If you forget your BIOS password, you can use a backdoor password provided by the manufacturer, reset the password through hardware changes, or use utility software. If none of these options work, contact the manufacturer for help.
If you lose your basic input/output system (BIOS) password, you will not be able to complete the boot process of your computer; as a result, you will not be able to continue and run your application programs. Keep calm as there are three options you can do yourself to get around the problem of a lost BIOS password. The first option is to use the password provided by the computer manufacturer. The second option is to erase or reset the password through hardware. Finally, you can use utility software specifically created to bypass or recover a lost BIOS password.
If you choose the first option to deal with a lost BIOS password, you’ll need to refer to the manual that came with your computer or consult its manufacturer to obtain what’s commonly known as a backdoor password. This password is specific to each manufacturer. It is typically used by manufacturers’ internal engineers to perform hardware tests on a batch of computers before it is released from the production line. Manufacturers typically change the backdoor password to protect computers from industrial espionage.
Resetting or clearing the BIOS password using hardware will require you to make some hardware changes. You’ll need to locate the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS), which contains the BIOS password and other hardware settings needed to get your computer to work properly. CMOS has a round battery similar to a wrist watch battery. Removing the battery for 10-15 minutes will clear the CMOS, including the BIOS password. The CMOS battery in some computers is soldered together, making it difficult to remove; so, you may consider the other option to reset or recover lost BIOS password through hardware.
The other way to reset the lost BIOS password is to change the jumper position to instruct the computer to clear the BIOS password in CMOS. The jumper has three pins aligned in a row and is typically located near the CMOS on the computer’s motherboard. Two pins next to each other are covered by a jumper. Pull the jumper out and insert it to cover the center pin and the pin next to it that was uncovered earlier. Turn on the computer to carry out the hardware setting change and clear the password before turning off the computer to return the jump switch to its original position.
If the backdoor password is not available or does not work and you are not comfortable with the hardware solutions available, use a password recovery software. You can write your own program or download a commercial or free version of the password recovery tool from the Internet. Most programs run automatically as soon as you start your computer on the disk operating system (DOS). If this solution still doesn’t work, it’s time to go to your computer manufacturer for help.
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