I'm trying to format a locked laptop.

[jr22jess]

I have a Dell Latitude D800 and it's password locked by a previous administrator. I want to format the hard drive on it and get rid of everything but I can't get anywhere. I can't even change the boot order because configure setup is disabled because of the previous admin also. Any suggestions.

 

[JustaGeek]

Find out the CMOS clearing procedure for your laptop.

 

[jr22jess]

Where would I be able to find that out? thanks

 

[JustaGeek]

I would just contact Dell. Hopefully they have an IM chat line like HP does, so you will be able to talk to the technician immediately.

 

[Tarrant64]

Could try this?

http://www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/CmosPwd


We've had the same problem with some HP's. You can try Dell as a password(seem's silly, I know).

 

[corkyg]

And if you can't clear the lock, remove the HDD, put it in an external case and format it - wipe it - whatever you wish.

 

[RebateMonger]

No matter what you do with the hard drive, the Dell Latitude will be worthless until you reset the BIOS password. Have you done a thorough Internet search on this topic? It's a commonly-discussed problem. Some are easy to break into, and some aren't.

A guide to breaking into Dell laptops.
Note: I have NOT used this Guide.

 

[Laputa]

Sounds like the drive is hardware locked on the drive's circuit board. I recommend just getting another drive instead as this will be worthless without the original administrator's password or a four figure price tag to unlock it. You can probably pay less for that with a new drive.