What is the BIOS Administrator Passowrd

[sirram]

I restored my Probook 470 to factory settings and ran Windows Update a few times to bring things up to date.

I then used the inbuilt HP Support Assistant to check for HP updates. There were a few driver updates including a BIOS update. All were installed except the BIOS update - which is asking me to enter the "BIOS Admiistrator Password".

What shuold I enter? There is nothing that came with the computer that tells me.

[mahemac]

Dear Customer,

Welcome to HP Support Forum and we are glad to assist you.

This is to inform you that all HP Business Notebooks such as Probooks or Elitebooks have more stringent security than consumer models infact they don't produce 'halt codes', the password cannot be derived from the Serial Number and the code is stored in non-volatile memory so removing the RTC cell will not reset the password in this case.

Please have a look at this link. 

http://forums.mydigitallife.info/threads/49497-HP-​​Probook-Elitebook-BIOS-Password-Reset-Utility

Please Contact HP Business Notebook support they should be able to send you a customized SMC.bin file which you can use at boot to reset the password.

Hope this helps, for any further queries reply to the post and feel free to join us again

[sirram]

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply but your reply is incomprehensible. The link you included began with:

"I had a user reply via Email stating error code 87 on their HP 8440p. After formatting their Boot disk with Windows ME boots files, the \output file did its job and cleared the TPM and password. Im still looking to see an Error Code 87 myself, and test a WinME boot disk . . ."

I have absolutely no idea what you mean.

You also said that HP might send me a "customized SMC.bin file". But, even if they did, I have no idea what it is or what I would do with it. I do appreciate your taking the trouble but would be extremely grateful for something in plain English.

My problem is really quite simple. I need to update the BIOS (i.e. the HP Support Assistant software has told me so !!) but I am unable to do so because someone set a secret BIOS Admin password before my computer left the factory.

[REO51ST]

@sirram

Your model is not on the list.

You must contact HP.

REO

[sirram]

What list are you referring to?

Anyway, I did contact HP earlier today. They pointed me at an HP web page that would (supposedly) allow me to download the BIOS update and bypass the Admin Password check.

Surprise surprise. I did what they said but all that happened was I was still asked to enter a BIOS Admin Password - WHICH I DON't KNOW !!

How hard it is for them to understand? I appreciate your various "technical!!" replies but they are incomprehensible. Is there someone who could explain how to solve this problem in plain English?

This forum can't help and nor, it seems, can HP themselves. I don't think it unreasonable that I should have been given all the passwords when I first bought this computer.

[REO51ST]

@sirram

That list is for the procedure at MyDigatalLife.

You need to ask HP to escalate your call.

This should help.

For those who have been told it's not possible to do a password reset on the 2560p Elitebook you've been lied to.  After going through round after round with HP support being told ultimately I would have to replace the system board at my companies cost I was determined to find a resolution.   Indeed, I left very negative feedback on the HP survey form for the support request, a couple days later someone from retention called me back to escalate the issue further.   I can confirm there is a work around to get the bios administrator password reset.   It requires your UUID and a unique SMC.bin file generated by HP tier 2 support to allow the user to enter the bios. 

Here are the steps from the email I recieved from HP:

                   This SMC.bin will work on these UUID’s: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX 

               PLEASE MAKE SURE DATE AND TIME IS SET CORRECTLY BEFORE RUNNING THIS TOOL .Please make sure USB key is formatted to FAT 32

Please follow these steps to clear BIOS password:

Save the attached file with this e-mail to USB key as SMC.BIN and insert to the system (or save the file to the root of drive 😧 HP_TOOLS)

- Press "Windows Key + Arrow UP Key + Arrow Down Key" all keys at same time and turn on the system

- Release all keys and press F10 at HP logo to go to F10 setup to “Reset BIOS security to factory default”

SMC command failure reasons

Wrong UUID  is provided

Try different brand and smaller size USB key

USB key is not formatted FAT32

Make sure use USB 2.0 port not USB 3.0 port

BIOS , date and time should be current and updated.

Use hard drive method by using HP_TOOL partition ,if there is no HP_ tools partition,  can be created one by the following link below.

1.Once HP sends you the SMC.bin file format a USB thumb drive to fat32.  I used an 8GB Lexar drive without any issues.

2. Hold the Windows and Up/Down arrows down and press the power button.

3. Continuing to hold the windows / up / down arrows let the HP logo display for about 5 seconds then release and press f10.

4. After a few seconds the BIOS window will display and it will say "SMC command handled successfully"

5. Press the enter key and you will enter the BIOS.

6. Choose "Reset Bios security to factory default"

7. Say "Yes" to confirm changes

8. Save changes and exit the BIOS.

The first attempt I still had the admin password so I tried it again and it cleared.  The system is now back into production and all is well.   Good luck to those struggling with this.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Notebook-Recovery/BIOS-Password-Reset/td-p/1231497/page/24

REO

[sirram]

Complicated to be sure - but I will certainly save your reply in case I can use it in conjunction with further help from HP.

On a second call to HP this afternoon, they did say that it is the "reseller" who would have set up the BIOS Administrator Password. I have no idea whether HP was telling the truth but the reseller in my case was PC World - a fairly well known chain of PC stores in the UK. I intend to drive over to my nearest PC World tomorrow to see if they will confess to what the secret password is.

I will let you know how I get on.

What a ridiculous piece of supposed security. All it does is punish the owner.

[REO51ST]

@sirram

Just one last question before going home for the day.

Do you know if this was a floor display model???

REO

[sirram]

No it wasn't.

[sirram · Accepted solution]

OK, thanks for all your replies.

A helpful chap at HP Support generated an SMC.BIN file for me (along with clear instructions on how to implement it). Everything worked fine and I now have control over the BIOS Admin Password and have successfully installed the latest BIOS.

One annoyance - I had to install the BIOS manually because HP Support Assistant has a major bug. It pretends to install the BIOS but, after restarting Windows, it displays the following pop-up:

"A restart is required to complete the installation of updates"

Each time I restart the machine, HP Support Assistant just displays the same pop-up. An unending loop basically.

I resolved this by installing the latest BIOS manually and uninstalling HP Support Assistant completely from my machine.