HP Compaq nx 9010 strange BIOS password issue

[simpatico]

This laptop is a new acquisition of mine from a private party in near mint condition,
it's a Intel based system board,
2.8 ghz 512 mb ran with a 40 gb drive,
64 mb video, with DVD\CDRW combo and floppy drive with lots of ports usb mine usb integrated wireless nic etc.
OK now for the BIOS password issue (the seller gave me the drive lock password) There was no problem with it.
I've already installed WXP Pro and all the appropriate drivers for the machine,
and it's running fine now.
expert for the BIOS drive lock password problem!
(It ask for it on boot or reboot)
I can easily access the BIOS,
and I think can change the password that's not the problem, my problem is that I don't want any password set in the BIOS, what I want is to CLEAR it of the existing password,
so that I'm not asked to type in the drive lock password upon booting the system again! That is my "problem" here.
PS: I don't need to change the drive lock password (that's easy)
what I need is to erase it from the BIOS, the issue is that I don't seem to be able to erase it.
Thx

[SpywareDr]

Maybe try setting the User (or Administrator) password to match the drive password. You should then be able to change the drive password.

HP Compaq Business Notebook nx9000 - Basic Operation
http://h200003.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...ctID=c00038765

CAUTION: When hard drive lock is enabled, the current BIOS user password (or administrator password if that is the only password set) is encoded on the hard drive.

CAUTION: If moving the hard drive to another computer, the drive is not accessible until the user (or administrator) password is set to match the drive password. After the drive password is matched, it is possible to change the computer (and drive) password. If the password is forgotten, it is impossible to recover the data.

[simpatico]

here is more about this BIOS issue of interest.
When I first got this laptop I decided to take out the (40 gb WD caviar) drive, and install another 40 gb drive (Fujitzu) a bit slower but in good working order.
Well when I finished installing it,
and inserted a Win Me boot disk then booted,
I noticed that there was no Bios drive lock prompt and finished formatting the drive,
then I went into the BIOS, but now it did ask for the drive lock password and I obliged with it,
and proceeded to change the boot order,
then I installed my WXP Pro system files,
it all went smoothly,
when I got my desktop and rebooted with no drive lock prompt and after numerous reboots it never showed up.
So I then took out the Fujitzu drive,
and reinstalled the original WD caviar drive, inserted WMe BD and powered up the rig up,
now the "expected" drive lock prompt came up I gave it the code,
and got to fdisk of course I deleted and created and new partition
and proceeded to format the sucker,
but it wouldn't let me format it ( could not use the letter "Y" when prompted to do so,
long story short,
only WXP was able to format it to NTFS,
then I was able to fully install WXP on this infernal drive and of course with this drive I always get that damn drive lock password prompt.

I'm wondering if kill disk would take care of the encoded drive stamp and erase it completely,
I even thought to install the drive on a different laptop and format it in there, but maybe a different laptop wouldn't recognize the WD caviar drive.

[SuperSparks]

You could try Killdisk, I'm not sure whether it will work with removing that encoded p/w though. Or you could try using the drive makers' utility to do a Low Level format on the drive. That will restore it to the same condition as it was when it left the factory. But there are no guarantees, those passwords are designed to be very difficult to remove, for obvious reasons.

[simpatico]

Super.
this rig is running almost perfect after installing all the drivers for the numerous fixture it has, (HP is very nice about posting drivers for the products they sell,)
it seem that this issue is a tough nut to crack, I decided to let it be for now,
maybe later on 'time permitting I'll experiment with it using killdisk and installing the infernal drive on a differing laptop,
as far as "the manufacturer format utility!
That could be a problem 'cause it's a HP oem drive and the P\n number may be different,
and therefore difficult to find a WD utility for it.
thx Super