Toshiba BIOS password problems!!!

[Mario87]

Right, got a Toshiba M10 laptop sitting here, and I need to get into the BIOS to change the boot order, but there is a stupid supervisor password.

Thing is, I know the password, but the damn thing won't let me enter it! It just says the supervisor password is "registered" and from looking around online I need to get access to Windows to change it!!

How fucking stupid is that?!

Windows is fucked, hence why I want to boot from CD, but I can't because of the damn supervisor password, and I cant remove the password because Windows is fucked!

Is there any work around?! I would have thought the guys at Toshiba, one of the BIG electronics manufactureres, would have a bit more common sense than to rely on the shit that is Windows to control their BIOS passwords!!

[-NEO-]

can you not just press F8, and it should give you a list off all bootable devices?

[evilsatan]

For starters try this while I look for the BIOS reset jumpers mate:

Follow this procedure to delete a BIOS password using the Response Code method.

Be sure to keep the computer powered-on during this entire procedure. The Challenge Code issued by the BIOS is only valid until the computer is turned off and back on.

1. Start with the computer powered off.

2. Momentarily depress the ESC key, while powering the computer on.

3. At the BIOS password prompt ("PASSWORD = "), press and release the following keys, one after another:

Ctrl, Tab, Ctrl, Enter

The computer's response should be:

PC Serial No.= XXXXXXXX

Challenge Code= XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXX

Response Code=

4. Call Toshiba ASP Support. Explain to the support technician that you need a Response Code to remove a BIOS password. Recite both the PC Serial No. & Challenge Code to the support technician. The support technician will verbally issue a Response Code to you.

5. Enter the Response Code at the "Response Code=" prompt, and press Enter.

The computer's response should be:

"Valid Password Entered. System is now starting up."

"Check System, than press [F1] Key"

6. Press the F1 key.

The BIOS / CMOS Setup screen should appear.

Follow these steps to de-register the password:

1. Press 'P' to jump to the Password field. "Registered" will be highlighted.

2. Press the spacebar to change "Password= Registered" to "Password= ".

3. Press the spacebar and press Enter. The BIOS should respond with "New Password = ".

4. Press Enter again. The BIOS should respond with "Verify Password= ".

5. Press Enter again. The BIOS should respond with "Password= Not Registered".

6. Press the End key. The BIOS should respond with "Are You Sure?".

7. Press Y.

The computer will restart, and load Windows, without requesting a password.

[-NEO-]

Just had a quick look, it could be F12 for Toshiba. This should give you the boot menu.

[Mario87]

can you not just press F8, and it should give you a list off all bootable devices?

Just had a quick look, it could be F12 for Toshiba. This should give you the boot menu.

Tried already, doesn't work.

@ evilsatan, will give it a try, but that require calling Toshiba, are they even open today??

Stupid thing is I KNOW the BIOS/Supervisor Password, but it doesn't even ask for them!!!

[evilsatan]

As its so old you should be able to reset the BIOS using a port adapter, I'm not sure what one you need as I qualified on the more modern machines which require shorting the CMOS pads to remove the password.

On some older machines there was a master password, here are a few tosh ones form memory: 24Banc81/Toshiba/toshy99

Some older Tosh laptops will skip the password if you hold the left shift key.

EDIT: Very strange for it to tell you it's passworded but not let you input anything, I haven't come across that fault with the thousands of Tosh laptops I repaired this year I'm afraid. I am trying to find out if there are any jumper pads for your model but no luck so far. Can you post the full model number please, is it a Sat, Sat Pro, Tecra or another series?

[Mario87]

It's a Toshiba Tecra M10-1CN mate. Tried holding the left shift key, and nothing!

Also, called Toshiba, and they are closed till tomorrow! FFS!

It's just a corrupt Windows file, and the insturctions to repair it are here.

If I had a SATA USB caddy, then I could simply backup the current one, deleted it and put the restore one in it's place, because that's effectively all I am doing in the XP repair console.

[evilsatan]

There is a critical support bulletin regarding your model which says to use the challenge and response code and call Tosh mate, did you manage to get the challenge code to show up?

