I have an older Acer laptop (Z5WAH LA-B162P, i5, NVIDIA 840M) running Windows 10 Home that is stuck on the BIOS unlock password screen. It keeps displaying the message: 'Enter Unlock Password (Key: 60302434)', but this key doesn't change even after entering the wrong password three times; I never see a 'System Disabled' screen. I've tried a few things: checking master passwords from bios-pw.org, removing the CMOS battery, and overriding the battery pads, but nothing has worked. I never set a password myself, and I'm looking for alternatives without replacing the HDD or using an EEPROM flasher. Is there any known trick, like a jumper, backdoor code, or manufacturer solution? I'm not very experienced with BIOS, so please keep it simple!
1 Answer
It sounds frustrating! Not sure if Acer laptops have advanced protection, but have you let it sit without power for a while after removing the CMOS battery? Sometimes, servers can take a while to reset to defaults after losing power. Also, be sure that the internal battery is disconnected! What’s your main goal with the laptop? Are you just trying to access the files, or do you want to get it up and running?
I want to get it running for Linux Ubuntu as a server for Home Assistant. I'm hoping to avoid buying a Raspberry Pi for now.