BIOS Password Unknown

[lukemcfc]

Hey, 

 

I have a Lenovo THINKPAD X280 and have forgot the boot up password for the BIOS.

 

I have tried taking out the CMOS battery with no joy, anyone have any ideas? 

 

Thanks 

 

EDIT:

 

Attached picture

[Levent]

I had that happen with my lenovo too, only solution was to reflash bios using an eeprom programmer. I hope someone else can provide you a solution though.

[Master Disaster]

You're probably screwed unfortunately. If you fancy taking the thing apart you can try removing the battery but Lenovo laptops have a reputation for not forgetting passwords. I believe they offer a forgot password service but it requires sending them the machine and proof of purchase.

[Master Disaster]

1 minute ago, Levent said:

I had that happen with my lenovo too, only solution was to reflash bios using an eeprom programmer. I hope someone else can provide you a solution though.

Or this would also work.

[TomvanWijnen]

I recently got two Optiplex 360s, one with a fully locked bios and one with a partially locked bios. The solution for removing that password was beautifully simple: just temporarily remove one jumper and boot. Once the password is gone you could put the jumper back. Perhaps your laptop will also have such a jumper (or somewhere where you can connect the pins using a screwdriver or so) to do the same, though it being a laptop unfortunately makes the chance for it having this smaller.

[lukemcfc]

18 minutes ago, TomvanWijnen said:

I recently got two Optiplex 360s, one with a fully locked bios and one with a partially locked bios. The solution for removing that password was beautifully simple: just temporarily remove one jumper and boot. Once the password is gone you could put the jumper back. Perhaps your laptop will also have such a jumper (or somewhere where you can connect the pins using a screwdriver or so) to do the same, though it being a laptop unfortunately makes the chance for it having this smaller.

Thanks for the help, I don’t know how do that....is that on the EEPROM?

[lukemcfc]

22 minutes ago, Master Disaster said:

You're probably screwed unfortunately. If you fancy taking the thing apart you can try removing the battery but Lenovo laptops have a reputation for not forgetting passwords. I believe they offer a forgot password service but it requires sending them the machine and proof of purchase.

Yeah I got quoted €120 to remove the password.

[lukemcfc]

24 minutes ago, Levent said:

I had that happen with my lenovo too, only solution was to reflash bios using an eeprom programmer. I hope someone else can provide you a solution though.

Thank you, do you know how much an EEPROM programmer would cost?

[lukemcfc]

Hey, I attached a picture of what I think the EEPROM is.Thanks for all the help.

[Levent]

54 minutes ago, lukemcfc said:

Thank you, do you know how much an EEPROM programmer would cost?

I got mine off aliexpress for 5$ and got an SOP8 test clip for another 2$. 

[lukemcfc]

On 8/28/2019 at 9:54 PM, Levent said:

I got mine off aliexpress for 5$ and got an SOP8 test clip for another 2$. 

Thanks, is that chip (see pic above) an EEPROM?