notebook to find it on the bottom of the MB! In order to jumper it and put it back together to apply power to it, I had to mark the location and then reassemble the notebook. Then I had to actually cut out about a 1/2" square in the bottom of my notebook in order to access the darn eeprom! I then used a paper clip to jumper the 3rd from the left on top and the 4th from the the left on the bottom. It did not work at first but I had my wife repeatedly cycle the power on and off and it suddenly began to boot into Win. XP! I used the computer for a while and then shut it down. I then tried to boot it and I found I was back to square one stuck on the admin. password screen again! How frustrating! What do I have to do, jumper it every time I want to use it? How can I make this permanent. I was actually going to go into setup when I restarted. Thanks for the quick response.

kindly send me instructions for shorting procedure as well. I have a bios password problem with my Dell latitude C640.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Can't do that here. email removed

Hi again. Is it possible to do somethig with pass on chip (it should be at24c164) on hp omnibook 4100. Thanks.

I do not know. HPs use a different system for passwords

Hi Paragon,

I have a C840 that I have now found to have a 595B suffix to the service tag.
I cannot clear the admin password with MasterPW, so I have sent you a email to kindly request the software you have.

I too bought my laptop second hand, but know it not to have been stolen. It required a UXGA screen that was deemed too dear to replace - Obviously haven't heard of that wonderful place called ebay!

I am using it now with the new screen I replaced, but it is running Windows 2000. It is setup with a limited account. As I do not have an administrator password to use it to its fullest, I would like to install a fresh copy of XP on it.

Can't boot from CD without the Admin password though - HELP :knock:

I have the same problem with a Dell Inspiron 8600. My service number ends with 858B so I'm assuming I will have to erase my eeprom. I was looking at the data sheet of the 24LC16B but it doesn't really say how to erase the eeprom. So what do you do once the eeprom is erased? You have to put something back into it. Please let me know how I should go about this. Thanks

I am working on a co-worker's D600 that has a boot password on it as well. I cannot believe that there are so many people on this thread that have the same problem. The DOS password utilities don't seem to generate the correct master password for getting past the bios password and I am a bit hesitant to disassemble my co-worker's laptop to jumper the eeprom. Has anyone had any success with the other solutions?
--Matt

I have an inspiron 2650, service tag FDC0M11 (that's a zero not the letter O), can anybody help me? It has a setup password. I've seen many replies but none in regards to this model.

thanks

email removed
Are you saying that you can enter BIOS but can not change any settings? I believe I have something that will help if you will contact me at that email

all your`s problems are stored in a eeprom24cXX (02,04....) atmel chip
read a chip with some eeprom reader and send me on email and i read your password for you
in eeprom are stored user pass master pass hdd pass (only if a hdd is lock in the same laptop) serial number and tag So you can change all this if you want DO NOT ERASE FILES IN THE EEPROM IF HDD IS A LOCK ON THE SAME LAPTOP
DO NOT CONNECT SOME PINS ON THE EEPROM ( I READ SOME SOLUTIONS FOM THIS FORUM) IF YOU ARE NOT SKILED (SOME SMART GUY BURN A VGA ON THE MOTHERBOARD (DELL D600) 2 DAY`S AGO) SO....

an this is a only good solution (solder and desolder a chip from motherboard)

for now for all dell notebook`s

this is it for now
sorry for my bad english

You are welcome to your opinion since this is an open forum, but if you remove the harddrive before starting the shorting technique, it works fine. The hardddrive is a lost cause of course, but you will have a laptop which will function normally with a new harddrive after using the software I use to reset the Service TAG. Far more motherboards are ruined by an amateur soldering on a new EEProm chip than with the shorting method. I have done a bit of soldering on double-sided boards, but that chip is one I will not try to replace.
I have lost count of the people who have contacted me on my Email for the files and then recontacted me later to report success.

I was successful in shorting the EEPROM and reseting the service tag. I can now enter BIOS and boot of the CD-ROM, however the system also has a hard disk password. I removed the hard drive when I was shorting the EEPROM. I take it from the above exchange the hard disk is a hopeless cause and a new one will have to be purchased. Is it possible to take out the hard disk and format it? I have a laptop to IDE and laptop to usb hard disk adapter, so I was wondering if I could clear the HD with this?
--Matthew Kent

I do not know of any way to remove a Harddrive Password. I have an older drive here which I purposely set one on and tried many ways to clear without success, including the "debug" method espoused by one poster earlier in this thread. There are professionals who can do it, but the cost is prohibitive unless it is to recover needed files. Reformatting will not remove the Password and you will not be able to get the drive recognized as present in an external drive case.

Ok this solution is ok when your hdd is not locked but if hdd is lock on your dell and u do this kind of solution you will delete a same information about your pass for hdd because in atmel 24cxx are stored a information about master, user, hdd password, tag ....
but when u desolder eeprom an read his contents u will able to see a passwords but this contents are cripted and i cen read it for u want and tell u what kind password u hawe on your dell, this solution works only if your hdd is lock on the same computer (dell xxxx) but if you hdd is locked on a another laptop and put in the dell u cant do nothing about hdd pass
soldering a atmel 24cxxx it works on a dell hp compaq asus ibm(24RF08) siemens fujitsu acer in the toshiba older model u can use a dongle if u have a lpt port on the same computer or u can a use usb dongle for some toshiba models wihout lpt port but a new toshiba is a PROBLEM for now because password is stored on proccesor onboard (not CPU) or some kind a controler
this it

Sorry i forgot to tell hdd password can be removed only for dell, ibm and sony for now, reading and erasing some content from eeprom on the other brands u can only unlock a notebook because all contents are cripted

Could you send me a copy of your software for Dell Laptops.
email removed