Dell Laptop

[fivepoint8]

I am trying to reinstall Windows 7 or windows vista i have the installs, i have acces but not Administrative access. Ive been using it this way for months, ive tried booting from the installs but the bios is locked, so i cant change boot pattern and the password i use for the user account i am on does not unlock it.
I dont want to Flash it or open it up its kind of expensive. what can i do? ive tried F8 and stuff... Id really appcate it. TY

[camerongray]

You should ask the person who does have administrative access to remove the BIOS password.

[fivepoint8]

I've asked her and she doesnt know neither, Administrator , she doesnt know what BIOS even is. Lol . I just found out today. She asked her bf but no luck. Ive tried installing hoping it would boot up on its own, i guess i need to change the bios pattern :/

[edit] I was told to install Linux? but im sure i need to boot off a disc or usb and well, no can do, Mission Impossible?

[BC_Programmer]

take out the battery for about ten minutes. this will clear the CMOS RAM.

[fivepoint8]

As in open it up, and take the silver battery out? Coin sized battery.

[fivepoint8]

I don't want to open it up and mess it up.

[patio]

Then it will probably stay messed up....

Find someone who has done it before and have them walk you thru it...

[fivepoint8]

I will try to find someone, and ty for all ur help everyone. Still no luck tho.

[Salmon Trout]

where did you get this laptop?

[fivepoint8]

A girl,

[Salmon Trout]

A girl,

Well there ya go. No receipt, no proof of sale, no proof of ownership? You got a brick.

[sandy6633]

Hi, Five star

U cant do anything unless u use windows 7 or windows vista cd released by DELL.
U have to use only those cd's to install the OS.

[Salmon Trout]

U cant do anything unless u use windows 7 or windows vista cd released by DELL.
U have to use only those cd's to install the OS.

No CD whether from Dell, or anybody else, is any use with a locked BIOS.

[fivepoint8]

A brick, starting to look that way. SHe probably has the cd that she installed 7 with, unless it came with 7 pre-installed, which i doubt bcos its not really new, plus some dude told me it came w/ vista so idk, :/ wishing me luck lol...

[fivepoint8]

No CD whether from Dell, or anybody else, is any use with a locked BIOS.

The only way i found out that can probably fix this, it's not even 100%, is by performing the paperclip method?
But it's too risky, somewhere else i read said to replace something? But i liked it how it was b4 i don't want to change anything. 

Thnx for your time though, really appreciate it

[fivepoint8]

A brick, starting to look that way. SHe probably has the cd that she installed 7 with, unless it came with 7 pre-installed, which i doubt bcos its not really new, plus some dude told me it came w/ vista so idk, :/ wishing me luck lol...

bad news, i asked abt the cd, she told me it was a bootleg version of windows that one of her friends installed, vista was legit but was pre-installed in the laptop, if i had a cd the serial is located on the bottom, lol didnt realize that

[talontromper]

what you can do and i've done before is pull the HD out and format the disk. next you install the OS of your choice to the HD then put install the HD back into the laptop. the first boot will be rather slow since it will look for the proper drivers but it does work. after that you install the proper software for missing drivers etc. a long way to do it but it is a viable work-around

[fivepoint8]

what you can do and i've done before is pull the HD out and format the disk. next you install the OS of your choice to the HD then put install the HD back into the laptop. the first boot will be rather slow since it will look for the proper drivers but it does work. after that you install the proper software for missing drivers etc. a long way to do it but it is a viable work-around

Where would i find the HD for the laptop? ANd would this really remove the BIOS password? I really hope i dnt have a brick, i want to have administrative function to install other programs, and i cant do that on regular account. TYVM talontromper.

[fivepoint8]

i can access log-on screen but theres no admin account, and wen i try to login : Username Administrator Password:"BLANK" like in safemode it doesnt work, i,ve tried system restore but prompts me for password. LAst thing i tried was install with usb, but need access to bios to change boot sequence :/ TYIA

[fivepoint8]

all i want to do is erase everything if its the only way, start fresh, it had alot of music in itanyway.

