How to get around the BIOS password protection?

Do NOT repeat DO NOT ask us for any laptop password hacking info. We do NOT give this out, due to the high incidence of laptop theft.  If you are locked out of your laptop, contact the manufacturer, or take it, along with proof of purchase, to your nearest authorized service center.

In the past, Award has defined Award_SW as its default security password. However, this password is now widely known, due to Award's large customer base, so it has lost its original function of security protection.

To reduce the opportunity of security breaches, Award Software International Inc. has canceled this default value in BIOS code with a release date on or after December 19, 1996.

Since no default value is predefined for the password, Award OEM customers must use the Award MODBIN.EXE utility, version 4.50.75, to customize their own password prior to releasing products to end users

If you wish to attempt disabling the password yourself, you will need to erase CMOS. You should not do this unless you already have written down or printed out of all the BIOS Setup parameters, or if you are certain that restoring the Setup default values is sufficient for operating your system. Take these steps:

Most motherboards feature a jumper to clear the CMOS, which will delete all settings including the password. Try to locate it via markings on your motherboard (CLEAR, CLR, CLRPWD, ...) or your motherboard documentation.

Put the CMOS jumper back in the original position and boot your PC to check if the password has been erased.

An alternative way to clear the CMOS is to remove the CMOS battery from your motherboard. This may not always work, especially on laptops.

NOTE: it can take up to several days for the CMOS to go bad without a battery. This is caused by capacitance in the circuit. This charge can be safely discharged by using a 10k-ohm resistor, touched to the battery connectors for a few moments (while the battery is removed).