IBM ThinkPad T42 hard drive password weirdest Problem EVER!

[yuqian_li]

HI, all Thinkpad User:
I am new to this forum. Here is my question.
I bought an IBM ThinkPad T42 23731WU without a hard drive at eBay. The laptop seem to be works fine. It POSTs and looking for an OS. I have a few spare hard drive, actually I have one hard drive with a OS from my preview Thinkpad T42. So, after I received the laptop couple days ago.Then, I put the hard drive with an OS from my preview Thinkpad T42 into this Thinkpad T42 laptop. After, It POSTs it asks me for the hard drive password. But I never set up a hard drive password on my hard drive. Then, I put another hard drive into this Thinkpad and trying to restore the OS into this machine. Then, It asked my to put a hard drive password, but I NEVER setup any hard drive password on all my hard drives.

Then, I thought maybe the BIOS problem. So, I went to the IBM website and download the latest BIOS and flash it. But, the problem still there.

It's kind weird, it automatically put password to lock my hard drive. And, for some hard drive I put into this laptop, the laptop seems take forever to POST.

My last question is if the preview owner put a hard drive password on his/ her hard drive. Then, he/ she pull out the hard drive, then sell it to me. Then, By adding a new (unlocked) hard disk to a this machine. Is that going to lock the new hard disk. (I mean put the old password into the unlocked hard drive)

I don't know if it make scene of not. This is a weird laptop.
Right now, I am kinder distress. This stupid laptop automatically password lock two of my hard drive.
Thanks for all your respond.

[RealBlackStuff]

Welcome to the forum.
The problem is not a password for the hard disk, but the previous owner put in a password for the laptop, i.e. a Supervisor Password (SVP).
Ask him/her to give you that password, otherwise you should return the laptop and ask for your money back.

[jdhurst]

The HD password goes on the HD, and if the HD has a password, you have to know it. I had a T41 with a main drive with a HD password, and I could easily insert a non-passworded HD. No issue. I wonder if your laptop has had the supervisor password set? You would have to enquire from the original owner what passwords were set and what the passwords are, OR, they must take the machine back if they sold it to you in a manner that it cannot be used. ... JDH

[yuqian_li]

Welcome to the forum.
The problem is not a password for the hard disk, but the previous owner put in a password for the laptop, i.e. a Supervisor Password (SVP).
Ask him/her to give you that password, otherwise you should return the laptop and ask for your money back.

Thanks for your quick respond!
My problem is not the Supervisor password or power on password. There is not supervisor or power on password on this laptop. If I pull out the Locked hard drive, the laptop won't ask for hard drive password.
Thanks!

[ajkula66]

Hmmm...will the machine boot from a "live" CD, such as PC-Doctor or Linux?

[yuqian_li]

The HD password goes on the HD, and if the HD has a password, you have to know it. I had a T41 with a main drive with a HD password, and I could easily insert a non-passworded HD. No issue. I wonder if your laptop has had the supervisor password set? You would have to enquire from the original owner what passwords were set and what the passwords are, OR, they must take the machine back if they sold it to you in a manner that it cannot be used. ... JDH

Thanks for your quick respond.
I thought so. If the " a main drive with a HD password, and I could easily insert a non-passworded HD. No issue.". But, my Thinkpad seems weird. I put a non-passworded Hard Drive into this Thinkpad, and It automatically password-Locked my hard drive. I never put password on my hard drive. This laptop automatically password-Locked my hard drive. Actually This stupid laptop automatically password-locked two of my hard drive.

Anyway, thanks for all your input!!

[yuqian_li]

Hmmm...will the machine boot from a "live" CD, such as PC-Doctor or Linux?

Thanks for your respond.
Yes, If I don't put a password-locked hard drive into this machine. It will boot from the CD. I didn't test with the Live Ubuntu Linux. And everything works fine. Even wireless card works too.

Thanks ajkula66!

[RealBlackStuff]

The HD with password that came with your laptop is useless to you without knowing the password.
That the laptop also locks a second (your own) hard disk, leads me to believe there is a Supervisor Password on it.
Are you absolutely sure that you have no Supervisor Password?
What does it say in the BIOS, all passwords disabled?
Go into the BIOS (press F1 at boot) and there press F9 to set all Default values. Then press F10 to save the settings.
Now try again to boot with your own (supposedly locked) hard disk.
What gives?

[yuqian_li]

The HD with password that came with your laptop is useless to you without knowing the password.
That the laptop also locks a second (your own) hard disk, leads me to believe there is a Supervisor Password on it.
Are you absolutely sure that you have no Supervisor Password?
What does it say in the BIOS, all passwords disabled?
Go into the BIOS (press F1 at boot) and there press F9 to set all Default values. Then press F10 to save the settings.
Now try again to boot with your own (supposedly locked) hard disk.
What gives?

