I’m locked up beyond BIOS of my HP ProBook 4530s. Long time ago I put a password on it, But now I don’t remember it.
I have to reset the BIOS password, But I found that it doesn't relate to the CMOS battery.
My ProBook is out of warranty too.
What should I do?
HP ProBook 4530s – How to Remove BIOS Password
bioslaptopreset
Related Solutions
Usually there's a dip-switch underneath the keyboard.
This it what it looks like on an Acer laptop:
One of the settings will be to clear the BIOS password. It may be labelled as such. Simply flick the white switch to toggle it on and off. (Refer to your manual for further details)
Fiddling with the CMOS battery won't affect the BIOS password anyway. The BIOS password on that model is stored in an EEPROM chip which doesn't require electricity to store it. It was an improvement in laptop security that has been implemented by just about every laptop manufacturer. Being able to clear a password by removing a battery would essentially defeat the purpose of having BIOS security on a laptop.
No, the argument that this is how it works on a desktop doesn't apply here. I know there are a ton of links out there that all say just pull the battery, but these don't apply to laptops.
If the laptop does boot, but you just can't get into the BIOS, then you can try using the Kill CMOS utility or CMOSPasswd from Hiren's BootCD otherwise, you'd probably have to locate the EEPROM chip that the password is stored in, and short the proper pins while applying power to the unit to clear the chip.
Understandably, finding information on the internet pertaining to defeating laptop BIOS security is difficult... as it would make stealing laptops more profitable. I'll keep digging to see if there is a specific hack for that model.
EDIT Ok. I spent some time digging through the HP support forums, and multiple sources confirm that HP would need to remove that password. That means there are a couple of possibilities.
- If you enter the wrong password three times, you are presented with a unique code. This code can be deciphered and access can be gained. Not every HP professional series laptop comes with this system, but if your model does this, then visit Out-of-Warranty.com, register for free, and send them that code. They may be able to get you into the BIOS.
- The EEPROM chip has to be accessed and/or cleared manually. This requires knowing where the chip is as well as which pins to short. If this is the case, then it makes even MORE sense why the laptop should be sent to HP to have it cleared.
There is software out there that may or may not work, if you can boot the laptop to a CD or into Windows. Not all of it is free. Before you spend any money on any of this software, try the Hiren's BootCD option I linked you to above... but if no other option AND you don't want to pay HP for out-of-warranty service, you can try BiosPasswordRecovery as a last resort. Again... I just would not buy that software unless you have exhausted every possibility.
Now... I've gone as far as to make one of these tools here for hacking into an IBM Thinkpad to retrieve the BIOS password. It's a cute little cable that hangs on my wall now, and I need to keep a WinXP Home machine handy (since the software that works with the cable won't work with WinXP Pro, Vista, or Win7). I've done the procedure that is mentioned at the bottom of this page as well on multiple Dell laptops to clear the Eeprom chip. So, it's not all about being cruel or mean by telling you there isn't an easy way to do this. There doesn't HAVE to be an easy way to do this, because there isn't supposed to be an easy way to do this.
Oh, and your laptop either has a CMOS battery that you didn't find, or it was removed by someone else and never put back. With laptops, it's not always a coin cell battery. Here is a link to your service manual. Section 4 page 54 refers to the RTC battery, or Real-Time-Clock battery... otherwise known as the CMOS. In your case it is a coin-cell battery, within a plastic wrapper, attached to the motherboard by black and red leads.
Best Answer
Caution! This procedure may damage the laptop. Other users have reported problems with Ethernet and WiFi after following this advice. It's not clear if those users followed the procedure correctly.
HP ProBooks, ElliteBooks & Business Class Notebooks DO NOT have backdoor passwords, DO NOT answer to Password Cracking Softwares ( due to minimum 8 character passwords & architecture) & DO NOT reset by CMOS battery removal. (due to EEPROM chip which doesn't require electricity to store things).
If you are checking this answer for ANOTHER laptop models or you want to take your chance, may this article helps you.
BUT for these Business Class Notebooks of ours, you have 2 ways:
A- You can add warranties to your product from hp.com & ask them to fix this. (make sure they'll fix it before you add any warranties! - They say " You should replace the mainboard! " Most of the time.)
B- DO IT YOURSELF! It’s a little risky and you may harm the chip, But mostly YOU CAN DO IT.
Quick answer: You must find your BIOS chip & short circuit proper pins to reset the chip & its password!
How to do it :
1- OPEN your laptop to reach the MainBoard. If you need help for 4530s, you can check this video .
2- FIND BIOS chip. For HP ProBook 4530s, the chip code is: MX25L3206E (you can see it on the chip, may need a magnifier.) It’s in the red circle here.
For other models: I find out that there are some chips so similar to this BIOS chip when you rich to the mainboard, But most of the time it has a personal window if you look through the black plastic cover under the laptop! (like the red circled area above). Find the related code ( may need a magnifier ), search the web to make sure you are right.
This answer may apply for 4330s & 4570s ProBooks too due to the same BIOS chip. Check it yourself.
3- Find the proper PINS. For HP ProBook 4530s: Shown with red arrows.
If you want to be sure which pins they are, here’s the chip map. ( pay attention to a little black mark on chip ) You are going to short circuit pin 4 & 5. ( Connecting 5 & 6 may work too but Do NOT connect VCC to GND! It may damage your board )
If you want to download the chip DATASHEETS, Here’s the link .
For other models: After Finding your chip, get its datasheet (like above), find the chip map & proper pins regard to ours.
4-1- ATTENTION: SHORT CIRCUIT proper pins with a wire or something in this way:
While turning the power button on, at the same time hold a wire to both pin 4 and 5.
You must connect the pins for 2 seconds, then release. Connect the pins for another 2 seconds, then release again if the BIOS isn’t loaded… ( holding the wire any longer than 4 seconds straight is dangerous )
IF the system loads, as usual, you didn’t make it… Try Again… restart the machine & connect the pins for 2 seconds from the beginning & repeat.
..Try Again… some times 3 to 5 boot attempt is required. ( or even more! )
If you need more help for this short circuit, you can watch an example for Dell Laptop Here . I used the wire shown in the picture above.
4-2- SUCCEED, if you see the BIOS reset screen that lets you in, you succeed.
You are FREE now, but you may lose product serial numbers in BIOS too. ( Doesn’t important to me due to they are printed on mainboard labels. You will lose them if you buy a new chip & solder it too! THIS MEANS YOU HAVE NO OTHER OPTION! :)