T30 - Power On Password

[Medessec]

Hello, I've recently got in a couple of T30s, and one of them when powered on halts at the "Power On Password" screen. It shows a lock with the logo of a computer, not the person, which would indicate a supervisor password.

Question-is this password still baked into the chip or something? I originally thought the power-on password could be removed by just unplugging all sources of power to the chips, although I guess that might just be on newer systems... Because this computer also reports errors synonymous with a dead CMOS battery, and I did pull the battery just to be safe and let the computer sit(not plugged in, no battery, no CMOS battery) for about 2 hours. Plug everything back in, the password screen is still there. Is the T30 old to the point where the power on passwords... or whatever they're called, if they're all the same, BIOS passwords... that if the computer has one and I don't know it, I have a motherboard swap on my hands?

[jronald]

We can not discus how to circumvent the Power On Password, sorry.
It is stored permantely on a Security Chip. Google for it further info.

Ron

[rkawakami]

What you describe is the supervisor (aka, BIOS) password. Since you removed the CMOS battery, a power-on password would have been removed. This is published information and is okay to describe. With the older systems, the power-on and supervisor password prompts are the same; an icon representing a computer monitor. The supervisor password is stored in non-volatile memory and it cannot be defeated by the removal of power. The original advice from IBM is that you're looking at a motherboard swap.

[Medessec]

Mmk- thanks, just wanted to make sure. I guess I'll have to track down a new motherboard.