can't boot xp from cd, can't modify bios

Hi, first post at majorgeeks, though long time lurker

I'm fixing a computer for a buddy of mine. He got the computer (XP pro, SP2) for free from his work and wants to wipe it clean and start over. It's got a ton of user accounts from old employees, all of which are password protected, none of which are known, unfortunately.

Instead of trying to recover the lost passwords I figured i would just format and reinstall XP and go from there.. but I can't set the bios settings to boot from CD first. The bios settings are password protected.. obviously i don't know that password either.

the computer is an HP (bios settings is called "HP setup utility"), Pentium 4, I would assume it's about five years old. any help would be appreciated.

 

If it is a desktop try unplugging and taking out the CMOS (watch type disc-quarter shaped) battery for a couple of minutes and then put it back in. It should erase the password and allow you to set Bios to defaults. Then check the boot sequence to put CD first.

 

thanks for the reply, will try it in a few.

 

ok, removed and replaced CMOS battery, which reset the system settings to default (which fortunately ended up moving the cd drive up to 1st in boot order).

however, it still asks for a password (if i don't know it, i can access the bios settings, but can't make any changes) and even though it appears that cd rom is 1st in boot order, it still goes directly to windows without giving me the option to boot from cd.

any further ideas?

 

I guess you could try to clear the CMOS by moving the jumper. That should clear the password but I've never had a password protected BIOS on an HP so I'm unsure if it will work. Clearing the CMOS just sets it back to factory settings so I don't see any harm.

If you go to the HP site with your model number and download the manual it should have a picture of the jumper settings. The motherboard should also have tiny little markings above the jumper telling you where to move it to clear the CMOS. Post back with the model number if you can't find instructions.

 

thanks for the help, i seriously appreciate it.

anyways, opened it up again, there's a cmos reset button instead of a jumper. pressed it, no dice. still asks for password. researched some more and it ends up that the password is saved in the eeprom instead of cmos, had to remove a jumper and voila, no password needed. changed the boot sequence, things should be good..

but when i restart, it again immediately goes directly to windows without asking to boot from disc. changed the setting from quick boot to full boot in the bios, just in case, but it doesn't make a difference. it recognizes the cd drive though.

?

 

While in windows, can you put the disk in the drive, it will offer the option to install xp, hit yes and machine will reboot and that should work.

Not trying to be smart, is this a legal copy of xp or something you burned. I only ask because see allot of these type issues when someone tries to burn a copy of xp.

 

can't access windows since all accounts are password protected

anyways, success. missed a setting in the hp setup "allow removable media to boot" or something weird like that. thanks a ton for the help guys.

and yeah, it's a legal copy. lol

 

What Tym said. In addition to that, can you test the CD drive? Could be a bad or dirty drive that can't read a CD. Double check the cables on the CD drive as well.

 

Yes, it figures a PC that protected by the administrator wouldn't allow boot from CD. I thought about that but didn't know HP had that option in BIOS.

Good work finding the location of the password! Hp has come some distance since Compaq in securing things.