Can't access BIOS - not accepting Supervisor Pswd!!?

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icantux · #1 Post by **icantux** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:41 pm

Hi fellas,

Need some help here.... Situation is as follows:

- I entered my BIOS, set the Supervisor Password (wrote it down on a piece of paper immediately just in case I forgot it in a year from now). It was set to Passphrase, but it's a short password (I know, not very secure, but I used a combo of CAPS and numerals).
- did not enter power-on or hdd passwords. Left those blank.
- did not enable the security chip

- rebooted the system and checked to see if it worked - got the little icon with the dude and a lock, entered the supervisor password and got in.

Perfect.

- Next, once I booted into WinXP, I invoked the "Fingerprint Logon" Control Centre, and registered 2 fingers and checked the "power-on password".
- Followed the instructions to shutdown the machine, restart and when appropriate, swipe finger to register and enter the user password.

Here's the problem.

- I boot the computer after it's been off of a few minutes, I swipe the finger and it automatically goes into Windows.... ok... hmmm (never asked me to confirm user password).

- figured I'd go into BIOS and clear things up.
- shutdown computer. Restart, press F1 to enter BIOS.
- I get the Power-on Password Prompt! What the hell? I try to enter my Supervisor Password - won't take it. I try to enter my User Password ... won't take it!. I hit ENTER (with no password entered) and I get into the BIOS but without Supervisor privileges (can't change anything)!

Reboot into Windows....
- I disable all fingerprint usage, thinking that it will get rid of the Power-on Password prompt. Shutdown system. Leave it off for 10 minutes, restart, press F1, but it still keeps asking me for the Power-on Password. Won't accept the User Password, won't accept the Supervisor Password. But if I hit "ENTER" without entering a password I get into the BIOS with everything in "security" greyed out.

??????? ARrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhh!

What do I do? Do I remove all batteries and wait for the CMOS to clear up to get rid of that Power-on Password prompt when I try to get into the BIOS?

Just a side note, the icons are displayed on this page :
http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-59377

This is really WEIRD! Bloody thing's got me huffin here.

How did the Fingerprint Control Center screw things up like this???

icantux · #2 Post by **icantux** » Wed Apr 16, 2008 11:32 pm

Hmm... I'm in a pickle now.

When I start the machine now - left it off for a while - the Power-on Password prompt shows up and no matter what I do, the machine doesn't accept any password. (know my supervisor password - like I mentioned, I wrote it down as soon as I entered it.)

I press the ThinkVantage button right after startup, but it goes straight to the Power-on Password prompt.

I start the machine with the F1 key pressed, but it goes straight to the Power-on Password prompt.

I read the T61 HMM on the "POP" (Power-on Password) but nothing. I keep getting that prompt and it won't accept either the power-on password, the supervisor password... nothing!!!!

What in the blue blazes is going on???

Thing · #3 Post by **Thing** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:11 am

did you uninstall, or reinstall the ThinkVantage Client Security Solutions? if so, there was some problems with the secuirty chip (TPM) causing similar problems You can try to reset the security chip, which may be causing this, however you have to get into the BIOS to do so, and if its a Power on PAssword, then I dont know what to say.

egibbs · #4 Post by **egibbs** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:58 am

Best I can suggest is to clear the POP like you said by pulling the CMOS and main battery, and see what happens.

I suppose it's possible that it switched itself from Passphrase to Password mode, so try entering the SP in all upper or all lower case and without any special characters.

Beyond that I am afraid I'm out of ideas.

Ed Gibbs

icantux · #5 Post by **icantux** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 8:14 am

I never installed CSS, only the fingerprint software.

Late (and I mean late) last night, I downloaded the T61 (8891) HMM and read the section dealing with removing the Power-on Password. I took the batteries out and left it sitting overnight. About ready to put things back in place and see if the POP is gone.

I just don't understand why the thing won't take my Power-on Password, nor my supervisor password. I figured that perhaps it went from passphrase to regular, so I tried entering both passwords in UPPERCASE and lowercase - just in case. Nothing. Won't accept any password.

Something's fubared!

I dunno whether to cry or rip the computer to shreds.

I think I'll just call Lenovo and see what they have to tell me.

Ketil · #6 Post by **Ketil** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 12:38 pm

Hi,

I notice you''re located in Canada. Are you using anything different than "US-English" Input Locale (Regional Options)?

This may not apply to you, but I have "Norwegian" as Input Locale and anytime I login from Standby or Hibernation my T61p reverts to English keyboard layout until I'm logged in.

So if you use any characters > Ascii 127 in your passphrase, you may not be entering what you think you are

icantux · #7 Post by **icantux** » Thu Apr 17, 2008 2:35 pm

Thanks for the input, but no, the locale was never changed.

This machine runs on stock software, with the Rescue and Recovery partition intact and unchanged. The BIOS was restored to factory default before I entered (and verified) the supervisor password.... The security chip was never enabled, everything stock.

