Pass word protection BIO's

[atc_traffic856]

Can you use the setup to create a pass word in Lap Tops?
And too terminnate the pass would it be the same as going into your Lap Top and using your jumpers to clear the CMO's??

[Paul Komski]

Yes it is usually possible to set a BIOS password.

Clearing the CMOS does not normally have any affect on the BIOS password on a MODERN LAPTOP.

[atc_traffic856]

Thank you Paul for the info, if I were too use the setup BIOs to set a pass word in the average modern note book >> This pass word is on the startup and before it runs through the BIO's how would one eliminate the so p/w if you were to lose or whatever? Would you have to use the FDISK and reformat ??

[Paul Komski]

If the laptop bios has a security chip (as most modern laptops do) then physical replacement of the chip would be required; so don't lose any such passwords and read the instructions/manual carefully.

Some laptop hard drives (particularly on company laptops) can also have Passwords set on them. These are virtually uncrackable (whether they be master or user passwords and whether stored in firmware on on an inaccessible area of the HDD using an ATA standard in a Host Protected Area). Fdisk, zeroing etc will not wipe such areas of such a protected HDD nor will moving the drive to another pc allow access.

Secure passwords are always a double-edged sword since if they are lost then only brute force cracking may be the way to overcome them and that could take years to crack. These levels of security have come about with laptops because they may contain company information and because laptops are not than uncommonly lost or stolen.

[pop pop]

The company I work for uses both the BIOS password and HDD password protection. You cannot even successfully do something like insert a Knoppix CD and boot to a different OS to bypass everything. It won't work and I think any attempt to do so (bypass anything) is logged.

[atc_traffic856]

Thank you, Paul >> Pop Pop > For your input and time >>