Bios - any way to circumvent this?

sophiejames

I left a remote job 14 months ago and the company has never bothered to have the equipment picked up/returned & I reckon they won’t now after all this time. There is a Dell laptop with BIOS set up. Is there any way to get around this or is this laptop only good for the dump? I’m not techy at all so if someone could possibly tell me what needs done to it and then I could possibly ask if anyone could do this locally? TIA

Brie

Did the question never come up about returning the kit?  I suspect you're right that they've dropped it off their inventory at some point.

I'd just take it into my local geek shop and see what they can do.

CouldntResist

Without commenting on why you want to do it, on a Dell machine if the BIOS is locked then you need to determine the Admin password which can often be done from the machine serial number

cerebus

Normally just removing and reinserting the cmos battery clears the password (sometimes you have to wait 30 mins before reinserting)

Whats the model no so we can check

sophiejames

Brie said:

Did the question never come up about returning the kit?  I suspect you're right that they've dropped it off their inventory at some point.

I'd just take it into my local geek shop and see what they can do.

I raised a ticket to arrange pick up on the day I resigned. Never heard a single word. Another leaver handed in his kit and was told he shouldn’t have bothered as they’re not chasing it up any longer 🤷‍♀️

cerebus

sophiejames said:

Brie said:

Did the question never come up about returning the kit?  I suspect you're right that they've dropped it off their inventory at some point.

I'd just take it into my local geek shop and see what they can do.

I raised a ticket to arrange pick up on the day I resigned. Never heard a single word. Another leaver handed in his kit and was told he shouldn’t have bothered as they’re not chasing it up any longer 🤷‍♀️

Laptop is yours then! Don't throw it away however even if broke for a few years, after that you can simply say you gave it back , if by some miracle they decide to ask for it back which is doubtful as it will be old stock by then 

Do you have the model number so we can check if it has a cmos battery?

sophiejames

CouldntResist said:

Without commenting on why you want to do it, on a Dell machine if the BIOS is locked then you need to determine the Admin password which can often be done from the machine serial number

I want to do it so I can utilise the laptop in my current search for a new role.
I believe my son tried this but it was unsuccessful. 

unforeseen

cerebus said:

Normally just removing and reinserting the cmos battery clears the password (sometimes you have to wait 30 mins before reinserting)

Whats the model no so we can check

Doesn't work on laptops

400ixl

Be warned that booting the laptop past the BIOS and into the OS may well trigger any installed Corporate Management Software installed and trigger events to phone home when connected to the internet.

The laptop is not yours and never will be. As it will have corporate information on it the very least you should be doing is a complete wipe of the drive.

Lorian

If there is an asset sticker on it typically there is a contact number or email address on that.  The laptop is likely to be missed the next time they audit so you may as well try and get it collected now. 

Olinda99

"There is a Dell laptop with BIOS set up. Is there any way to get around this or is this laptop only good for the dump? "

I would like to help but TBH I have no idea what this means or what problem the OP has. BIOS set up ?