[Thinkpad] Does anyone know how to reset the BIOS password on aT21?

[Bruce Markowitz]

No, they get all kinds of white spots and look really bad.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Haudy Kazemi" <kaze0010 at umn.edu>
To: "Bruce Markowitz" <scosgt at worldnet.att.net>
Cc: "John Toliver" <john.toliver at gmail.com>; <thinkpad at stderr.org>
Sent: Friday, August 03, 2007 8:38 PM
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Does anyone know how to reset the BIOS password on
aT21?


> On Aug 3 2007, Bruce Markowitz wrote:
>
> > It's old news. Just return that board and buy a good one. They should be
> > available for under $50. The LCD is the problem on the T2X series, they
> > look like crap after a while.
>
> What? the pink screen effect? That can be fixed by replacing the
> fluorescent backlighting tube (CCFL), available for less than $30 from
> Digikey.
>
> Related articles on replacing CCFLs:
> http://www.inventgeek.com/Projects/shorts/lcdfix.aspx
> http://laptops.home.att.net/lcd-repair.htm
> http://laptops.home.att.net/images/red-tint-lcd.jpg
> http://www.lcd-backlight-ccfl.com/
> http://laptops.home.att.net/lcd-lable.htm
> http://laptops.home.att.net/lcdcross.htm
> http://www.lcdrepair.net/backlightpurchase.html
>
> >----- Original Message ----- 
> >From: "John Toliver" <john.toliver at gmail.com>
> >To: <thinkpad at stderr.org>
> >Sent: Friday, August 03, 2007 2:36 PM
> >Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Does anyone know how to reset the BIOS password
on
> >aT21?
> >
> >
> >> You won't believe this.  He finds this link......
> >>
> >> http://sodoityourself.com/hacking-ibm-thinkpad-bios-password
>
> http://www.allservice.ro/
> http://home.ripway.com/2005-7/365678/index.htm
> Download programming tools. CRC error recovery assistance.
> http://www.allservice.ro/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61
>
> I think the Allservice.ro site has info on fixing a locked BIOS and/or
hard
> drive. IIRC, some of the techniques required either building some special
> I/O adapter or soldering wire leads to the BIOS chip or I think
interfacing
> through the serial port.
>
> There is also http://www.ja.axxs.net/unlock/
> http://www.ja.axxs.net/unlock/key_for_t20.htm I believe it used to have
all
> the recovery info freely available and later they put it behind a pay
first
> wall.
>
> You might be able to find more info on the thinkpads.com forums, as I
think
> I recall discussions there or on Allservice.ro that IBM's stance was a
> certain forgotten password would require a motherboard replacement, but in
> truth, one of these password reset techniques could be used to salvage
> otherwise fine hardware.
>
> >There is a shorting technique for passwords programmed into an eeprom,
that
> >might work, but it also wipes out the ability to use the Thinkpad
recovery
> >discs.
>
> Probably because it corrupts the EEPROM enough to bypass the password, but
> also makes the recovery CD not recognize the machine correctly.
>
>
> >RayBay
> >
> >On 8/3/07, John Toliver <john.toliver at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> Friend of mine just handed me a T21 he replaced the M-board on. He
> >> bought board off eBay and no mention BIOS password. He reassembles it
> >> and now he is locked out. Does a method exist to reset the password or
> >> disable it? _______________________________________________ Thinkpad
> >> mailing list Thinkpad at stderr.org
> >> http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad
>