[LBo] Fw: Thinkpad problem

[tim]

On Sat, 12 May 2007 06:56:59 -0400
Anita Lewis <a.lewis at linuxbasics.org> wrote:

> On 05/11/2007 08:53 PM tim wrote:
> > 
> > Begin forwarded message:
> > 
> > Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 19:53:03 -0500
> > From: tim <lnx4vr at 2fords.net>
> > To: qna at linuxbasics.org
> > Subject: Thinkpad problem
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
> I did find a short article at ibm that said that some aspects of the
> bios/cmos can be accessed without the password.  They did not say how
> to do that.  I assume you just hit Enter without a password.  I
> imagine you already tried that and it didn't work.
> 
> I have no experience with this problem and I have never used the
> information on this site, but maybe it will help.
> 
> http://www.plasma-online.de/index.html?content=http%3A//www.plasma-online.de/english/help/solutions/bios_password_ibm.html
> 
> Specifically is this section.
> ----
> Thinkpad 390/i Series 1700 [2626, 2627]
> Thinkpad 390E [2626]
> Thinkpad 390X / i 1700 [2624, 2627]
> A. Power off the computer.
> B. Remove the battery pack and AC Adapter.
> C. Remove the backup battery (RTC) for 20 minutes or use a screwdriver
> to touch the backup battery (RTC) for 1 second.
> D. Put back the backup battery (RTC).
> E. Power on the computer and wait until POST ends.
> F. Verify that the password prompt does not appear.
> ----
> I looked at the Hardware Maintenance Manual as well:
> http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site.wss/document.do?sitestyle=lenovo&lndocid=DSHY-45WM2V
> 
> There is a section on passwords that says there are 3 and 2 of them
> cannot be removed.  I don't know how true that is.
> 
> Note also in the Plasma site, if you try passwords, you may lock it
> after 3 tries.  I guess you bought the laptop used?  Can you contact
> the place where you bought it to ask about this?  Perhaps they would
> know the passwords.
> 
> Also there is a thing listed on Plasma called Key Maker.  It is not
> free and I have no idea if it actually works.  Might be a last resort.
> 
> Anita
> 
I hadn't seen the plasma site, but had already made a substantial
google investment!  Also ibm's site is helpful; I already had the
hardware pdf and a couple of others.  There are a lot of things to not
like about ibm, but the fact that they maintain information about old
hardware is one of the truly cool things about the internet age. 
One site I visited had information on how to convert the display of a
broken laptop to a picture frame.  That made me laugh!  I think I need
to cross paths with someone who has actually worked on these things or
experienced the same problem and found a solution.  I had seen the key
maker thing but $45 to fix or a little more to replace is the issue.
Anyway, I appreciate the try.  I will keep trying, no plans to convert
to a digital picture frame right away!