Bios asks for password although I never set one

[Linuxer]

I recently bought a brand new HP ProBook. I started into Windows once, chosing a Window login and password (because I had to fly and sometimes you have to show your laptop is working), but as soon as I arrived I wiped the notebook and installed windows. I was completely happy until I discovered that I cannot enter my BIOS - it asks for the BIOS administrator password, and I tried all common passwords including the one I gave the (now deleted) Windos user.

Thus I cannot change any settings in BIOS although I never set a password!

So either:

1) There is a default password but I couldn't find any useful information about it on the internet, or

2) There is a random factory password set or a password is set automatically by some HP Tool when I booted into Windows.

Is there any way to deal with this? I would be really angry with HP if case 2 is true and th password was only accessible viea the windos-based HP tools which I wiped off. I know there is good reasons  BIOS password cannot be bypassed. Any idea what I could try?

Thanks,

Linuxer

[KNRK]

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 for your reference:

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

 **Click the White Thumbs Up Button on the right to say Thanks**

Make it easier for other people to find solutions by marking a Reply 'Accept as Solution' if it solves your problem.

Thank You,

K N R K

Although I am an HP employee, I am speaking for myself and not for HP

[Linuxer]

Thanks, I know that, but I'm trying to understand first how/ by what mechanism the password was set in the first place. Needless to say I'm not happy having bought a new laptop and then discovering that I don't own my BIOS. I try now to run 64bit Virtual Machines and can't because I need to change the relevant settings in the BIOS first.

Linuxer