How Can I Clear the Setup Password With a Gateway Solo 2550?

[ginky4]

I have a Gateway Solo 2550 laptop that I purchased second hand. I went ahead and formatted the hard drive so that I could do a fresh Windows install. The problem is that when I hit F2 when the computer is rebooting to enter Setup it asks me for a password that I don't know and can't get. Is there anyway to clear the old password without knowing it so that I can get into CMOS to make changes?

[usil]

Try typing "bios password" in google and you will get lots of links.

[Nix]

http://www.mdgx.com/newtip20.htm#DBP

[ginky4]

Thanks for the quick reply. Nix, How do I get that little 0 symbol on my keyboard? I don't see a key with that symbol.

[usil]

I believe that little o is the letter o (not zero)

[ginky4]

I believe that the symbol is the one for degree. Like the temperature is 72 degrees outside. I know there is a keyboard combination that lets you make a degree symbol but I don't know what that is. Anybody know? Look at the link that Nix posted.

[usil]

Hmm, I don't see that anywhere. Are you refering to this:

o 70 2e

[Nix]

Ok I just went into my BIOS and set a system password.

Tested to make sure it was working it was.

Started up the Win98SE DOS prompt and type as follows:

debug

o 70 2e

o 71 ff

q

pressing enter after each line and the o is the letter between i and p on your keyboard.

Pressed Ctrl+Alt+Delete to reboot.

The moment of truth.

Decided to just boot rather than going straight to BIOS.

Black screen displaying

CMOS settings wrong.

Press F1 to Run Setup

Pressed F1

Took me into BIOS

Some settings had reverted to defaults but...

The password was gone.

Reset reverted settings and exited.

So have fun Ginky4

[ginky4]

Thanks Nix for sticking your neck out and giving it a try. Now that I know that it works I will do the same and post back.

[ginky4]

Nix, I followed the instructions on your link you posted and it worked perfect. Thats unbelievable! I reset the Bios Password back to none and I am now back in business. I do have one other problem that I need to find a work around for so I will post that on the board as a separate topic. Thanks again. Good Work!

[Nix]

That's ok.

Worst case scenario, i would have been posting back here for help, had it of stuffed up my BIOS or something - LOL

Anyway glad it worked and thanks for posting back.

[Nix]

Hey ginky4 out of curiousity did you get the CMOS Settings Wrong error message ?

[ginky4]

I didn't see that when I did it. I followed the instructions and then saved the changes and it cleared the password for me. I actually set all the Bios settings back to the original factory settings. That is one neat trick.

[Nix]

Ok.