How to remove BIOS password on IBM T23?

[pmillerjr]

I replaced a dead fan on an IBM T23 Think Pad, type 2647. To do so requires removal of the backup battery, per IBMs field manual.

After putting it all back together, the system now requires a boot password.

No password was EVER set by the user so no password is known to put in.
It appears pulling the cmos battery reset the BIOS as expected but now it thinks there is a password.

I have tried removing the batteries again and booting from AC with no luck

Any ideas? IBM says the only way is to replace the motherboard.

[TriggerFinger]

hi,

hmmm that is quite strange. you said initially it has no password but after putting back it back together (backup battery installed), it now asks for one?

my guess is (and i may be wrong) there might be already an existing password and resetting the CMOS did not reset it. or another way to explain it is a presence of a Security Chip (not so sure about this on a T23). IBM/Lenovo website can help you with this. check the original specs of the laptop (based on model/type and serial number) if it has a security chip.

again best help you can get is from IBM. i believe they will just ask some security related questions and then give you password that works.

other than that, i believe it is against forum rules to give any other advise.

[pmillerjr]

I beleive this is a subset of the known issue with the same problem after a receint BIOS update. Uodating the BIOS can create a random SVP on the TP. As I am unable to get that far in the boot process, I cannot see what BIOS version is in place.

[TriggerFinger]

Originally Posted by pmillerjr

I beleive this is a subset of the known issue with the same problem after a receint BIOS update. Uodating the BIOS can create a random SVP on the TP. As I am unable to get that far in the boot process, I cannot see what BIOS version is in place.

try tapping F1 when IBM logo appears to get into BIOS settings. you can see the BIOS version there.

[dai]

if resetting the cmos did not fix it we can offer no futher in depth help under the forum rules
there can be 3 passwords on a lenovo,only the bios supervisor password can be reset by a cmos reset any other has to be done by lenovo
the second one requires a motherboard fix from them
the 3rd is a h/drive password which requires lenovo to replace the h/drive
these are security features built in to disable a stolen laptop and render it useless
thread closed