Recovering forgotten password to boot

[jamesdsimone]

I have an old Toshiba Satellite A105 that I need the data from. The problem is I forgot the password. It won't let me into the boot menu either without the password. I would like to use the machine as a Linux box ultimately. I don't want to have to pull the hard drive to get the data. I wanted to just boot off a Linux disk. Anyway I can do this?

 

[Elixer]

If all you want is the files, just use a linux boot CD/pen drive, and it should find the partitions, and mount them for you.

If you want to reset the password, get Hiren's boot cd.

 

[master_shake_]

pull the cmos battery.

 

[bbhaag]

^^^Yep. This is what I would do. I've had to do it a couple times on some older 486 machines that I inherited and it works every time.

 

[jamesdsimone]

pull the cmos battery.

When it first booted I wasn't thinking and just hit reset defaults. I'm sure it has been at least 2 years since it has been turned on. It must have reloaded the password. I am not 100% sure if the password is BIOS or Windows. I think in is BIOS. Problem with booting off a CD is that when I boot it gives 2 options F2 for system utilities and F12 for boot menu both ask for the password. I have little experience with laptops so a little hesitant about opening one up.

 

[Elixer]

Oh, missed the part where you said it was the BIOS password.
Looks like it is time to break out the tools...

http://www.bajwa.net/content/toshiba-a105-bios-password-reset

Good luck!

 

[jamesdsimone]

Since I can't seem to get to the BIOS I assume that. Thanks for the link. Now I have to get the nerve to crack this think open.

 

[mrblotto]

You can find out easy enough if it's either a HD or BIOS pwd.

Take out the HD and slave it out on another machine. If the machine asks for a pwd at boot (or doesn't even see an extra HD), then chances are it's a HD pwd.

If the extra HD is recognized, well then, the pwd in question is on the original lappy's system board/BIOS and NOT on the HD

 

[Ketchup]

Personally, I would pull the drive for the data. No way I would waste time trying to figure out a password or even running another OS just to get the data off.

As far as running another OS, and it has a BIOS password, you will just need to see if the default settings will allow this.