6 replies to this topic

[MCR700]

Ok, so here it goes. I have a customers system who's bios password is locked and will not reset even when the bios battery, the main battery (laptop) and the memory are pulled. The bios has been programmed to disable booting from the CD and the USB ports, so I have to design a tool to boot from (either a hard drive that I make internal, or a network) that can install a new bios. The bios I have to install is here. I have tried using a newest free dos CD on the HDD installed on a different computer to install Free Dos locally on the drive, and then putting it back into the other computer, but the Bios install program wont run for some reason. I get a bunch strange numbers when I try to the upgrade.

 

 

[RoyM]

Hi MCR700

 

Version Info available here. sp50751.exe\\kernel.zip\kernel\docs\fdkernel.lsm

Title:          The FreeDOS Kernel

Version:        2.0.35a

Entered-date:   25 Feb 2005

Description:    The FreeDOS Kernel.

Keywords:       kernel freedos dos msdos

Author:         (developers)

Maintained-by:  jeremyd@fdos.org

Primary-site:   http://freedos.sourceforge.net

Original-site:  http://www.gcfl.net/pub/FreeDOS/kernel

Platforms:      dos dosemu

Copying-policy: GPL

 

This will be the version that FirmwareUpdate.exe needs.

 

 

You could try making a bootable USB on another machine, and then mimic that build on a HDD

Or just build the harddrive using the FreeDos tools in sp50751.exe, open the file in 7-zip

P.S. Try using Fat32 format on HDD

Read this: sp50751.exe\\kernel.zip\kernel\docs\sys.txt

 

 

You didn't mention if a floppy was available. 

See Here: sp50751.exe\\kernel.zip\kernel\docs\mkboot.txt

To create a bootable floppy suitable for copying the system to another drive:

"This will also install to HD"

 

1. Change directory (if necessary) to where the FreeDOS Kernel BIN

   directory.

 

3. Enter the command "install" to transfer the system files to the

   diskette in drive A.  If you want to install on drive B, type

   "install b:"

 

4. Write protect this disk and use it to boot from.

 

 

"I don't know where step #2 went, above is a cut and paste from file mkboot.txt"

 

 

These files are within the download and could be used to boot from.

sp50751.exe\\ISO\rom.iso\BOOT\RELEASE.IMG 2.9M

sp50751.exe\\ISO\rom.iso\[BOOT]\Bootable_2.88M.img 2.9M

 

copy the iso to HDD, install grub to HDD using RMPREPUSB

i.e. map the ISO in grub to CD, then map the .img to floppy, make the floppy the root, and boot from it.

put something like this in your menu.lst  

 

##(UnTested)

title FreeDos ISO boot

find --set-root --ignore-floppies --ignore-cd /rom.iso

map --heads=0 --sectors-per-track=0 /rom.iso (0xff)

map --hook

find --set-root --ignore-floppies (0xff)/BOOT/RELEASE.IMG

## OR find --set-root --ignore-floppies (0xff)/[BOOT]/Bootable_2.88M.img

map --mem /RELEASE.IMG (fd0)

map --rehook

rootnoverify (fd0)

chainloader (fd0)+1

## OR chainloader /KERNEL.SYS

 

[steve6375]

Won't the HP utility work on a spare spinny HDD in a USB caddy? Then simply put the HDD into the notebook?

OR if not...

I would use the HP app to create a bootable USB Flash drive (use the smallest one you have)

Then use RMPrepUSB to make an image of the UFD (Disk->File - use 0, P1, 0 to capture the first partition)

Then attach the spinny HDD via USB caddy and use RMPrepUSB  file->disk to put the image on an HDD

Then put the HDD into the HP notebook.

[MCR700]

UPDATE : I have successfully ran the DOS BIOS UPDATE utility only for the system to request the current password, which is the whole reason I'm trying to reset the bios. The bios is the 68PDD family. Does anyone know how to reset this or even if this is a AMI, AWARD, PHEONIX, or something of it's own?

[steve6375]

try the /X switch

 

either boot to freedos and type erompaq.exe /! /X  or add /X to the config.sys line

[Wonko the Sane]

UPDATE : I have successfully ran the DOS BIOS UPDATE utility ...

How EXACTLY did you run it?

...only for the system to request the current password, which is the whole reason I'm trying to reset the bios. The bios is the 68PDD family.

I.e., notwithstanding the BIOS code the password remained the same, do I get this right?
What made you think that updating the BIOS would have removed the password?
 

The bios is the 68PDD family. Does anyone know how to reset this or even if this is a AMI, AWARD, PHEONIX, or something of it's own?

Some HP's (cannot say particularly yours) when you enter for three times a wrong password, output a code, let's call it a "hash" or "challenge code".
For some of them there are decrypting tools capable of generating a "hashed password" that will give back access.
For some this is simply not possible and an actual chip needs to be reprogrammed.
Take your time reading here:
http://h30434.www3.h...et/td-p/1231497


Wonko

[Sha0]

BIOS passwords are not generally reset by updating the BIOS.  Sometimes BIOS passwords are reset by jumping pins on the motherboard during a power-on.  I'd suggest researching "CMOS password".