[Salmon Trout]

Where did this lap top come from in the first place? How did it get passworded? Why can't the person who set the password unset it? If there is even the slightest possibility that this laptop was stolen somewhere back down the line, then in effect it is a brick because no repair store will fix it for you.

[fivepoint8]

Where did this lap top come from in the first place? How did it get passworded? Why can't the person who set the password unset it? If there is even the slightest possibility that this laptop was stolen somewhere back down the line, then in effect it is a brick because no repair store will fix it for you.

my chick , helped her w/ her new laptop. I'm  sure its not. Wat she told me is that she erased her Admin account to sell it , and abt the BIOS, she doesnt even know what that is. She tried putting her old admin password into the bios, but no luck. TY well it goes in the trash it looks pretty old,  Or more research on it.

[talontromper]

Where would i find the HD for the laptop? ANd would this really remove the BIOS password? I really hope i dnt have a brick, i want to have administrative function to install other programs, and i cant do that on regular account. TYVM talontromper.

what you can do is open up the bottom of the laptop there should be some sort of cover with screws in it. take that off and the HD is inside. next pull that install it into another computer using the IDE ribbon the the other computer's HD was attached to. install the os. there u go

[fivepoint8]

ty for the advice, it still prompts for password though :/

[talontromper]

so it prompted for a password after you installed the HD into another computer?

[Salmon Trout]

my chick , helped her w/ her new laptop. I'm  sure its not. Wat she told me is that she erased her Admin account to sell it , and abt the BIOS, she doesnt even know what that is. She tried putting her old admin password into the bios, but no luck. TY well it goes in the trash it looks pretty old,  Or more research on it.

The thing is, BIOS passwords don't set themselves. Somebody at some point set that password, for a reason. I'm not suggesting anything here, but you'd be amazed how it's always a girlfriend or the kids, a brother or sister...

[fivepoint8]

so it prompted for a password after you installed the HD into another computer?

correct sir.

[fivepoint8]

The thing is, BIOS passwords don't set themselves. Somebody at some point set that password, for a reason. I'm not suggesting anything here, but you'd be amazed how it's always a girlfriend or the kids, a brother or sister...

I get your point, wat i thought at 1st was maybe she set it and forgot but she doesn't know how to get in BIOS, doesn't remember setting one. And right now i have this laptop with its guts out, its kinda fun. Ive looked everywhere on how to do it legitimately but can't find anything that doesn't involve cracking or short circuiting something :/ i called dell and asked for proof of purchase which myself and previous owner do not have . Im positive she bought it herself.

[Salmon Trout]

One good tip to come out of this... folks reading this, if you buy a used laptop, get a signed, dated, legible receipt for your money with the verifiable name and address of the seller and the seriual number off the label on the laptop (which should be present). If they are not the original purchaser, a receipt that they got from him or her. Better, any warranty and original purchase documents. The more the better. A paper trail that leads from you to the dealer who first sold the laptop. If these are not forthcoming, then consider very carefully whether you want something that could become a brick. Or get you in trouble.

[fivepoint8]

One good tip to come out of this... folks reading this, if you buy a used laptop, get a signed, dated, legible receipt for your money with the verifiable name and address of the seller and the seriual number off the label on the laptop (which should be present). If they are not the original purchaser, a receipt that they got from him or her. Better, any warranty and original purchase documents. The more the better. A paper trail that leads from you to the dealer who first sold the laptop. If these are not forthcoming, then consider very carefully whether you want something that could become a brick. Or get you in trouble.

Good tip for it it was stolen, she has the windows Vista serial number...is that good enough?

[Salmon Trout]

Good tip for it it was stolen, she has the windows Vista serial number...is that good enough?

That does not link to the actual physical PC.

[fivepoint8]

I know its possible to remove or bypass the p/w but its risky, so I'd rather wait and see if she can find anything, a receipt maybe call her credit card company for receipt , i mentioned it so ill wait to see if she takes action lol.
TYVM for Ur help tho everyone really appreciate it.

[fivepoint8]

So the boot sequence is this.
Diskette Drive
1. Internal HDD
    USB Storage device

My question is...if i remove hdd would it skip it and go for the usb?