Used laptop help please

[old tymer]

Hi all,

I recently purchased a used Hp6735s laptop for my wife. The vendor gave me the password of the admin so i could change which i have done. There is all sorts of stuff left on there by the vendor and i want to clean it up.

 

When i press f1 at boot it asks for a password. I contacted the vendor who gave me two passwords which they say were the only ones ever used. However neither of them work.

 

If i take the machine back to factory settings will i be stuck beyond that password?

 

Its running basic Vista and compared to my Toshiba on xp it is very slow to start up, is this normal or is it likely to be a programme(s) such as windows defender,AVG ETC.

 

I have little tech knowledge so please keep it simple:)

 

Cheers.

[seedy21]

Hello ,

 

 

If i take the machine back to factory settings will i be stuck beyond that password?

when you do this you will lose all the data on the hardware including the passwords.This will get you passed the password problem. Just remember to back-up any data that you wish to keep from of the computer

 

Seedy21

[RandyL]

I can't be sure as my Vista died and I also don't have a laptop. However on my HP desktop F1 takes me to the Windows Boot Manager.

 

If it's asking for a password at that stage I'm concerned that a BIOS password or BIOS lock has been set. This is usually done to prevent someone unauthorized from making changes to the BIOS and in some cases from even being able to get to the Windows boot screen.

 

To my knowledge HP is not in the habit of setting one by default. If I were you I would get my money back from the vendor. Having such a setting or a computer being re-sold by a vendor that has not had Windows reinstalled makes me very suspicious. It's at the best very sloppy resale or at worse a stolen computer.

 

Either way I'm willing to bet it didn't even come with recovery media and if you try to make a set you will find it's already been done so you can't do it again.

 

Reinstalling Windows will remove Windows passwords but not BIOS password. This is not good as we can't help with password issues short of reinstalling.

 

Seriously, try to get your money back. This is a sloppy sale.

[Armageddon]

I agree with Randy on this one take it back get your money back because it does sound like a BIOS password and without that if you did decide to do a reinstall you couldn't change the boot order in BIOS anyway

[old tymer]

Unfortunately it was a private sale, The vendor showed it working and i agreed to buy, so looks like i am stuck with it.

I believe it to be a genuine sale, i think they are just naive. They have left things like e bay accounts with memorised passwords.

 

I cant sell it on as it is, so i`ll have to see what can be done.

 

I was thinking of using it when i`m working away as the battery is much better than my own but its too slow at the mo.

 

Was thinking if i uninstall windows defender and avg, replacing them with avast and a n other that might speed things up?

[Synapse]

After doing a bit of digging, the maintenance manual for your machine tells you how to clear the CMOS.

 

Have a look, page 47

 

http://bizsupport2.austin.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01613452/c01613452.pdf

 

It means a strip down but according to the manual it clears CMOS + any passwords. Never seen a maintenance manual for a laptop say that, but I guess I live and learn!!

 

Admin>I don't think I've broken your rules, it all seems legit - If I have please drop me a PM.

[RandyL]

I agree. I too think it's legit. Let's let the thread stand as is. Providing the manual link was the perfect way to go.

[old tymer]

That sounds like good news guys great work. I`ve never attempted this sort of thing before but ithink its within my capabilities.

 

I`ll give it a go over the weekend and let you know how i get on.

 

Thanks once again.

[old tymer]

Okay after going twice to buy screwdrivers and three attempts to re-connect an internal power cable i managed to complete the above procedure. Upon re start i got the message "Bios recovery 500" and all is same. On another forum they say it does not work on some hp laptos. Must be one of those.

 

Does anybody have experience of password reset tools? Any reccomendations?

[Dalo Harkin]

pop the CMOS battery out for 30 seconds and then reinsert it, this will clear ALL the BIOS options including any supervisor passwords that prevent access to the BIOS.

 

Make sure the machine is off and unplugged from the wall/socket when you do this

[old tymer]

Have already tried that. It seems that some hp laptops are protected against that.

[Dalo Harkin]

If you have the passwords that the 'seller' gave you then, they are case sensitive so try with CAPS and also lower case and a cap at the start and then lower case.

 

From HPs own website

IT Resource Center forums - HP 6735s BIOS password.

 

If all else fails, look here CmosPwd - CGSecurity

Edited December 22, 2010 by Dalo Harkin

[old tymer]

Tried all the diff permatations caps on caps off. Can`t find the way fwd from the link, no mention of HP or Vista???

[Dalo Harkin]

PM sent

[old tymer]

Anybody out there know what bios system is likely to be running in a HP6735s 2008???

[RandyL]

I don't know but I'll bet this is the security you are looking at.

HP ProtectTools - Windows Vista and Windows XP

[old tymer]

Ok i seem to be getting nowhere with this. Wondering if i took it to my local shop would they be able to sort it?

Would anybody out there have any idea of its value in its current state? Its in very good condition.

[Synapse]

If all of the other methods have drawn a blank, the only way to remove the CMOS password is to pay for it to be done.

 

A local shop would probably do what I would do, source the removal from the Internet and then charge you. Last one I did was a Fujitsu and it cost me about £35.

 

You run special sequence of keys on startup, or attempt to get in to the BIOS until the lock code is shown. The code is passed on to a third party company who will decode it and give you the password.

 

There is no other way, BIOS resets don't do it as the password is stored in flash memory elsewhere. A shop may oblige you if you can prove ownership.

[paulc]

there are some BIOS tools on Hirens boot cd. i do not know if they will work

I have never use them but i have used other tools from the disk

[old tymer]

Ok peeps. Problems are now sorted. I took it to the guy who sorts our work computers he spent about half an hour on it. Although i was trying to watch he was too quick for me. I do know that he was able to change the ownership tag and that allows me into the bios e.t.c.

 

Increased the memory and only charged me £20. So all in all a result.

 

So a big thank you to all who tried to help and hope for a happy new year.

[Dalo Harkin]

Glad you got it all sorted :)