TN.Frank Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I picked up an HP/Compaq NC4400 laptop off of EBay and it's locked down with a BIOS Password. Won't even let me boot to a USB or anything without the password. I tried removing the CMOS battery for a few minutes but that didn't work, total PITA to get to the batter too, had to pull the entire laptop apart and take out the Motherboard to get to it. I just wonder if there's a software solution to my problem or some other way to get the password off of the system? I've tried a few Back Door passwords but none of them work and I don't get a "hash" after 3 wrong tries, just a "*" so I don't have anything to crack as far as that goes. Can anyone tell me how to get this thing up and running so I can install some Linux on it. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobermonster Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 when you pulled the battery, did you: a, wait for a few minutes; b, cycle power to make sure its drained; c, remove the laptop battery pack? this pretty much says the same thing: http://www.manualslib.com/manual/273130/Hp-Compaq-Nc4400.html?page=10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mreidiv Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 here is the service manual it is in here how to do it http://tim.id.au/laptops/hp/hp%20compaq%20nc4400.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN.Frank Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Yep, pulled the laptop battery before I even started taking it apart and also pushed on the power button a couple times to drain any latent electricity out of the system. I may have to try it again but I really hate to pull it all apart again, it really is a PITA. Don't think I can use a software fix since I'm even locked out of booting to a USB stick. If I'd at least get a hash after the 3rd wrong password I'd have something to work with but a [*] gives me nothing to work with. I guess if no one comes up with a solution in an hour or so I'll just get busy pulling it apart again and give yankin' the CMOS battery out. Oh well, I knew it has a Power On Password when I bought it, just didn't think it'd be this hard to disable. My daughters desktop was a piece of cake, just moved a jumper and started it up then shut down and moved the jumper back and Bob's your Uncle. Let's see if the Hak5 bunch can step up to this challenge. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TN.Frank Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Got it whipped, just didn't leave the battery out long enough last time I guess. Also, I installed the laptop battery before I should have so that might have been another reason. Anyway, loading Kali Linux on it as we speak. Talk to ya'll later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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