You may try to delete the file in the DOS-box with "del latitude.exe". the file may have been locked by your AV-Software. Deactivating AV may solve the issue too.

ok fixed it using a program called moveon...freeware..worked like a charm..thanks guys

Well, I finally received my laptop that I bought from eBay. It is in pretty decent shape and is indeed a C600 model. Thanks Ididmyc600. I also downloaded the files from your website. The laptop has a 7 alpha-numeric character Service Tag (1P87Z01).

When I extracted the DST.zip files to a floppy, my Norton Anti-Virus stopped the latitude.exe file and said it was the 'hacker' virus.

When I go into the BIOS, it says the Admin Password is locked until the Configure Setup field is enabled. In order to enable the Configure Setup field, I need to enter the Administrator Password.

When I try booting from the DST floppy disk, the SVCTAG program shows me my Service Tag, then asks if I want to erase the service tag. So, I click on Y and the program errors stating the battery must be installed and the ROM update was not performed.

Unfortunately, the laptop came with a battery that would not hold a charge (I knew this when I bought it, so it is not a surprise). Does this mean that I need to go the shorting pins route or could someone provide me with the Admin Password for the Service Tag (1P87Z01) (one - pee - eight - seven - zee - zero - one)?

<edit>
One thing I am trying with the battery is to throw it in the freezer for a couple of days, then try recharging it. This has worked on other Lithium Ion batteries that were pretty much dead. Will let you know how it works with this battery.
</edit>

Thanks again...
Al

hi,
have downloaded the file from your paragons web, but still could not figure out how to get master password.

My service tag: 2MFTM51-595B.

can anybody help me

Hi,
If you read the site properly, you would have read that the password generator does not work with the service tags ending in 595B,

Please post back and tell us what password you are trying to defeat so we can advise your best course of action

Jud

I just opened the DST floppy zip and there is no file called latitude.exe in it..?


i Just checked , and the master password.exe on the site does not have any viruses showing up when run on my machine, (also running NAV), I did have 2 of these files one was called latitude.exe and that one did show as the hacker virus so i did not upload that one, only the master password generator got uploaded,


As for providing you with a service tag, the master password generator will only work with the full service tag, mine is #8G1T90J-595b .
So I enter 8g1t90j595b and I get a password but it wont work as it ends in 595B and the software will not work with tags ending in 595B

If you have the full tag and it doesn't end in 595B then use the masterpassword generator

I didn't know you had to have a working battery but I tried it and you do, perhaps paragon could shed some light on this and see if there is anything you can do, if not you will have to try and get it working enough to do it.

PARAGON you around ???



Jud

Yes, but I am as puzzled as you about the request for a battery, as I have done several boards with just a Floppy drive, External Keyboard, External monitor and AC Adapter for peripheals. I have also of course used the HDD method described in my Post a couple of days back in place of the floppy.
Your info on the Latitude.EXE and Latitude_MasterPW files is right on. Neither one will work on the -595B and later
-A95B Passwords

I was puzzled as well, but I tried it with a HD I built using your guide, and yes it does say "battery not detected" then fails to reset the tag.

Mind you I never ran asset.com from a dos prompt as a single program, do you think it may make a difference, i'll pop off and try it on a C610 I have at the moment, will edit this post with the results.

Ok I can reset the tag on a C610 with the battery removed so it must be a C600 issue , however if I run asset.com (on the C600) from the HD with the command

asset /s 8G1T90J then it beeps and says "error cannot change tag, ensure it is in the right format and the SETUP password is disabled (it is and it is ).

Jud

Jud, I did a C600 without a battery, so it is something on that particular board or series of boards. The C600 board I cleared was a 1D197 and was the object photoed for the 2 pictures in my Additions file; it had the minimum for peripheals connected

Jud, How large a file will your Website handle for downloads? I have a copy of the latest(as far as I know) Dell BIOS, Diagnostics and Service Tag CD, version A27. I used the files and executables on it to update the DST.zip file you have included on your website, but was not able to do that to the DST-CDR-ISO file. That causes that method to error out on late machines. This CD does not do that, but it is 81mb large, and way too big for Email Attachments. I could send you a CDR copy by mail if you would like for your use and perhaps include it on the site. I get quite a few reports from users about the CDR made from the ISO file erroring out on the later 2004-2006 models.
Dave

Thanks folks for everything you are doing. Hope the following helps you.

When I run the SVCTAG program it comes up with the following:

*****************************************************

SVCTAG: version 3.3

Copyright (c) 1997-2003 Dell.
All right reserved.

... a dell message about usage ...

System name: Latitude 600
System ID: 0x00b1
BIOS Rev: A16

Current Service Tag: 1P87Z01
Note: This action will erase the asset, owner and service tag.
You may use the ASSET.COM program to set the asset and owner tag.
Do you want to erase (and/or change) this service tag (Y or N)?

*****************************************************

When I type Y, I get the following message in a nice blue screen with red error message box...

*****************************************************


Dell Portables EEPROM Erase Program - Version 3.6

Verify system configurtaion.

Erasing EEPROM.

ERROR
Battery must be installed.

Press power switch to reboot.
ROM update not performed.

*****************************************************

When the program exits, it says EE-CPA.exe: Error 0

Al

Al, are you using the CDR made from the ISO file or one of the DST.zip methods?

I am using the DST.zip file to create a bootable floppy disk. I was wondering about the CMOS battery being dead, could that be the problem?

Thanks...
Al

Things are getting worth with that C610 (not booting after paperclip, CAPS-, NUM- and SHIFT-LEDs on for 3 seconds, then shutting off).

I copied the 24C02 chip from a working C610, but it does not solve my case (soldering and controlling the file by a technician). Next step is copying the BIOS-chip.

Additionally the working C610 is now shutting off when the HD-MasterPW has been typed in (of course the correct one). When typing F2-Key or F12-Key on start the display is shortly showing 'Entering Setup...' or 'Entering Boot Menu...' and then the system is powering off. With the battery plugged in the the battery-LED is blinking once green and three times orange. I did check the power supply, it is OK.

Does anyone know what the blinking code means and why it is shutting off

Thanks

Never mind about the CMOS battery. I just checked it with a volt meter and it is putting out 7+ volts...

Al

Errmm I have access to 2 websites each I think holds 55meg so in total I should be able to upload and split it across the two

I will email my address to you

Dave Where will I find that number on mine? Maybe we could get a list of boards it works on and doesn't work on.

Paragon
you helping everyone please send me the detailed pdf file on [COLOR="Red"]email removed[/COLOR] it will be a great help for me
thanks

Hi Jabz,

All the files you need can be found here

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/judslat/paragon/

Regards

Jud

Great News!! I was able to clear the Admin Password on my C600 using the floppy disk version in DST.zip. The program would not work though unless both a working battery and AC charger were connected and plugged in.

I went down to a local used computer store with my laptop and asked if they had a C600 battery I could use to test the laptop I purchased off eBay. That is when I found I that the laptop also needed to be plugged in for the program to work. Once that was done, the program worked like an absolute charm. Now I know the laptop works off a battery as well as the charging circuits function properly. Verified this by watching the battery screen in the BIOS. With no charger, it said the battery was discharging. Once the charger was connected, the screen said the battery was charging.

I already purchased a 40 GByte used hard drive and am waiting on the caddy and cd-rom to arrive.

Thanks once again for all of your help. If there is anything I can do in return, just let me know.

Al