hard drive password removal

[maxspeed]

any free or cheap software that removes passwords from harddrives? Am talking about the hard drive password you set in the bios. I put a password on there but i cant seem to remember the password now. I searched google and most places say that i am screwed but i found a software that says they can erase the password but its expensive. I dont care if i lose everything since i just did a clean install of win 7 but i need to be able to use the hard drive. Any help would be appreciated. thank you

Edited November 18, 2009 by maxspeed

[ripken204]

reset the cmos

[submix8c]

Uh-uh... Clearing CMOS apparently doesn't work. See here -

http://www.computing.net/answers/security/...word/14916.html

May be something ON the HDD that the BIOS "sees", since the suggestion was to hook it to another computer then "clear" it. Try moving it to another PC and use the Disk Utility provided by the HDD manufacturer to reset the whole thing to "factory" (a FORMAT?) thus "clearing" it to "new".

(googling on this...)

edit - perhaps the Clear CMOS jumper MIGHT work... worth a try...

(sigh... is this legal? annyhoo, see the link provided...)

Ultimate Boot CD -

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

(NOTE TO MODS! If this is deemed "illegal" feel free to modify this post. Don't want to ruffle feathers...)

Edited November 19, 2009 by submix8c

[jaclaz]

Are we talking of BIOS password (which is one thing) or Hard disk password (which is another)?

What EXACT make/model of PC/motherboard?

What EXACT make/model of hard disk?

jaclaz

[ripken204]

i am assuming that it is a bios password since he said he set it through the bios, therefore clearing the cmos should do the trick.

if it is indeed a hard drive password then that will require a bit more work..

[jaclaz]

i am assuming that it is a bios password since he said he set it through the bios, therefore clearing the cmos should do the trick.

I wouldn't be (and am not) so sure.

If it is, "generic" tool is here:

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

it can also "zap" the whole CMOS, if needed.

jaclaz

Edited November 19, 2009 by jaclaz

[cluberti]

(NOTE TO MODS! If this is deemed "illegal" feel free to modify this post. Don't want to ruffle feathers...)

Unlike Hiren's, this one appears to go out of it's way to not use warez'ed components. I see a few demos and "for personal use only" tools, but assuming the tool is used as such it's perfectly fine.

[John305]

Well just to add on newer laptops and some desktops the password is stored in vram so resetting cmos does nothing. There is only one way i know of to remove from lets say a hp laptop and that is to call hp they will check your registration if it is registerd to you they will give you a master code to unclock it for I think 80 $.