[ale] Clear BIOS Password - Dell Optiplex?

[Bob Toxen]

On Sat, May 01, 2004 at 03:42:34PM -0400, Brian Chase wrote:
> See if there's a small battery on the motherboard, like a watch 
> battery.  Powering down, removing it for a minute and putting it back in 
> and powering back on used to clear the bios password on other 
> motherboards in my recollection.
See "CMOS, password 127-8" in Real World Linux Security, Second Edition.

It mentions both the jumper and battery removal techniques.

Bob Toxen
bob at verysecurelinux.com               [Please use for email to me]
http://www.verysecurelinux.com        [Network&Linux/Unix security consulting]
http://www.realworldlinuxsecurity.com [My book:"Real World Linux Security 2/e"]
Quality Linux & UNIX security and SysAdmin & software consulting since 1990.

"Microsoft: Unsafe at any clock speed!"
   -- Bob Toxen 10/03/2002

> BruceG wrote:

> >Hey all,
> >
> >  I purchased a used Dell Optiplex to set up as a proxy server. 128Meg 
> >  RAM, Celeron 600Mhz. I go into BIOS to set it to boot from CD, and am 
> >asked for a password. Seems I can't make it boot from CD w/out messing w/ 
> >BIOS, and without the password - no luck. I tried "phoenix" (supposedly a 
> >standard password for phoenix bios boards  nope!). Also tried going into 
> >debug and clearing the registers. Nope.
> >
> >  So, if you know how to clear the bios password without getting too 
> >involved, please let me know - either off-list or on (don't know if we 
> >want that detail on the list or not). Otherwise, I'll be returning the box 
> >come Monday. I already called the place I purchased it from, they got it 
> >off-lease, and do not know the bios password.