Computer Hope
Software => Computer software => Topic started by: richlemar on January 27, 2007, 11:52:33 AM
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Hello, I've got an older IBM ThinkPad that worked fine untill I let it sit over the holidays. I recently tried to start it...I get the IBM splash screen and then a blank screen with an icon of a padlock that doesn't do anything. I've never seen this icon before, and I can't get into the bios setup or the boot device preference. I'ts got a pentium 3 processor and I'm running MS XP. Any suggestions?
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Are you the only user of this laptop? Could someone have played a prank on you? It could be several things, so have a read:
http://martigny.ai.mit.edu/hypermail/thinkpad/1996-11/0126.html
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The computer was in a high school classroom...it was used mainly to for slideshows on an overhead projector, so yes, other people did have access to it, although I wonder if any of the students would possess the knowledge to activate the "Power" lockout ( this was a horticulture class ). I'm fairly computer literate, and have no idea how to do this, let alone ever even having seen it before. The link you posted refers to removing both batteries...I've alredy tried removing the battery in the bottom of the computer with no results...any input on removing the batteries?
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I think a BIOS password being placed is the most likely thing that happened. Unfortunately these are not made to be overridden and a motherboard swap is the only mainstream solution, but it is costly. Maybe a student will fess up?
I don't think this just spontaneously happened. Sorry.
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Thanks for all the help...looks like I'm going shopping for a new laptop. THANKS AGAIN!!!
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You're welcome and stop back anytime. ;)