Thanks for your respond.
The laptop doesn't have any Supervisor Password on it. I can enter the BIOS and change the time, the boot order. So, this proof no Supervisor Password on it. And I also check it, all passwords disabled. But, If I put my own (supposedly locked) hard disk, then it ask me for the hard drive password. But, I never set any hard drive password on my hard drive...
Thanks!

[RealBlackStuff]

Does that hard drive work in another laptop or USB enclosure?

[yuqian_li]

Does that hard drive work in another laptop or USB enclosure?

Thanks for your respond.
No, that hard dive doesn't work in another laptop or USB enclosure. Because, the hard drive is password-locked by the weird Thinkpad T42. I never put any password on the hard drive. The weird Thinkpad T42 automatically assign password to lock it.

It's the weird problem I ever face..

Thanks!

[RealBlackStuff]

Return the laptop for a refund.

[yuqian_li]

Return the laptop for a refund.

Thanks RealBlackStuff for your respond.
I can't return the laptop, because it was sold AS-IS. I also ask the seller if he/she put any password to lock the hard drive. He/She said, "a retired laptop coming off lease". And it doesn't seem to have any other password on it, except the hard drive password if I put a hard drive into the machine.
I NEVER had that kind of problem before.
Thanks for your respond..

[LegendaryKA8]

This might not work, but here's something that you might want to try if you haven't already.

Try putting in your own supervisor password and boot using a 'disposable' hard drive. If it automatically password-protects the hard drive, try using your own supervisor password to access it.

Failing that, I would contact the seller again about this bum notebook and insist that they make it right. If you paid through Paypal(likely since this was a Feebay purchase) you might have to file a dispute against the seller. I'm truly sorry that this is happening to you, as it makes this purchase extremely frustrating.

I wish you the best of luck.

[yuqian_li]

This might not work, but here's something that you might want to try if you haven't already.

Try putting in your own supervisor password and boot using a 'disposable' hard drive. If it automatically password-protects the hard drive, try using your own supervisor password to access it.

Failing that, I would contact the seller again about this bum notebook and insist that they make it right. If you paid through Paypal(likely since this was a Feebay purchase) you might have to file a dispute against the seller. I'm truly sorry that this is happening to you, as it makes this purchase extremely frustrating.

I wish you the best of luck.

Thanks for your respond.
I never try that.
I am going to try it..
Thanks!

[yuqian_li]

I am doing some research online, but still don't solve the problem. Anyone out there have the same problem or know how to solve the problem.
Please help me out.

[moebiius]

Mod edit - content removed We do not allow discussion on this forum that pertains to cracking or bypassing any passwords on a Thinkpad. (period)

[RealBlackStuff]

Mod edit - quoted content removed. We do not allow discussion on this forum that pertains to cracking or bypassing any passwords on a Thinkpad. (period)

That only applies to PC BIOS passwords!

[RealBlackStuff]

@yuqian_li

Remove the keyboard and the front of the palm rest.
Then remove the wifi card.
Under there you will/should find a small 8-legged chip with ATMEL printed on it.
Using a magnifier if needed, check if somebody has done any soldering on that chip.
If it is not in perfect condition, someone has tampered with it, causing your password problem.
If that is the case, you have an elegant door stopper!
Other than that, I'm out of ideas.

[yuqian_li]

@yuqian_li

Remove the keyboard and the front of the palm rest.
Then remove the wifi card.
Under there you will/should find a small 8-legged chip with ATMEL printed on it.
Using a magnifier if needed, check if somebody has done any soldering on that chip.
If it is not in perfect condition, someone has tampered with it, causing your password problem.
If that is the case, you have an elegant door stopper!
Other than that, I'm out of ideas.

Thanks for your reply RealBlackStuff.
I just did want you said above. And I found the 8-legged chip with ATMEL printed on it. The chip is in perfect condition. I didn't see any soldering work on it.
Thanks for your help. I have no ideas what's wrong with it. I think I am going to list in on eBay and stated the above problem.
By the way, you said " have an elegant door stopper!". When I first read it, It made me laugh like hell.

[yuqian_li]

Mod edit - content removed. We do not allow discussion on this forum that pertains to cracking or bypassing any passwords on a Thinkpad. (period)

[moebiius]

Mod edit - content and website removed We do not allow discussion on this forum that pertains to cracking or bypassing any passwords on a Thinkpad. (period)

[yuqian_li]

Mod edit - content and website removed We do not allow discussion on this forum that pertains to cracking or bypassing any passwords on a Thinkpad. (period)

[Harryc]

Warning - I had to remove a lot of content in this thread due to forum rules violations surrounding discussion of password cracking. If I have to do it again there will be member bans recommended to forum administration.

[yuqian_li]

Warning - I had to remove a lot of content in this thread due to forum rules violations surrounding discussion of password cracking. If I have to do it again there will be member bans recommended to forum administration.

OK! I am new to this.
Thanks!

[Harryc]

OK! I am new to this.
Thanks!

Please read the following link.
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=14339
Thank-you