How to Reset an HP Laptop BIOS Password
By Norm Dickinson
Reset the BIOS password on an HP laptop computer when it has been forgotten or when preparing the laptop for sale to a new owner. Learn how to erase an unknown BIOS password by physically disconnecting the internal batteries. Avoid spending hundreds of dollars at a service center to make changes that can often be performed at home by anyone with the ability to take an HP laptop apart and put it back together again.
Step 1
Power down the computer if necessary by holding the power button down for six seconds until the power shuts off.
Step 2
Disconnect the power cord from the HP laptop computer. Remove the battery by flipping the computer over onto its cover and releasing the battery clips as indicated by the illustrations on the bottom of the laptop or in the owner's manual. Lift the edge of the battery nearest the clips up first, then pull the battery out of the laptop.
Step 3
Remove the screws that hold the hard drive cover in place and remove the cover. Take the hard drive out of the laptop by removing the two retaining screws and pulling the drive gently away from the connector, then lifting the hard drive bracket or tray out of the computer.
Step 4
Remove the screws that hold the memory compartment cover in place, then remove the cover. Remove the memory modules from the sockets by spreading the metal retaining clips gently apart and allowing the module to spring upward. Pull the memory straight out of the socket at the angle it rests at when sprung from the retaining clips.
Step 5
Remove the Real Time Clock (RTC) coin cell battery from the memory compartment by pressing the retaining clip and pulling the coin cell battery out of the socket.
Step 6
Allow the computer to sit without the battery for an hour, then reinstall the memory and hard drive, but leave the coin cell battery and the main battery out of the system. Connect the AC power adapter to the system and power it on to clear the BIOS password.
Step 7
Power the system back down and remove the power cord to reinstall the coin cell battery and main battery.
References
Tips
- Verify ownership of the HP laptop prior to performing this service for others, as this procedure can sometimes be used to gain access to stolen laptops. Resetting the BIOS password has no effect on Windows passwords or any document passwords on the computer.
Warnings
- Use extreme caution when opening the laptop as many of the small plastic latches and internal cables are delicate and easily damaged.
Writer Bio
Norm Dickinson began his writing career in 1997 as a content creator for Web pages he designed for clients. His work appears on various websites, focusing on computer technology. Dickinson holds an Associate of Arts in industrial electronics technology and another Associate of Arts in computer science.