I bought a second-hand laptop that had a password: here's how I managed to remove it

When it comes to protecting access to a computer, we have different ways of doing it. The first and most common is to use the system Windows Hello add an authentication system to the device, whether it is a PIN code, a password, a fingerprint, an access key or even a facial recognition. In addition, we can also encrypt the disk so that if we lose it, no one else can access its contents. As if that were not enough, we can also add a computer access password through BIOS.

The safest option of all, if we want no one other than ourselves to be able to access the files that we have stored on the computer, is to encrypt the contents, either through BitLocker, included natively in the Pro versions , Enterprise and Student of Windows or via third-party applications. Delete the windows password

Just like the BIOS password, this is a very simple process using the proper tools and can be found on the Internet with a simple search.

In this article, I will focus on showing you how I successfully removed the password from the BIOS of a laptop that I had bought second-hand, a laptop that, because its owner had forgotten the password, was almost a gift to me.

Remove BIOS password

BIOS is the operating system that manages the motherboard, which, in turn, controls all components and peripherals connected to the computer. Thanks to the BIOS we can customize the operation of the computer, whether laptop or desktop, as the fan speedwith what unity we want to start, among other things and among which is the possibility of establishing a access password

All motherboards have a battery which is responsible for powering it when the equipment is turned off and/or disconnected from the electrical network. Thanks to this battery, the motherboard keeps time and stores the setting defined in BIOS. When a PC starts showing the time incorrectly, it means that the battery is exhausted and the only solution is to replace it or keep the computer always connected to the network, which in the case of laptops, is not always possible.

If we establish a password in the BIOS, it will be stored on the card thanks to the energy provided by the battery. If we remove the battery or it runs out, all content stored inside will be automatically deleted, including the password. There is no need to resort to third-party applications to remove the bios password

from any PC, just remove the battery and wait for a few seconds, the next time you start the PC, the password will be gone.

At that time, the board will use the Standard configuration with the one that comes from the factory, a configuration that in most cases is ideal for the equipment to operate without any problems, although it is possible that we will have to make some modifications. To remove the battery from the motherboard, it is necessary to disassemble the back of a laptop since it is not accessible in the same way as the storage unit and the RAM memory since it is an element that has an approximate lifespan of 10 years, a lifespan more than sufficient for that no matter which laptop becomes obsolete.