How to Bypass BIOS Passwords

BIOS passwords can add an extra layer of security for desktop and laptop computers.
They are used to either prevent a user from changing the BIOS settings or to prevent the PC from booting without a password.
Unfortunately, BIOS passwords can also be a liability if a user forgets their password,
or changes the password to intentionally lock out the corporate IT department. Sending the unit back to the manufacturer to
have the BIOS reset can be expensive and is usually not covered in the warranty. Never fear, all is not lost.
There are a few known backdoors and other tricks of the trade that can be used to bypass or reset the BIOS

Before attempting to bypass the BIOS password on a computer, please take a minute to contact the hardware manufacturer
support staff directly and ask for their recommended methods of bypassing the BIOS security. In the event the manufacturer
cannot (or will not) help you, there are a number of methods that can be used to bypass or reset the BIOS password yourself.
They include:

Using a manufacturers backdoor password to access the BIOS

Use password cracking software

Reset the CMOS using the jumpers or solder beads.

Removing the CMOS battery for at least 10 minutes

Overloading the keyboard buffer

Using a professional service

Please remember that most BIOS passwords do not protect the hard drive, so if you need to recover the data,
simply remove the hard drive and install it in an identical system, or configure it as a slave drive in an existing system.
The exception to this are laptops, especially IBM Thinkpads, which silently lock the hard drive if the supervisor password is enabled.
If the supervisor password is reset without resetting the and hard drive as well,
you will be unable to access the data on the drive.




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Backdoor passwords

Many BIOS manufacturers have provided backdoor passwords that can be used to access the BIOS setup in the event you have lost your password.
These passwords are case sensitive, so you may wish to try a variety of combinations. Keep in mind that the key associated to "_" in the
US keyboard corresponds to "?" in some European keyboards. Laptops typically have better BIOS security than desktop
systems, and we are not aware of any backdoor passwords that will work with name brand laptops.


WARNING: 

Some BIOS configurations will lock you out of the system completely if you type in an incorrect password more than 3
times. Read your manufacturers documentation for the BIOS setting before you begin typing in passwords

Award BIOS backdoor passwords:

ALFAROME ALLy aLLy aLLY ALLY aPAf _award AWARD_SW AWARD?SW AWARD SW AWARD PW AWKWARD awkward BIOSTAR CONCAT CONDO Condo d8on djonet HLT J64 J256 J262 j332 j322 KDD Lkwpeter LKWPETER PINT pint SER SKY_FOX SYXZ syxz shift + syxz TTPTHA ZAAADA ZBAAACA ZJAAADC 01322222
589589 589721 595595 598598


AMI BIOS backdoor passwords:

AMI AAAMMMIII BIOS PASSWORD HEWITT RAND AMI?SW AMI_SW LKWPETER A.M.I. CONDO


PHOENIX BIOS backdoor passwords:

phoenix, PHOENIX, CMOS, BIOS

MISC. COMMON PASSWORDS

ALFAROME BIOSTAR biostar biosstar CMOS cmos LKWPETER lkwpeter setup SETUP Syxz Wodj


OTHER BIOS PASSWORDS BY MANUFACTURER
Manufacturer Password
VOBIS & IBM merlin
Dell Dell
Biostar Biostar
Compaq Compaq
Enox xo11nE
Epox central
Freetech Posterie
IWill iwill
Jetway spooml
Packard Bell bell9
QDI QDI
Siemens SKY_FOX
TMC BIGO
Toshiba Toshiba


TOSHIBA BIOS

Most Toshiba laptops and some desktop systems will bypass the BIOS password if the left shift key is held down during boot

IBM APTIVA BIOS

Press both mouse buttons repeatedly during the boot


You can also use possible default password like:

123
1234
12345

@credits to pterpol.


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Password cracking software





The following software can be used to either crack or reset the BIOS on many chipsets. If your PC is locked with a BIOS
administrator password that will not allow access to the floppy drive, these utilities may not work. Also, since these utilities do
not come from the manufacturer, use them cautiously and at your own risk.

Cmos password recovery tools 3.1
!BIOS (get the how-to article)
RemPass
KILLCMOS




Credits to: mryoso31 of Symbianize.com