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Thread: A funny and true story

  1. #1

    Unhappy A funny and true story

    As you can see from the unhappy smiley. I have a tale to tell!!! Well some time ago 10-02-2001 I posted to the newbie threads a question, CMOS and BIOS, about setting the password. Well I did and seeing how my keyboard occasionaly shows signs of dyslexia I entered the password, repeated same and off I went. Well all was not fine i must have entered the wrong p/w twice . Unable to deciefer my own p/w trying all combos of upper and lower case and all nearby keys. I was finally disgusted enough to take the box to the shop and have the Bios reset. I now know that the reset process is basically as simple as removing an internal jumper on my mother board. Can anyone give me more info on how I can find which jumper to use to accomplish this feat, . Gateway with a 433 celeron. I hope to set a password but not until I can reset it myself and save the $40 for my own pocket. As always keep up the great posts.
    KNOWLEDGE IS OF TWO KINDS: We know a subject ourselves or we know where to find information upon it. SAMUEL JOHNSON

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Posts
    196
    Easier way, look for the flat "watch" battery, it should say something like 3V on the top. Just remove that battery for about 5 min, put it back it, gives the same effect. If you can't find a battery or don't want to pull it out, look on the motherboard for a place called CMOS, it should have a little table. One setting for "normal" operation and another for "reset" or "short". Simply putting the jumper in that configuration for only moment to "short" the battery, reset everything. Return the jumper to normal afterwards. Some motherboards even have a cool little switch box for this, good luck

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Posts
    170

    Arrow

    You would have to know the model of the Gateway to get the jumper, but the other way to do it is to just pull the CMOS battery out of it for a little while. When you put it back in, the password will be cleared.

    The battery should be a lot easier to find than a jumper.
    \"If you torture the data enough, it will confess.\" --Ronald Coase

  4. #4
    I was working on a Compaq (ick) today that needed the BIOS password disabled. However we had no documentation on the mobo and the battery was firmly soldered into place. So I did the easiest thing, I moved EVERY three pin jumper to the next pin and right back. Since there were only 9 of them it was really easy. It worked for my Gateway (another ick) when I couldn't get online to get the manual and its worked on my friends new ABIT KT7A mobo (pretty damn nice mobo - of course it would be cause its not myne). Just remember when you move them over, MOVE THEM BACK, and all should go smooth.
    Its really sick they charged you $40 for that.

    ALSO - if you can boot to your system, there are programs that can kill bios passwords, some even tell ya the password you typed in, just in case your curious how dyslexic your keyboard was that day.
    http://home.cyberarmy.com/hackshock/bios.htm are a few.

    Hope this helps.

  5. #5
    If you post the specific motherboard that you have I am sure you will get about 500 replies (well ok maybe that's an exageration) as to the exact method for that motherboard. ie cuv4x etc.
    Mike M aka greyhairedwolf
    ----------------------------------------------
    Eight Words The Wiccan Rede Fulfills
    \"An it harm none do what you will\"
    ----------------------------------------------
    A mind is like a parachute it only works
    WHEN OPEN

  6. #6

    Thumbs up

    Great posts: Thanks I do believe I'll open the box and have a look for a battery.
    Seeing how the $40 was a min charge and I was origanally quoted $80 I was not about to complain, plus it was ready in less than 24hrs vs the 2-3 days quoted.
    I had heard of the shorting routine, but also heard of horror stories of loosing chunks of memory through the process.
    Once again thanks for the info. It also looks like I'm in the wrong business, $40 for moving a jumper. LOL.
    KNOWLEDGE IS OF TWO KINDS: We know a subject ourselves or we know where to find information upon it. SAMUEL JOHNSON

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