Dell 5100 phoenix bios. cant enter bios,or update

Don't ask how to hack password. (BIOS Passwords)
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mrpriceisright
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I'm having a problem with a dell 5100 with a phoenix A06 bios. Problem is it ignores any keys pressed during power on/bios flash screen (should be F2 to enter BIOS). It just goes right into booting from the hd. it also ignores the f12 boot device option also, but does respond to esc (show post info).

Dells answer is to upgrade to their (Dell A22) bios.
However running this update fails "cant update when supervisor password is set".
So the catch 22 is, you can't update the bios because the bios pwd is set, and you cant get into the bios to remove the bios pwd!!!

my question is, does anyone know how to get to bios entry screen, using some other method (my thought was, this should be possible from debug using a jump or goto "bios address", the question is what address).
I had also thought of using a killcmos type program to invalidate it.
I also have an image of the phoenix bios that should be in the machine.
I'm just loath to flash it if there is something in the hardware that prevents it being flashed when the pwd is set.

I have tried other methods such as removing the hd, changing the memory config. neither of these creates a config change which enters the bios.

This is apparently a common problem with the 5100, there are many reports of this on the dell web site and the A22 flash usually corrects it. but it wont run in this case.

Any ideas?
NickS
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I'm afraid it is not that simple on a modern computer. The system BIOS area in the running computer is only 64Kbytes and a modern BIOS chip may contain 256Kbytes or more. The extra space is used for splash screens, diagnostics - and the CMOS setup program. Once execution of the proper run-time BIOS has started, these additional features are not generally available - the BIOS ROM has been mapped out of normal memory and a copy of the 64Kbyte BIOS code installed into RAM for faster execution. So you can't just go to the address for the setup code.
Tested patched BIOSes. Untested patched BIOSes.
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Ritchie
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Some keyboards now have a function key lock. Just make sure that is set correctly when you press F2 to enter into the BIOS Setup. My keyboard has the F Lock, and to get into BIOS Setup I need to press the F Lock followed by the F2 key when the BIOS is booting.
anvian
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"mrpriceisright", I have a problem like yours, can you help me, anybody help us?
mrpriceisright
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I was never able to resolve this. loaded the hard drive on another machine and was able to get the machine working, but never could get into setup or get any bios prompts.
jthorin
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I had a 5100 belonging to a client that needed to have everything reinstalled and I ran into the same problem of not being able to get into the BIOS setup using F2. This is how I solved the problem:

1. Download A22 BIOS from dell in iso version.
2. Burn iso using something like burnatonce.
3. Keep CD in drive & shutdown machine.
4. Remove screws below card slot and slide out to remove HD.
5. Boot machine (it will boot to CD :) )
6. Bios will update.
7. Remove CD & Reinstall HD.
8. Restart
9. New BIOS will let you use F2.
*. Enjoy

JT
x3on
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jthorin thanx for the clear explanaition but like mrpriceisright said:

"something in the hardware that prevents it being flashed when the pwd is set."

i also can t flash it

does anyone has a killcmos program that i can use?
or another explanaition to go around this ?

thx
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