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USED DELL

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I bought a used dell and every time it starts to boot up it asks for a password. I don't know what it is, and the person I bought it from does not either.

5 replies

by aduran

It sounds like the BIOS has a password. Look to see what your BIOS version is and then you can google it to see how to reset the BIOS password.

by t_w_dragon

This actually sounds more like a startup password than a bios password though enforced through the BIOS.

In agreement with the previous reply, look up the system through Dell and find out the BIOS make/version.

Message was edited by: Beth Blakely

by cmiller5400

The members of TechRepublic - A Resource for IT Professionals, will not assist anyone in the recovery of lost passwords. You may have a legitimate reason to recover a password. However, we cannot verify your motives and will therefore not assist anyone in what may be an attempt at gaining unauthorized access to a computer system. Due to the open nature of this forum, any assistance given to help circumvent security measures, even for legitimate purposes, would be available for unscrupulous individuals to use for illegitimate purposes. This is a risk that we the members of TechRepublic will not take. Please do not ask questions of this nature on TechRepublic.

If you have a legitimate need to circumvent a password scheme, please contact the vendor for the software / hardware and request their assistance. E.g. Windows XP password recovery issues should be taken up with Microsoft's technical support, Phoenix BIOS password recovery issues should be taken up with Phoenix Technologies, etc.. To those viewing this post: Please DO NOT respond any further to this thread.

This template has been released under the GNU public license and you are encouraged to use it as a standard reply for questions of similar nature, provided that you make any modifications available to other users.

by jamesrl

You take it back to the person you bought it from and ask for your money back.

In most jurisdictions, there is a legal concept that the item sold has to be fit to be used for the purpose it was sold for(unless expressly mentioned as unfit in a contact). A computer without a means to use it does not fit that criteria. You could go to small claims court and win.

James

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