Please help my 'puter up and running...

I've a got a '96 Dell demension PC with WIN 95 (I think it's an American Megatrends BIOS).

One day just for the heck of it I put in a password in the set-up. NOW I CAN'T get in! I didn't forget the password and tried every variation possible (caps lock),first letter lower case, then first letter upper case etc!

How can I undo this? Pull out the CMOS battery??

C-top,
There usually is a jumper on the MB near the battery to reset the bios settings. Did a manual come with the computer? There should be a board layout in it. Or else, call Dell tech support with the serial#/model#...they should be able to tell you what MB is in it. Then you could look up the board setting online (using another computer).

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Bill Burke
TC#613
ACES#3920
'67 El Camino "SS"
468, TH400, 4.11 12 bolt, 13.1 @106
'80 Camaro RS
355 Vortec, TH350, 3.73, 13.5@101

'67 El Rat (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/billscaminopassside.jpg)
'80 Camaro RS (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/Bills80CAMARO.JPG)

Pulling the batt might do it but as Bill said there are leads to short and sometimes just a reset button on the MB. On my Dell precision 220 there is a jumper strap across 2 pins labled "pswd" about 1/2" from the batt... Look for the same on yours..

If you remove the case and look at the cover you will probably find a diagram of your Motherboard. Some machines have a disable pasword option, Some require you to clear the CMOS. If the battery is removable you can also remove it (after u unplug the pc) and let it sit awhile and it should clear it.

Tim

Thanks guys!!!

With a little investigation I found the jumper that disables the password on the motherboard. Interestingly enough, it wasn't close to the CMOS chip or the CMOS battery. Oh well. It's a go! http://www.chevelles.com/forum/wink.gif