Find out your bios password

Martin Brinkmann
Jan 3, 2007
Updated • May 24, 2013
Hardware
|
18

The bios can be protected with a password to prevent third parties from accessing and modifying its settings. You have to enter the password to access it, and if you can't provide the correct one the access gets denied. This can be useful if you want to prevent users from booting from CDs or USB devices among other things.

The following method describes a way to recover the password if you forgot it or bought a used computer with a set bios password, or if you are working in a company and need to get into the BIOS but the records of the password are no longer available.

CmosPwd is a free program that displays information about the system's bios once it is executed. You do need to create a bootable disk to execute the program in dos mode. To create a bootable disk in Windows right-click the disk drive and select format from the list of options. It is important that you enable the option Create an MS-DOS startup disk.

Once the disk is created copy the contents from the dos folder of cmospwd to the disk and restart the computer. You will have to remove all hard drives from the system if you do not automatically boot from disk drive. Type cmospwd.exe in the command line and the password should appear. Ignore the information about the other bios manufacturers and take a look at the one your computer is using.

Please note that this message only works if the computer is configured to boot from floppy disk and if a floppy is connected to it. If the boot option is limited to the hard drive for instance, you can't use alternative boot media for this operation.

Another possible method is be to start the computer in safe mode with command prompt which could work as well. You still need to access the files somewhere so make sure that the hard drive is accessible.

Most computers do not have a floppy disk drive anymore. You can alternatively check out a list of BIOS password backdoors here.

You can alternatively try and remove the CMOS battery of the bios which does take care of the bios password but also of all settings. The last method will work a 100% of the times but is also a dead giveaway that someone modified the computer's password.

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Comments

  1. sadiq sleemz said on July 23, 2022 at 1:54 am
    Reply

    instal window 8 when it go on hardbdrive it will ask u to convert to gpt use cmd to change crtl and f10 and follow procija how to convert and ur good to go

  2. Andile said on September 4, 2020 at 11:36 pm
    Reply

    I forgot my bios password

  3. Cheryl said on March 26, 2020 at 9:35 pm
    Reply

    I cant find bios admin password how to find it

  4. pat said on November 14, 2012 at 10:54 pm
    Reply

    i have a error code bios 02167 for my gateaway laptop password thank

  5. sara said on January 25, 2012 at 6:31 am
    Reply

    computer acer travelmat 2420.system disabled 02167

  6. sara said on January 25, 2012 at 6:30 am
    Reply

    i forgot my password bios you have can give to me

  7. Anonymous said on December 14, 2011 at 9:24 pm
    Reply

    I have turned on my acer laptop and have found myself on a blue screen saying enter current password. I can enter the password 3 times before its says password incorrect system has been haulted. Does any1 kniw how I can get around this?

  8. devendra patil said on February 20, 2011 at 8:14 am
    Reply

    pls tell me how to reset bais password……i have forget it……..also not able to remove cmos battery…..pls tell me another way….

  9. jhone said on October 27, 2009 at 12:26 pm
    Reply

    A. By Using the Motherboard Jumper:

    In most motherboards CMOS battery is soldered, which makes it difficult to remove the battery. In this case we use another method.

    Almost all motherboards contain a jumper that can clear all CMOS settings along with the BIOS password. The location of this jumper varies depending upon the motherboard brand. You should read your motherboard manual to check its location. If you don’t have the manual then look for the jumpers near the CMOS battery. Most of the manufacturer label the jumper as CLR, CLEAR, CLEAR CMOS, etc.

    When you find the jumper, look carefully. There will be 3 pins and the jumper will be joining the center pin to either left or right pin. What you need to do, is remove the jumper and join the center pin to the opposite pin. e.g. if the jumper joins center pin to left pin, then remove it and join center pin to right pin. Now wait for a few seconds and then again remove the jumper and join the center pin to left pin.

    Make sure to turn the PC off before opening the cabinet and resetting the jumper.

    B. By Using Software:

    I have found that BIOS/CMOS Password Recovery Tool is the most effective.:
    BIOS/CMOS Password Recovery Tool is a program that works instantly to remove any lost or forgotten BIOS/CMOS password. Simply boot your PC to DOS and execute the program, and get access to forgotten BIOS/CMOS passwords in just seconds

    BIOS/CMOS Password Recovery Tool Service: http://www.biospasswordrecovery.com/

  10. Tommy said on September 27, 2009 at 10:55 pm
    Reply

    why not just dis connect all power (battery pack for lapytop), remove the cmos battery for 5 minutes then replace it, reconnect and it is done…
    This does require digging into the inside of your machine. please referr to your specific manufacturers guide for details.

  11. Daniel Holm said on March 3, 2009 at 1:01 am
    Reply

    Have you tried to remove the CMOS battery?

  12. jitendra goyal said on March 2, 2009 at 10:15 pm
    Reply

    i have lenovo laptop. now my laptop has bios password. and hane not know BIOS password.
    please help..

  13. drozd said on January 23, 2009 at 5:09 am
    Reply

    Look for a jumper on your MB that resets the system BIOS. If there is no jumper, you can disconnect the CMOS battery for several minutes, but this method won’t work on all systems.

  14. Holmen said on January 31, 2008 at 2:01 am
    Reply

    How can I reset the power-on password?

  15. jeremiah said on December 29, 2007 at 9:54 am
    Reply

    I FORGOT MY PASSWORD HOW DO I GET ANOTHER ONE

    1. ajay said on October 23, 2009 at 8:46 am
      Reply

      which password u forget admin , bios
      plaase teel me

  16. Blendi said on October 13, 2007 at 12:36 pm
    Reply

    how can i reset my bios password for my
    HP compaq nc8000 laptop. i try many ways but i can’t do it.

    my Bios name is HP 68BAR
    can you tell me about this thing. becaue i need an reset password because i don’t know the password.

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