Ever since I disabled the Fingerprint logon, the computer keeps asking me for the power-on password and nothing I enter works. It never even gives me a chance to enter my supervisor password.

Did everything according to the hardware maintenance manual to clear the power-on password (unplugged backup battery, removed main battery).... All this was confirmed by the Lenovo representative...

Nothing works!!! It's like the POST is stuck on power-on password. Period.

[censored] it!

wusuli · #8 Post by **wusuli** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 4:20 pm

Hi icantux,

I am in a similar situation. It keeps asking me for power-on password even though I have never set it. I hope you have some ways to sort your problem out, and let me know the approach.

Thanks

icantux · #9 Post by **icantux** » Fri Apr 18, 2008 9:47 pm

Well, I spoke with 2 support techs at Lenovo (Atlanta) and tried 6 different ways of clearing the Power-on Password under their direction and nothing worked.

My system will be shipped to depot for repair (!?). I dunno if the motherboard has to be replaced or if the techs at the depot have some sort of trick to "flush" the CMOS... I just don't get it.

BTW, I've read a number of reports that some people are getting locked out of their system ("Power-on Password" prompt appears) after they update to the newest BIOS version using System Update. They never had any password set, and then after the BIOS update they're locked out of the system with a "Power-on Password" prompt.... So just a heads up to anyone reading this.

wusuli · #10 Post by **wusuli** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 1:06 am

hi icantux,

I Called them too. Eventually, I was given two options: 1) send my machine to Lenovo and they replace the motherboard for me, 2) they send a motherboard to me and I replace it by myself. I selected the 2nd choice because it would take much less time and I don't want others to access my hard drive.

Hope you and me both good luck.

pae77 · #11 Post by **pae77** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 3:41 am

That's kind of cool that they are willing to send the motherboard to you and let you do the repair yourself. I'm curious though, will your unit still be under warranty after you do it yourself? Will they send you everything you need to do the job properly?

mitasol · #12 Post by **mitasol** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 5:29 am

take the hard drive out - they don't need it

icantux · #13 Post by **icantux** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 4:25 pm

Actually, they requested that the hdd remain in the machine.

I'm a bit upset right now though, because I was supposed to get the box today to send the machine in to the depot for "verification".

See I spoke with Lenovo tech support on Thursday (last week) and they were supposed to send the box on Monday (yesterday) because I left on a business trip on Friday morning and would not be back until today - hence if they sent the box on Friday, then I would not be here to sign for it.

Fine, so they agreed to send the box yesterday (Monday) and so I hurried back today believing that the box would be delivered today. Instead, I had a bunch of messages from Lenovo (someone called on Sunday and then yesterday requesting I call back). I just got back a couple of hours ago, called Lenovo and spent the last hour explaining the whole case all over again!!! .... "We'll send you the box for you to send the computer to the depot today - you should get it by Friday". So I ship the system to depot and can expect a 5 business day turnaround.

Arrrrrrrgh! Guess what? I'm going away on business again in two weeks - precisely when I should be getting back a "fixed" computer.... Now what??? Friggen amazing...

So, two weeks no computer.... I need to rent one now. How nice.

And all this started when I updated my system and started using the FP reader using software version 5.6.1.3419 .... As soon as I deleted the fingerprint profile, the computer went nuts and keeps asking me for a "Power-on Password" and nothing I do gets rid of the power-on password prompt. Tried 6 different methods with the fine folk at Lenovo (Atlanta) to "remedy" the situation - nothing works, so obviously the system's TPM is fubared.

I'll tell ya, the tech support folks at Atlanta are really, really nice!! But there's some lack of communication somewhere ....

Grrrrrrr! Evil fingerprint software!!!!!

(Funny, never had a problem with my T42 using the FP). This one (T61) developed a mind of its own.

egibbs · #14 Post by **egibbs** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:00 am

Thanks for reminding me why I swore I would never get a FPR.

If you know where you will be you should be able to talk Lenovo into shipping the repaired machine to the hotel rather than returning it to your home. IBM always used to do stuff like that, I hope Lenovo continued the tradition.

Ed Gibbs

icantux · #15 Post by **icantux** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 9:48 am

Well they wouldn't. They stated that the box must be signed for by the person registered as owner of the machine and dropped-off, picked-up at the address they have on record.

Good Lord, what a week I'm having....

koden · #16 Post by **koden** » Mon May 26, 2008 5:24 pm

Is this working?

(link removed)

I have the same problem with a T60.
The supervisor password is not working...
maybe the owner before have changed it...
But thats 6 month ago that he was stopping in the conpany.

I have the user password but need the supervisor now.

mod edit: link to unlocking website removed per forum rules.

Can't access BIOS - not accepting Supervisor Pswd!!?

Can't access BIOS - not accepting Supervisor Pswd!!?

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