Hi...anybody out there can help me...? I have a old PC HP Vectra 500 Series model 520 C2. Previously, Somebody has set the BIOS Level password to my PC and therefore I can't access it at all, even when I tried to boot up from startup up. Is there anyway to reset or clear the startup password ? I have tried to remove the battery overnight but it didn't help. Any other alternatives ?

did you look on the motherboard for a 'clear cmos ' jumper??

If there is no jumper, let us know what type of BIOS this is: AWARD, AMI BIOS, etc.? If it is an Award Modular BIOS, try to over-ride it with the following password, exactly as written: AWARD_SW

Hi Ben, If you have Debug.exe file on your pc then try this: "This DOS trick resets (deletes) your motherboard BIOS (CMOS) password, to grant access to your computer and/or BIOS Setup once again, IF you have forgotten or lost it. :) Exit Windows or reboot to the native MS-DOS mode, using the "Command prompt only" option from the Windows 95/98 Startup Menu (hold Shift and F5 at the same time while your PC boots). At the C:\> prompt, type: DEBUG and hit Enter. You'll see a dash (-) at the DEBUG prompt. Now type: o 70 2e which will show as -o 70 2e at the DEBUG prompt. Hit Enter. Then type: o 71 ff and hit Enter. Finally type: Q and hit Enter one last time, to quit DEBUG, back to the C:\> prompt. Now you're ready to reboot your PC, and press the appropriate key or key combo (look it up in your motherboard manual if you don't know it) to access your BIOS Setup. You'll notice that the password is gone. :)" NOTE: This works only with MS-DOS 6.00 - 6.22 and MS-DOS 7.xx [a.k.a. MS Windows 9x]. have a nice time... Niko

Niko Interesting, but surely if you have a BIOS password set you cannot get to DOS or Windows to carry out the "debug procedure". Not even sure if a boot disk will do it. Any comments? Ben Tiew Can you find out what the password is from whoever put it there? There is then a method to clear it. Otherwise look for that jumper. Derek

Hi, Here is a site that may help you with bios/cmos password. http://www.thenetworkadministrator.com/biospasswords.htm

Ben,use start up disk...this will take you to promp A:\DEBUG enter DEBUG THEN FOLLOW procedure outlined by Niko in Response #3 above. I have used this before...after clearing you must reset all BIOS settings. HTH