Stuck w/o BIOS password.v.EBay

[GONEin62nd]

Maestr0,

This program will calculate the backdoor from the ST.

I've tried the same program (latitude.exe) several times 2 days ago, with no positive results.

From the program it says:

Usage service_tag_number
Service tag must be 5 letters long

And the Dell service tag (found at the back of the Laptop) is actually 7-digit and not 5-digit long the way the program (latitude.exe) had mentioned.

(maybe the program is telling atleast 5 digit or so - but when I entered the first 5 digit of the service tag or the complete 7 digit, it returns the same Master password which is useless when I tried to enter in the Admin PW screen of the Laptop). Sorry it didn't really work in my case.

nihil,

Yes, I actually know several solutions to the problem, but I will not post them for obvious reasons, nor reveal them because the bitch has to learn not to deal on e-bay

How about if the wife really forgets the Admin PW? Can we arrange something?


-GONE

[DISLEX]

Update:

Yesterday I spent 1 hour and 45 mins. on the phone with Dell. I talked to 4 people and was transfered to the wrong place on my on the 3rd. The 1st didn't speak English the best either.

I was able to find out:

1. The computer belonged to some company. (They would not tell me which one. They WOULD let me guess, but of course I had no idea.)

2. The service code is #CDMWR**-595b. This is NOT on the bottom of the computer as they INSISTED it was. Nor was the express code. I found #CDMWR**-595b on the BIOS screen.

3. The express code. After telling Dell about 500 times that I WAS LOOKINGS on the BOTTOM OF THE COMPUTER, the guy finaly told me the express code which he was able to find using the service code. Blah...

4. The seller of this lapttop has 100% positive feedback on EBay. This does not mean much, but I thought I would have a look.

5. The buyer can go to Dell's site and fill out some info (Personal of course) and have the ownership moved over to her. Dell will have a look at her info and then contact the company that owned the comp. If they have sold it to anyone, the change will go through. Then she must call Dell back, wait 11ty hours on hold and then ask all over again about the BIOS pass. If the computer was stolen, they will let the buyer know and... I don't know.

Neg, thank you.

Maestr0, I have DL`d that .Zip and will try it out. Thank you!

[nihil]

Do you own a paper clip?

[DISLEX]

What might I do with this paperclip?

[DISLEX]

Maestr0,

The zip did not work. It was worth a try though. Thanks again.

Would someone explain to me about this whole "Do you have a paperclip?" question? Does this involve shorting out the BIOS chip? Please do tell.

[foxyloxley]

I 'think' he is referring to the practice of pushing the 'reset' button via a pinhole in the case

[nihil]

Hi,

I doubt if there is a reset button; that is the sort of thing you find with routers and stuff that is in a secure environment.

I don't know that particular model, but as you are having a problem with the BIOS password, it will not be stored in the BIOS so re-setting it will do no good.

There should be a separate eeprom chip that holds the password. Basically you use the paper clip to clear the eeprom chip and then you are in business.

I will have a look for the instructions/link and PM them to you.



EDIT: how many password generating programs have you tried...............I am aware of two, and I am not quite sure which models they are supposed to cover..............I will have a look at those as well...........try them first (if you haven't already) and try clearing the eeprom chip as a last resort

[jxrry59]

Yes, I actually know several solutions to the problem, but I will not post them for obvious reasons, nor reveal them because the bitch has to learn not to deal on e-bay

its responses like this that keep people interested in learning about security away from here. a few morons that want to profess they know all and tout themselves in public, i was fortunate that when i first tumbled upon this site it was in an earlier and friendlier era

[nihil]

DISLEX

Hi, I have just got back so I will try to dig that stuff out for you Sunday morning.

I have not done one of these for almost a year, but as I recall, the generators create the "default" password NOT a "master" password...............so if the previous owner changed it, it won't work and we are left with the paperclip solution? which is not infallible.

I see from your responses that we are on the same "wavelength" particularly regarding e-bay......I know of a few personal instances and many reported ones of people buying "bricks"...........frequently routers that do not have a reset mechanism, or laptops

I guess the chances of success are about 60% based on my experiences.

jxrry59

ts responses like this that keep people interested in learning about security away from here

This is not a question about learning about security...............it is about how to crack a manufacturers' security mechanism on a device that may well have been stolen.

If you read the front page of this site very carefully, you will appreciate that there are some things that are acceptable and some that are not.............posting hacks and cracks is not..........

Particularly as Jupiter Media (our hosts) and Dell are both corporations operating under American law?..............Dell might not like it? and I certainly have more respect for AO and their hosts than to compromise them in such a fashion.

I see that my "broad hints" were fully understood by a fellow technician

I shall pursue the matter with him privately, although I feel that our chances of success are probably only slightly better than even, unless he happens to be an eeprom chip wizard, which I am not.

[Maestr0]

"Note: This is for Dell CP and CPI Latitudes, it has not been tried on other models. Another way to crack it is to create a short in the 24c02 chip (the markings on the top of the chip) between pins 3 and 6 when you power on!
Before you try that though, remove the hard-drive and see if you get the same error.
If NOT, then it is a Hard-drive password and not a system password. This fix is for a system BIOS password only. A new Hard-drive should fix it if it boots w/o the hard-drive or is cleared of a system BIOS password.
The chip is below the processor so you have to solder two very small wires and bring them outside the laptop then reinstall the processor. Short the two wires and power on! Pin 1 is the one with the dot in the corner. Next pin on the same side is 2 then 3,4, and 5,6,7,8 going around the corner with pin 8 being across from pin1. The power on password will be disabled and you will be able to access the system settings via the F2 during bootup as if it was never there. This works for me, works great.
Only catch is…if there is also a hard-drive password, it will not disable that one and you will get the same message. But at least you will be able to put in a new hard-drive and use the laptop. I haven’t figured out a fix for the hard-drive one yet, except I may try to adapt a cable to connect the laptop drive to a desktop pc and then I should be able to Fdisk it etc. (the laptop looks for the password protection, I doubt the desktop will especially another brand.) You could try to install the hard-drive in another brand laptop. Perhaps then you can Fdisk it etc. to reclaim it.
For those of you who are not accustomed to soldering PC boards. Make sure the wire does not touch other pins or the case. Do NOT OVERHEAT the chip! Work in short sets of applying heat and let it rest a few minutes between attempts if you can not get it to attach right away. No more than 8 seconds at a time at low temp setting.
I used some old “wire-wrap” wire. It is very-very small, single solid strand, and insulated. Be sure to ground the solder iron to the case just before you solder and REMOVE THE BATTERY FIRST!"

http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/21041/


-Maestr0