VOGONS


First post, by maddmaxstar

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So, I rebuilt a PC today to test out a stack of Slot A motherboards I've been sitting on, 2 K7M's and a K7V, got them together, everything looked okay, etc...

But now, I've got a seemingly simplistic issue here. The BIOS is Password protected...

Now, what would be the most obvious solutions?:
A) Clear the CMOS
B) Clear the Password jumper.
C) Take the battery out and unplug the system for 30s+.

Here's the kicker, the Board's been stored for 2-3 years... without a CMOS battery inserted.

There's also no clear Password jumper, and the clear CMOS jumper has no pins, but two pads where pins were never soldered.

So, with all the Slot A Retro PC fans here, I'm wondering, has anyone run into this, and know another way to get past this? (perhaps a hack or a master password?)

= Phenom II X6 1090T(HD4850) =
= K7-550(V3-3000) =
= K6-2+ 500(V3-2000) =
= Pentium 75 Gold(Voodoo1) =
= Am486DX4-120(3DXpression+) =
= TI486DLC-40(T8900D) =
= i386sx-16+i387(T8900D) =

Reply 1 of 5, by SquallStrife

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Anything remotely modern only uses the battery to maintain the RTC. The actual settings are in non-volatile memory. Good for most purposes, bad for you!

The way to reset it is to get a length of wire, and short the two pads where the pins would have been for CMOS clear. This will clear the NVRAM, and the password along with it.

VogonsDrivers.com | Link | News Thread

Reply 2 of 5, by maddmaxstar

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I tried that with the tip of a flathead screwdriver. I might have to get a little more imaginative...

= Phenom II X6 1090T(HD4850) =
= K7-550(V3-3000) =
= K6-2+ 500(V3-2000) =
= Pentium 75 Gold(Voodoo1) =
= Am486DX4-120(3DXpression+) =
= TI486DLC-40(T8900D) =
= i386sx-16+i387(T8900D) =

Reply 3 of 5, by maddmaxstar

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Got it! I cliped a few pins off a jumper block on a dead mobo and stuck them in a jumper cap. Held it in place for 10s, worked! Password's gone.

= Phenom II X6 1090T(HD4850) =
= K7-550(V3-3000) =
= K6-2+ 500(V3-2000) =
= Pentium 75 Gold(Voodoo1) =
= Am486DX4-120(3DXpression+) =
= TI486DLC-40(T8900D) =
= i386sx-16+i387(T8900D) =

Reply 5 of 5, by maddmaxstar

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Indeed, a bit odd that they'd skimp on two pins and a jumper cap on what was in 99-00 a 200-300$ motherboard...

= Phenom II X6 1090T(HD4850) =
= K7-550(V3-3000) =
= K6-2+ 500(V3-2000) =
= Pentium 75 Gold(Voodoo1) =
= Am486DX4-120(3DXpression+) =
= TI486DLC-40(T8900D) =
= i386sx-16+i387(T8900D) =