Daniele Brunengo
asked on
Supervisor password on Toshiba Satellite: how can I remove it?
Hello, so this customer of mine has a totally corrupt Windows 7 install and needs to reset his Toshiba Satellite C660D to factory. Now, the restore partition is there, but I found three passwords protecting the PC: a user password, a drive password and a supervisor password.
The customer knew the first two, I removed them but he doesn't remember the supervisor password or also having set it. Anyway, I can't do anything without the password. Windows won't boot and all files are basically gone from that partition (don't ask me how he did it).
I can't even change boot order without that password.
Here's what I did up to now:
1) removed the drive, examined it, found a basically empty windows partition. The drive seems to be functional, no smart or chkdsk errors.
2) removed the laptop battery for 15 minutes, put it back, password still there
3) removed the laptop battery for 24+ hours, put it back, damn password still there
So does anybody know how I can get rid of a supervisor password on a Toshiba notebook?
Thanks guys.
The customer knew the first two, I removed them but he doesn't remember the supervisor password or also having set it. Anyway, I can't do anything without the password. Windows won't boot and all files are basically gone from that partition (don't ask me how he did it).
I can't even change boot order without that password.
Here's what I did up to now:
1) removed the drive, examined it, found a basically empty windows partition. The drive seems to be functional, no smart or chkdsk errors.
2) removed the laptop battery for 15 minutes, put it back, password still there
3) removed the laptop battery for 24+ hours, put it back, damn password still there
So does anybody know how I can get rid of a supervisor password on a Toshiba notebook?
Thanks guys.
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It depends on the manufacturer. Some have to change the mainboard, others the security chip, and yet others have a master password which is based on the serial number of the notebook. But all of them need to have you get in touch with the manufacturer. If there were an easy way around this, the password protection would be useless.
Of course the password shouldn't be lost, but normally people who set passwords know what they are doing and don't loose them, or if they do have a memory lapse, chances are still good that they will eventually remember it. Besides, you can also write down the passwords somewhere, as long as that written note is kept separate from the notebook in a safe place.
Of course the password shouldn't be lost, but normally people who set passwords know what they are doing and don't loose them, or if they do have a memory lapse, chances are still good that they will eventually remember it. Besides, you can also write down the passwords somewhere, as long as that written note is kept separate from the notebook in a safe place.
ASKER
Well, the customer is 82, so I guess we can cut him some slack. I thought the removal of the battery would eventually reset the password, but no. So where does the laptop store this password? It is not stored as a normal password I'd say.
It is stored in a security chip. You'll just have to call Toshiba.
ASKER
Although I won't send it to Toshiba, you have convinced me to give up trying to reset the password and this allowed me to solve the problem differently (I deleted all partitions from the drive and installed a clean Windows 7).
ASKER
It will surely cost something if I send the PC to Toshiba. Isn't there a way to do it myself? If they can do it, maybe somebody knows how.