I have a laptop with a version of Windows 10 Education. I don't have admin rights, nor do I have the bios password. I already have a Windows 10 Pro bootable USB drive and the license for it, like a legit version. I've also already used that USB to put Windows 10 on another laptop, so that USB works.
I have an HP ProBook 645 G3. When I start the laptop and I spam F9, it goes to the boot option but it does not see my drive, compare it to my other laptop, an HP ProBook 645 G1, where it will see my USB and label it by its brand. Note though that, on my old laptop, I had admin rights and there was no BIOS password.
Can anyone help me install this new clean version of Windows 10 Pro???
Please notify me for any clarifications that I might have glossed over.
Best Answer
It is absolutely necessary to reset the BIOS password.
In most cases, to remove the BIOS password one must disassemble the laptop and locate either the CMOS jumper or the CMOS battery. With the battery and AC adapter disconnected, remove the CMOS battery or if there is a CMOS jumper (3 prongs with jumper on 2 often nearby the CMOS battery), move that jumper to the CLR or Clear position, hold the power button until the power cycles on and off and or hold it continuiously for 10+ seconds. After, replace the CMOS battery or reset the CMOS jumper to the normal setting (not CLR). You can now replace the battery and plug in the AC Adapter. If you don't want to deal with the hassle of dissasembly, using a backdoor password put in by the Motherboard's Manufacturer is appropiate. Of course, this would require knowledge about the motherboard's model and brand (which still may require disassembly). At this point, the BIOS password should have been removed.
Now you need a correctly made boot USB, that is allowed by the BIOS or (if you have it) UEFI firmware. Most laptops nowadays, if by the OEM as Windows 8 or 10, are UEFI laptops. If you are infact using a UEFI firmware BIOS, you need to disable "Secure Boot" (and if possible, enable "Legacy Support") found in the BIOS settings. I recommend using a utility called Rufus to properly put Windows 10 ISO on the flash drive. If you are using UEFI in Rufus you would select UEFI and GPT, otherwise then after not being able to boot up try BIOS and GPT, then lastly BIOS and MBR.
It should then be a peace of cake to Install Windows 10 knowing that you have done it before. Of course, you ought to wipe or format all the partitions on the hard disk.