Bios password unknown

[Cell9000]

A friend of mine has given me her netbook that she had sitting in a box for over a year because she didn't know what the bios password was. I have the box it came with when it was brand new and everything. I can't get into the actual bios or the os because it has a password that no one seems to know. Is there away to reset this or get around and or get rid of it? Anything helps because I have no idea what to do with this thing.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Enter any BIOS password 3 times, and the PC should generate a system disabled (halt) code.

Then read the first post at the link below for what to do with the halt code you received from the PC.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Operating-Sy​stem-and-Recovery/System-Halt-Error-Message-or-BI...

[Cell9000]

I have a code, but I went to that page and it said I didn't have sufficient permissions.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Please post the code you got...

[Cell9000]

CNU9126VPT

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

Enter this code for the BIOS password...the 3rd character from the left is a lower case 'L'

e9lo37g62a

[Cell9000]

Ok, that worked, and I got rid of the password pop up in the bios, now it says : Windows could not start because of a computer disk hardware configuration problem.
Could not read from the selected boot disk. Check boot path and disk hardware.
Please check the Windows documentation about hardware disk configuration and your hardware reference manuals for additional information.
Should I just install a new OS?

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Yes, it sounds like the operating system is badly corrupted, or the hard drive may be bad too.

If there is a hard drive diagnostics menu in the BIOS, run that and see what it reports.

You can try starting windows in safe mode by tapping the F8 key immediately after the HP welcome screen disappears.

[Cell9000]

Just tried safe mode and last know good configuration and nothing worked, guess I'll go see if I can get Windows 7 on a flash drive