Thinkpads Forum

So one of our users had set up all the security features. Between the power on password, the windows login, and the encryption password he seems to have forgotten the BIOS supervisor password. The time has come to clone the machine, but booting off the ghost CD would initially not work with all the security features enabled. What we did was open Productivity Center -> Security -> advanced -> embedded security chip -> and clicked disable. It asked for a password, which we knew, and it said the chip was disabled and we need to reboot. Well after rebooting it still prompted us for the power on password. We entered that correctly, and it also worked for the harddrive lock password. Then it comes to a screen:

ERROR
0191: System Security - Invalid remote change requested.

Press <F1> to Setup

and thats it. you can press F1 and it goes to BIOS after asking for a password. When I enter any of the passwords I know it gives a very limited BIOS. All of the options are greyed out except the option to reset the power-on password. Can't get into windows. At least if I put a bootable CD in while it is at the error screen, it will boot off the CD so I was able to get all the data off the harddrive. The system is just inaccessible.

Is there a battery or jumper on the motherboard to get this supervisor password reset?

IBM wanted to charge us 400 to put in a new system board. I thought that was bullsh!t, considering we have a service contract and we bought 10 thinkpads for the company and it was their software that broke it in the first place.... great customer service

You should be able to reset the bios by opening up the unit, and unplugged the backup battery under the keyboard. Leaving that undone, and unplugging AC and the main battery should leave it drained after maybe 15-20 minutes.

Just hope to god he didn't set the harddrive password. While everything else can be reset, the HD password can't. Only fixes are a new hard drive, or bribing the HD maker to warranty it and replace the circuit board.

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mo ... 448r01.pdf

unplugged the battery, like on page 77 of the service manual... I'm just waiting for the CMOS to drain

First time after rebooting after draining the CMOS the screen was just black for about 5 seconds. Then the boot screen appears and it prompts for a HD password. The old password still worked for that. But then there are three errors:

0271 - Date and time error—Neither the date nor the time is set in the computer. Run BIOS Setup Utility to reset the time and date.

0191 - System Security—Invalid Remote Change requested. 1. Run BIOS Setup Utility, and then save current setting by pressing F10. 2. System board.

0176 - System Security—The system has been tampered with. 1. Run BIOS Setup Utility, and save the current setting by pressing F10. 2. System board.

Then it prompts for another password. Probably the password I don't know because none of the previous passwords work here. After three tries I'm locked out.

Supervisor password:A supervisor password (SVP) protects the system information stored in the BIOS Setup Utility. The user must enter the SVP in order to get access to the BIOS Setup Utility and change the system configuration. Attention: If the SVP has been forgotten and cannot be made available to the servicer, there is no service procedure to reset the password. The system board must be replaced for a scheduled fee.



Looks like the user just cost your company a new planar board. Only the user poweron password can be reset. Same goes with the HD password.

As stated, a PoP can be reset with a little fiddling with the CMOS battery, but the Supervisor Password is something that, if forgotten, requires a new system board.

hemlockz - this may be another option for you:

http://www.nortek.on.ca/super_password.aspx