Hmmm,

Laptops are a real barrel of laughs when it comes to this sort of thing (NOT!!!).

1. You can have three passwords, power up, administrator and hard drive. And that is before you get to the operating system.

2. The first one will be stored on an EEPROM chip and is independent of the CMOS/BIOS, the second is probably in the CMOS/BIOS chipset, and the third is on the HDD where you cannot get at it.

3. F10 suggests that it is a Compaq, (HP bought them a while back).

4. If you can get that far I would guess that the power up password is not set, so resetting the BIOS should work. To do this, disconnect the device from mains, remove the rechargeable battery and then remove the button cell CMOS battery and leave it for 24 hours. That should clear the password. Most laptops don't have motherboard jumpers these days

5. If the hard drive password has also been set, then you are SOL.

Can your friend prove ownership of the machine? if not, you will not get any help from HP.

Please describe what happens exactly when you power up. Like beeps, lights and what appears on the screen.

Also, what exactly is it that you are trying to do? is the machine damaged or something...........there may be other approaches.

Is this really a forensics problem or is it just hardware?