Can I Bypass a Passworded BIOS Setup Program?
GO UP Reader: I have a computer at my office that has a password protecting the setup program, but the last user of the computer isn’t with the company anymore and nobody knows what the password is. Can I delete the password without removing the rest of the CMOS setup? Computer Doctor: Unfortunately, the answer is no. The CMOS stores both the password(s) and the rest of the system setup such as hard drive types, memory settings, and so forth. You will need to clear the CMOS RAM completely to access the CMOS setup program. Look for a jumper on the motherboard called CMOS Clear or RAM Clear. Move the jumper block to CMOS Clear, turn on the system, and the CMOS values, including the password, will be erased.
