[dba-Tech] Thinkpad issues

Hi John

Well, then we must be talking about the supervisor password as described here:

  http://sodoityourself.com/hacking-ibm-thinkpad-bios-password/

You can see if you can locate that chip on your machine.

We wouldn't go this far with a client's legitimate machine but turn it in to the service shop were they must have a prepared tool to handle this.

/gustav

>>> john at winhaven.net 04-07-2008 00:56 >>>
Hi Gustav,
I called for the factory recovery CD and the support tech said that it would
not help. The password is kept in a special chip on the motherboard and the
only thing I could do is try to remember the password. It can't be cleared
without knowing it to start with.

The jumper thing seems to be the only way. Does your colleague have
experience with that? I'm not real comfortable doing that.


John B.


-----Original Message-----
From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com 
[mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Gustav Brock
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 4:28 AM
To: dba-tech at databaseadvisors.com 
Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Thinkpad issues

Hi John

We sell a lot of ThinkPads. My colleague tells, that the jumper thing is for
resetting the BIOS password which doesn't sound like your trouble.

To reinstall the harddisk from scratch to factory defaults (virgin machine)
you need the reinstall disk set that often does not accompany the machine.
These are without a password (of course). You should be able to obtain a set
from Lenovo at a minor nominal fee if you provide the serial no. of the
machine.

/gustav

>>> john at winhaven.net 02-07-2008 21:11 >>>
Anyone have an idea of how I can restore a Thinkpad Z60t to factory
conditions without the system password? 

I made the Recovery disks, but it kept asking for the password. An internet
source said if I formatted the recovery area of the disk it wouldn't ask for
that any longer, formatted it and that wasn't true. Another source says it
can't be done unless I hot-wire a chip on the motherboard!

Strong security is nice until it prevents you from doing what you intend to
do to your own equipment.

John B.