i recently bought a used toshiba sattelite laptop - help... password protected laptop
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- got it back home and found that its password protected, o.s. is windows xp home, how do i get around this ?
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First Name -
Terry
Sometimes (often?) people don't assign a password to the Computer Administrator login (that you don't normally see on the Welcome screen). Try booting into Safe Mode using null for the password to the Administrator account. If successful, you can then change the password on other accounts.
If you format the disk and install a fresh Windows you won't have to deal with the last owner's problems or solve the password problem.
If you format the disk and install a fresh Windows you won't have to deal with the last owner's problems or solve the password problem.
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Unfortunately, you may be dealing with a security chip on the motherboard, many notebook computers have this, starting with IBM ThinkPads years ago, a system was developed so that in case an important laptop was "lost" and fell into the wrong hands, the drive could NOT be accessed without a great deal of work.
I have one of those locked IBM's. I know your pain. The Toshiba is a secure type, too.
The locked hard drive is a result of there also having been a Supervisor password, by default it is the same as the hard drive password if that is the one you are being prompted for, but if you don't know the first, you cannot even start the drive while it is in another, exactly the same, IBM ThinkPad, or any computer, that's how secure they are. You cannot flash the BIOS, change settings much, nada. If both the hard drive and the machine are locked, there may still be a way to get the old passwords and reset the machine so security like this is disabled.
The password kicks in sometimes, if you actually take the backup battery (CMOS bat, not the laptop power battery) out, it resets the BIOS and if there was a password, it comes back....neat stuff!
Or, if the battery dies it can happen so I have read.
To get the password, an electronic circuit is used, called a ROM reader, it reads directly from the security or ROM chip, where the password actually resides> it is not in the BIOS, so cracks and taking the battery out like we always did with tower computers will not work!
Read:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Storage/Q_20869740.html
The IBM and Toshiba unlock company is here:
http://www.nortek.on.ca/Password Removal/PasswordRemoval.aspx
There is another but he specializes in IBMs, however may know where to go for your Toshiba
http://www.ja.axxs.net/unlock/
He sells a method for you to make the simple ROM device and use it, or I believe for more $ you can send it in to get it fixed. Haven't tried either way with my TP380Z as it well, was old to begin with, and it was free> I may try it someday but for now, it's useless.
I swear!
There are a few people who have a business that deals with locked computers.
Depending on just what model you have you can get it unlocked, but it may be more than you want to spare.
The forum has gone about as far as it can with this issue.
You can try contacting Toshiba, I have read that they can help if it is a certain type of issue and you can prove that you own or purchased the notebook and it is legally yours. That's THEIR rules, not ours, so no feedback, please.
I have one of those locked IBM's. I know your pain. The Toshiba is a secure type, too.
The locked hard drive is a result of there also having been a Supervisor password, by default it is the same as the hard drive password if that is the one you are being prompted for, but if you don't know the first, you cannot even start the drive while it is in another, exactly the same, IBM ThinkPad, or any computer, that's how secure they are. You cannot flash the BIOS, change settings much, nada. If both the hard drive and the machine are locked, there may still be a way to get the old passwords and reset the machine so security like this is disabled.
The password kicks in sometimes, if you actually take the backup battery (CMOS bat, not the laptop power battery) out, it resets the BIOS and if there was a password, it comes back....neat stuff!
Or, if the battery dies it can happen so I have read.
To get the password, an electronic circuit is used, called a ROM reader, it reads directly from the security or ROM chip, where the password actually resides> it is not in the BIOS, so cracks and taking the battery out like we always did with tower computers will not work!
Read:
http://www.experts-exchange.com/Storage/Q_20869740.html
The IBM and Toshiba unlock company is here:
http://www.nortek.on.ca/Password Removal/PasswordRemoval.aspx
There is another but he specializes in IBMs, however may know where to go for your Toshiba
http://www.ja.axxs.net/unlock/
He sells a method for you to make the simple ROM device and use it, or I believe for more $ you can send it in to get it fixed. Haven't tried either way with my TP380Z as it well, was old to begin with, and it was free> I may try it someday but for now, it's useless.
I swear!
There are a few people who have a business that deals with locked computers.
Depending on just what model you have you can get it unlocked, but it may be more than you want to spare.
The forum has gone about as far as it can with this issue.
You can try contacting Toshiba, I have read that they can help if it is a certain type of issue and you can prove that you own or purchased the notebook and it is legally yours. That's THEIR rules, not ours, so no feedback, please.
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If it's a simple Windows password, there are ways to disable that,
use Google. If the Administrator password is set= format and reinstall, I agree.
The motherboard chip security password= pain.
judging by the title "password protected laptop" it seems to be the computer that is locked,
not just the startup or user account p-word...?
use Google. If the Administrator password is set= format and reinstall, I agree.
The motherboard chip security password= pain.
judging by the title "password protected laptop" it seems to be the computer that is locked,
not just the startup or user account p-word...?
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