[Mario87]

Yes mate, got it to show, up, but Toshiba are closed till tomorrow and was really needing this ASAP!

USELESS!! Whatever idiot that thought of this is a fucking tool! Why the hell would anyone trust WINDOWS of all platforms to be in charge of the BIOS password?!

[evilsatan]

I've seen Windows control HDD passwords but never BIOS passwords, before boot windows would not have been initiated anyway. All you can do is wait until tomorrow morning and hope for the best with Toshiba on the phone.

[Mario87]

Cheers for the helpm mate, just well hacked off they would use such a system with no way for the user to bypass it. I mean, if I had forgotten the password, then fair play, but I know what it is! Just hacked off with them, and will be asking them why they have implemented such a rediculous system when I call them tomorrow.

Luckily, I'm at a training course which finishes at 4pm, and they are open till 6pm, so should be able to do it when I get home.

[Possy_99]

put the hard drive in a different machine and delete all partitions, then put it back in laptop; then your laptop won't be able boot from hard drive anymore (with it being blank) and may resort to booting from cd..


..where did you read you have to use windows to reset the password?.. I mean, toshiba have no say over which os you use on your laptop.. it's not a requirement - some people might run linux.. kinda silly of manufacturers do do that..


..come to think of it, just pull the hard drive and run the laptop without it - see if it boots from cd, will be an early indication of weather the above will work.

[Mario87]

1. put the hard drive in a different machine and delete all partitions, then put it back in laptop; then your laptop won't be able boot from hard drive anymore (with it being blank) and may resort to booting from cd..


2. ..where did you read you have to use windows to reset the password?.. I mean, toshiba have no say over which os you use on your laptop.. it's not a requirement - some people might run linux.. kinda silly of manufacturers do do that..


3. ..come to think of it, just pull the hard drive and run the laptop without it - see if it boots from cd, will be an early indication of weather the above will work.

1. Can't do that, got data & programs I need on there, plus the HDD is encrypted with PGP, so nothing shows up when you hook it to a PC unless you format it.

2. Toshiba say you need to use the Toshiba Password Utility to enable & disable the supervisor password, which comes pre-installed with the machine on Windows.

3. Did that, and it does boot from the CD drive, but even if I just dis-connect the data line then re-connect it after it begins to boot I get the blue screen of death just when it's about to bring up the 3 options to either , install, repair or quit.

[big3card]

tried pulling the cmos batt of the m.b , cmos should be default settings , 1st 1 ive heard of were the windows stops you acessing bios

[Mario87]

Pulling the CMOS battery doesn't work mate, and it's not so much that Windows stops you, its that the password utility for the BIOS is only accessable under windows, and when you enter the BIOS, the darn thing doesn't ask for a password, it just gives you restricted access where you can alter date & time, but that's about it.

[Sanj[UK]]

Pulling the CMOS battery doesn't work mate, and it's not so much that Windows stops you, its that the password utility for the BIOS is only accessable under windows, and when you enter the BIOS, the darn thing doesn't ask for a password, it just gives you restricted access where you can alter date & time, but that's about it.

Pulling out the battery and resetting the Cmos jumper (2 different things) will reset your bios password

[Mario87]

Yea, I know that mate, but just pulling out the battery doesn't, and god knows where th jumper is. It's not near the HDD or the RAM, and I aint stripping the whole thing down to find it. Esp when Toshiba can give me a code to bypass it anyway.

Just silly how it doesn't even ask for the password like other machines.

[tawny]

on our tosh's in work i press F2 immediately then press the right arrow ket to select the cd drive on the menu at the bottom. gotta be quick though

[evilsatan]

You will find on older machines toshiba didn't label up the CMOS jumpers for home users, they just have a number next to them. But on the Toshiba engineer sites there are normally diagrams for the pins but for this model it says you must use the challenge and response code.

I have only worked on a few old models, I was on the current model team.

[danthescan]

Boot the machine,enter the password,hit enter, then hit and hold ESC,till it says checksum error press F! then press F1 and you should get into the Bios to change boot order,but you will not be able to change the passwords unless you know them.

There are 2 passwords in the M10 BIOS,one is supervisor and one is user.there is also a security tracking chip as well.just so you know.