Ubuntu
ubiquity package

BIOS Password Unexpected - Work around ??

Asked by Remski

Toshiba Satellite A215 - was given to me with WinXP dead - the machine had been turned on a few times at least. I managed to trial Ubuntu 11.04 from CD and all seemed normal. Now when the machine boots - it asks for a BIOS password and terminates itself after 2 incorrect attempts.
Anything to be done for this ?? I just wanted Ubuntu on it so I could pass it along. Thanks

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Solved
For:
Ubuntu ubiquity Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Solved by:
mycae
Solved:
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
mycae (mycae) said : 		#1

If it is asking for a BIOS password, the only thing you can do is to look up the manual for the device and find the BIOS reset pins on the motherboard, then use the supplied (or a spare) jumper to reset it.

Revision history for this message
Remski (djrsecurity) said : 		#2

Thank you. Was it something I did within testing Ubuntu that caused the BIOS Password to engage ?? Is there any chance I could have by-passed it before ?? Thanks again. David

Revision history for this message
Best mycae (mycae) said : 		#3

It would be highly unlikely that Ubuntu could touch your bios in this fashion, though it is theoretically possible (I would probably point fingers at bad BIOS code).

 The two are meant to be largely abstracted from one another -- the bios' job is to load the bootloader onto the kernel, and set up initial device configuration. I would be surprised if ubuntu could inadvertently do this.

Revision history for this message
Remski (djrsecurity) said : 		#4

Thanks mycae, that solved my question.