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Toshiba Laptops

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by kdhakl

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Helped a friend to reload a laptop with software. It is a Toshiba TE2100. He got sick of the laptop and sold it.

The guy that he sold it to decided to put a password on the BIOS as a security measure. Now he has forgotten the password!!!!!!!

I have tried all the back door passwords and they do not work.

Cannot use the floppy key as the PC does not have a floppy, even if it did this would not work as the machine comes up with the password request as soon as the machine is turned on.

Any suggestions appreciated. Or some information where I can download the service manual.

Took it to Toshiba here and they wanted $280 to unlock. There has to be a way.

Have been told of a way using USB key any one have any suggestiosn?

Thanks

Keith

7 replies

by skidoggeruk

back when I used to do Toshiba repairs, we sometimes would rescue people by removing the CMOS battery for this. This might explain the fee you are being asked for, as you might have to really open this up to get at it. Anyhow, this may not be valid on yours and opening it up is at your own risk.

have also googled out the suggestion that you could try holding down the left shift key at boot time. As well as some ebay listings for bios clearing devices.

Good luck

by kdhakl

Good advice. AM trying to avoid pulling the unit apart as I believe that that the password is stored on a sperate ship.

The left shift key does not work on this method

by _christian_

Well, I see that you rejected Answer 1.

Unfortunatelly, I also repaired Toshiba Laptops, a few years back, and I have to confirm that he was correct.

So you will also reject my answer, but you WILL NOT get an answer that will satisfy you, because there is just no other way than actually disassemble the laptop to access the battery.

Which is not an easy task, trust me on that.
Not to mention reassembling it correctly afterwards. ;-)

So I am afraid that your friend is legally in the wrong here.

He has either to insure that it work (by remembering the password or paying the Toshiba Center fee), or buy it back.

Otherwise he is fully liable.

by _christian_

My mistake, I misread. This is the other guy who lost the password.
This has therfore nothing to do with your friend, and is entirely the other person's fault.

Therefore I do not see why you want to do it.
No have no legal obligation to fix the the new owner's mistake.

But you would be liable if you tried, and failed to have it fixed.

by _christian_

Also the Toshiba service manuals, in my time, were ONLY available to official Toshiba maintenance centers.
I do not think that this would have changed.

by nic555

Tosh makes a key that looks like a loopback plug that goes into the lpt port and removes the password on the BIOS. I work at a service center and that is what we use. I believe that the only way to get one is from toshiba. Good luck taking to them they have the biggest run around I have ever delt with.

by wlbowers

Laptop bios passwords. I love it.

You can find the Toshiba plugs both lpt and usb on ebay.

Search for:

toshiba password removal

I got 11 hits. Good prices too.

No removing the battery will not do it.

No kill cmos will not do it if the dang thing doesn't access the floppy till it passes the bios password.

Laptops don't have a reset jumper.

Passwords have been stored in a security chip that is non dependent on the cmos battery.

You either hack it or change the chip.

Good Luck

Lee

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