Lock screen issue at boot-up on IBM T21

[jjuansmith]

I have an IBM T21 that displays a "lock screen" symbol about 5 seconds into the boot-up process. The first part of the symbol looks like a small diskette and the symbol next to it looks like a padlock and the cursor is blinking to the right of the padlock. I can't get into the BIOS or see the boot device list.

Of course, the individual that passed the laptop off to me was trying to do an upgrade install from WIN98 to WIN2K when it initially happened. (Allegedly)
(OLDER COMPANY LAPTOP THAT WAS BEING PHASED OUT AND WAS PURCHASED BY EMPLOYEE)
Is this an indication that there was a password placed in the BIOS? The company's "IT Guys" deny, deny, deny putting on any type Admin password, so they were no help at all.

Did they acquire a "Doorstop" or is there a way to successfully disable the password without having to do major surgery on the T21? I don't feel all that comfortable trying to get under the keyboard to locate the jumpers. I have been Googling and reading many forums that suggest several different solutions, but nothing has worked thus far.


Thanks,

JJS

[rkawakami]

Not sure if my first PM ever got to you... I sent another...

[AlphaKilo470]

OP, have you read the part of the FAQ that mentions help with passwords?