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Locked Bios T560 - How to unlock?

T430-T490, T530-T590 Series
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baertracks
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Locked Bios T560 - How to unlock?

#1 Post by baertracks » Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:35 pm

I recently purchased a used T560 on eBay from a seller who said that they were selling their old laptop in order to upgrade. They described it as being in "great condition" (which it is) but noted that it would no longer boot. They said that it was generating some beeping errors. I figured that that might be an easy fix, so I purchased the laptop at a very good price. The error code was 1-3-3-1 short beeps indicating a memory problem. Once I put in new memory, the beeping problem was solved, but I then discovered that the laptop is BIOS LOCKED. So now what? Are there any relatively simple options (or services) for unlocking this machine? Or, would my best bet be to resell the laptop on eBay (with an indication of the bios locked problem, of course).

BTW, I just found that this laptop is under a three-year depot warranty with 465 days remaining. Is this bios password recovery something that might be covered by Lenovo warranty services (or handled/fixed by them for a reasonable fee)?

MikalE
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Re: Locked Bios T560 - How to unlock?

#2 Post by MikalE » Thu Apr 26, 2018 7:32 am

Have you tried asking the seller for the BIOS password?
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baertracks
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Re: Locked Bios T560 - How to unlock?

#3 Post by baertracks » Thu Apr 26, 2018 7:43 am

Yes, but no luck. He/She says that the laptop came without guarantees. However, do you think that this might be a situation to elevate the case to eBay for a reimbursement?

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Re: Locked Bios T560 - How to unlock?

#4 Post by RealBlackStuff » Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:07 am

There is no simple, cheap method to unlock that BIOS.
Lenovo will not do it for you, but they will replace and charge you exorbitantly for a new motherboard + labor.
Unfortunately this has nothing to do with warranty.
Try to open a case "not as described" on eBay and ask for your money back + return-shipping at seller's expense.
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MikalE
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Re: Locked Bios T560 - How to unlock?

#5 Post by MikalE » Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:23 am

RBS is correct.

If they did not not specifically state the BIOS was locked, it was 'not as described'.

They will argue that they didn't know that because of the memory error on boot. Still though, not as described.
A31p P-IV 2Ghz, 2MB, 2653-R6U
T500 T9600 2055-BE9
T510 i5 4384-DV7
T510 i7 4349-A64
T520 i7QM 4242-4UU Highly Modified
T16 i7 1260P 21BV000SUS

baertracks
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Re: Locked Bios T560 - How to unlock?

#6 Post by baertracks » Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:30 am

OK. Thanks for the advice.
I will pursue that avenue.

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