I recently bought a second-hand HP ProDesk 400 G6 DM, intending to connect it to my TV for streaming videos and casual gaming. It came with Windows 11 preinstalled, but I'm looking to replace it with Linux. In the past, I've always disabled secure boot when installing a new operating system, but it turns out the BIOS on this machine is locked with a password I don't have. HP's solution for resetting the password involves their BIOS Utility, but I can't use it without the current password.
The motherboard has pads labeled PSWD which typically hold a jumper for resetting the BIOS password, but these aren't populated. I've tried using tweezers to jump it, but that didn't work. I'm curious if I should attempt to install Linux without disabling secure boot. If so, which Linux distributions are known for being compatibility-friendly with secure boot? Additionally, does anyone know alternative methods to reset the BIOS password?
5 Answers
Many users report success with Fedora 43 Workstation without disabling secure boot, and I’ve also installed openSUSE TW with secure boot enabled. If you can access the USB boot options, you should be fine.
That PSWD jumper needs to be shorted while the computer is on, usually through the self-test phase. If tweezers didn’t work, you might want to try a soldered bridge instead.
If you're really stuck, there are HP BIOS password generators online, but you generally need to input an incorrect password several times to get a reset code. Just be cautious with that.
Have you tried pulling the BIOS battery? That usually helps clear the BIOS and password issues. Just make sure to unplug the power first and leave it out for a bit.
You could let the CMOS battery sit out for a week or so after removing it and disconnecting the power. Sometimes that fully drains it and loses any saved settings.
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