Re: Resetting Your Computer [Re: Digital HiNote CT450 supervisor password]

Somewhere on teh intarwebs BillW50 wrote:
In news:qNQgl.6471$Jd4.5555@xxxxxxxxxxxx,
Barry Watzman typed on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:51:27 -0500:
First, it is a total myth that you can GENERALLY get into a laptop by
removing any/all batteries. Password storage is almost universally
in flash memory that does not require any power backup. There were
(almost two decades ago) a very few exceptions to this, but none that
I have seen in even the past decade.

Well just to add on another note here. There is a problem which I
don't fully understand that does help with some make and models of
computers. And that is when the computer acts screwy and rebooting
doesn't clear it up. And that is turning it off, removing the AC and
the main battery (if a laptop). And they say and holding the power
button in for 10 seconds. Although this last step was never necessary
IMHO.
The EeePC 700 series also has a pinhole reset (you need a paperclip,
etc) on the bottom. I never figured out what that one does differently
than removing the AC and the battery. Seems like it resets it in the
same matter to me. Then there are two pads on the motherboard that you
can reach by removing the RAM cover that you can short out while no
power and no main battery installed. But I am not sure what that does
differently either.

I'm not sure what the two different methods with the Eee do but basically
what you're describing is resetting the BIOS to factory defaults. The
recessed reset with the Eee is a great idea, long past due. With desktop
computers it's traditionally been done by unplugging from the wall and
moving a jumper near the CMOS battery on the motherboard but, until
recently, there's not been a quick way to do it with a laptop. (Hence the
removal of any and all batteries and pressing the power button to discharge
any power stored in capacitors...)

While a BIOS re-set won't clear (most) boot time passwords with laptops it
will sometimes 'fix' problems that have been caused by the user tinkering
with BIOS settings (sometimes from within Windows, using manufacturers
utilities) and setting something wrong. Such as disabling the HDD on the
boot list, disabling USB, setting devices up wrongly etc.

Good to hear that Asus, ever the innovators, have provided a quick way to
reset the BIOS on a laptop. I'm thinking that the shorting of the pads under
the RAM cover could possibly be a more complete reset, perhaps removing
admin password or similar? I don't own one and haven't looked into it. Of
course, serious security lock-outs often can't be bypassed. I've heard of
people buying new motherboards for ThinkPads as they can't get past a
forgotten (or in-place when bought) password. I also remember the days of
the 'never to leave the sight of the Tosh tech' dongle for Toshiba laptops
that gave access to all passwords so that they could be re-set, once you'd
proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that you were the legal owner of the
machine in question....
--
Shaun.

"Build a man a fire, and he`ll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and
he`ll be warm for the rest of his life." Terry Pratchett, Jingo


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