HP LaserJet Pro MFP M225dw — need power-on NVRAM reset (admin password unknown, control panel locked

[AlishaACT]

We need to regain admin access to this printer:
• Admin/EWS password is unknown and not documented anywhere.
• The control panel is also password-locked, so menu-based Restore Factory Defaults (Setup > Printer Maintenance > Restore) is inaccessible.
• HP's restore-defaults doc notes it doesn't reset the EWS password anyway.
Since every menu route needs the password we don't have, we need the power-on NVRAM / cold-reset button sequence for the M225dw (performed during boot, before the lock loads). We know it's model-specific and that the wrong sequence can brick the unit, so we're asking for the exact M225dw steps rather than guessing.
Can an HP agent send the M225dw reset procedure? Thank you.

[Deep_World]

Hi  @AlishaACT 
 
Welcome to the HP Support Community!

Thanks for reaching out!

I can understand that regaining access to your printer settings is important, especially when both the Embedded Web Server (EWS) and the control panel are protected by an unknown administrator password.

To help you further, could you kindly confirm a few details?

• When was the administrator password first noticed? Was it configured by a previous administrator or during the initial setup?
• Are you able to print a Configuration Report or Network Configuration Page from the printer?
• Does the printer display any specific error messages when attempting to access the menus?

In the meantime, kindly try the following checks and confirm : 

1. Access the Embedded Web Server (EWS)
   • Print or locate the printer's IP address.
   • Enter the IP address into a web browser.
   • Check whether any pages remain accessible without administrator credentials, such as status or networking information.
2. Update the Firmware (if accessible)
   • If you can still access the EWS or HP Web Jetadmin, verify that the printer is running the latest firmware version.
   • Firmware updates can resolve certain configuration and security-related issues.

If the administrator password and control panel lock cannot be bypassed through standard access methods, I would recommend working with authorized HP support channels to verify available recovery options for the specific device and firmware version.

 You may also find this HP Community discussion helpful, as it covers NVRAM reset guidance on a similar LaserJet model:    HP Community - NVRAM Reset Discussion

I hope this helps. 

[AlishaACT]

• Hi @Deep_World 
• When was the administrator password first noticed? Was it configured by a previous administrator or during the initial setup?
• The Administrator password was noticed at the end of September. It was configured by one of my other engineer when we initial setup the printer a while ago.
• Are you able to print a Configuration Report or Network Configuration Page from the printer?
• Yes, I am able to printer a configuration report and network configuration page from the printer.
• Does the printer display any specific error messages when attempting to access the menus?
• No, there are no error messages when trying to access the menu.

• Yes, I can Access the Embedded Web Server using the IP address and I can access all option in the Home tab.
• I am not able to update the firmware since I have no access to systems tab.

[Deep_World]

Hi @AlishaACT,

Thank you for sharing the update and those details .  
 

If the administrator password is unknown and you are unable to access the System tab in the EWS, you can try a Restore Factory Defaults from the printer control panel if that menu is still accessible:

1. On the printer control panel, press Setup.
2. Navigate to Service.
3. Select Restore Defaults or Restore Factory Settings.
4. Confirm the reset and allow the printer to restart.

Kindly note : If the control panel itself is protected by the administrator password, the factory reset option may also be locked and unavailable.

In that situation, there is no supported method to bypass the administrator password through the EWS, and the next step would be to contact HP Support to review available recovery options for the printer's firmware version.

[AlishaACT]

@Deep_World  the control panel is also protected by the admin password.

Yes, thank you. I will try some of the other option the community suggest for resetting the printer with the buttons.

[Deep_World]

Hi @AlishaACT,

Thank you for the update. Thank you confirming that the control panel is also protected by the administrator password.
 

It sounds like you've already identified the main limitation, and I understand how challenging that can be when trying to regain access to the printer settings.  

Please keep us posted on the outcome of the steps you try. If not I recommend contacting our phone support for more assistance.

This may necessitate a one-on-one conversation to resolve the issue via remote assistance.

We recommend taking the conversation to our phone support team. They'll work with you one-on-one to get the issue sorted, possibly with some remote assistance magic.

1) Click on this link—    https://support.hp.com/contact

2) Add or select the product, and change/select your region.

3) Enter the serial number of your device or select Let HP detect your product option.

4) Choose "other" option from the list

5) Select continue to contact option

You should see the HP phone support number or Chat option listed.

They will guide you further.

Or, You may also visit the nearest HP authorized service center, the service team will check and assist you.

Kindly follow this link to locate the nearest HP service center:    https://support.hp.com/us-en/help/service-center

(Select the country from the dropdown menu and enter the city name or pincode)

Have a wonderful day!

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Regards,

Deep_World