T41P hard drive password

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shlammed · #1 Post by **shlammed** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:21 am

Is there any other way to get into "administrative" mode?

A co-op student left and I'm trying to re-image the laptop for the new student but I cannot get into the administrative mode to enter the administrator password.

Example to make more sense:

- Power on laptop

- laptop asks for BIOS password

- I enter administrative BIOS password and it continues

- laptop asks for hard drive password next

- normally here I would press F1 and the image beside the password prompt changes letting you know that it's "administrative mode" or whatever you call it

- when I hit F1 on this laptop for some reason that is not happening and the password is not working

Thanks.

shlammed · #2 Post by **shlammed** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:49 am

p.s. I've tried putting the hard drive into another T41P as well

I guess maybe you have to set the admin password seperately for the BIOS and the hard drive??

#3 Post by **jdhurst** » Tue May 08, 2007 9:51 am

It depends on what your time is worth.

First, ask the student for the hard drive and any other BIOS passwords he/she used. It was not their laptop (apparently) so they are obligated to give your (representing the owner) the passwords.

Second, if the student won't, consider replacing the hard drive (cheaper in the long run than finding a service to reset the password. The latter is expensive and such services will ask you to prove situation and ownership.

Third, google for ways to remove the administrator password. This is difficult, but easier (if I remember correctly) than deleting a hard drive password.
... JDH

JHEM · #4 Post by **JHEM** » Tue May 08, 2007 11:09 am

jdhurst wrote:Third, google for ways to remove the administrator password.

It's a HD PW that's the problem John.

To the OP, if the previous user won't/can't cough up the PW, just replace the HD.

James

shlammed · #5 Post by **shlammed** » Tue May 08, 2007 12:45 pm

the problem was that the previous co-op is gone but his manager was able to get a hold of him and we have the password now

w0qj · #6 Post by **w0qj** » Thu May 10, 2007 1:01 am

Suppose you can't get hold of that person, and you don't know what the Hard Disk password is?

Can I format the hard drive without knowing the HD password, or will the hard drive become a (expensive) paperweight?

JHEM · #7 Post by **JHEM** » Thu May 10, 2007 6:08 am

The latter.

The HD can't be accessed without the PW.

James

egibbs · #8 Post by **egibbs** » Thu May 10, 2007 6:09 am

Paperweight.

it is possible to recover the password but the service usually costs more than the HDD. So unless the data is very valuable, paperweight.

Ed Gibbs

T41P hard drive password

T41P hard drive password

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