Toshiba Laptop BIOS Recovery
Toshiba laptops aren’t like most laptops where you can remove the BIOS battery and let it sit for a few hours to reset the BIOS. So what do you do? There are three forms of BIOS password removal being used currently by Toshiba:
1. Parallel port wraparound connector
2. Shorting a jumper, with power and with no power
3. Challenge/Response code
Method 1. Printer Dongle Method:
Works with Portege, Satellite, Satellite Pro, Tecra and Libretto Laptops of the following model numbers :
100(1xx) 200(2xx) 300(3xx) 400(4xx) 500(5xx) 600(6xx) 700(7xx)
1000(1xxx) 2000(2xxx) 3000(3xxx) 4000(4xxx) 7000(7xxx) 8000(8xxx)
(A15-S 127) (1415-S 173) SERIES & Some DVD Models
The “xxx” above means that each x can be any number, i.e. 1xx could be 101, 103, 111, 112 etc.
* First cut a plug from an old DB25 printer cable, and open the casing of the plug. This is how the pins look:
* Now connect:
o Pin 1 to Pin 5 and to Pin 10 ( go from 1 to 5 and from 5 to 10)
o Pin 2 to 11
o Pin 3 to 17
o Pin 4 to 12
o Pin 6 to 16
o Pin 7 to 13
o Pin 8 to 14
o Pin 9 to 15
o Pin 18 to 25
It should look something like this:
Plug it in and bootup
METHOD 2. Shorting a jumper:
In order to clear a BIOS of Compal manufactured units you need to use the NO POWER method, units manufactured by Inventec need to be to be POWERED ON to rest the BIOS.
To reset Compal units:
1. Turn off the POWER
2. Remove the battery and power cord
3. Peel back any black mylar (if any) covering the jumper
4. Using a flat screwdriver, short the jumper by connecting the two jumper points
5. Reset the computer and verify the BIOS has been reset, if not then repeat steps
Inventec units can skip steps 1 and 2
METHOD 3. Challenge/Response Code:
The challenge/response code method consists of matching a Challenge code ( power the machine up,press ctrl,then tab,then ctrl, then enter) generated on your machine and matching a Response code generated by Toshiba and calling a Toshiba Tech Support Agent.
added 5/31/10:
Satellite p100 and pro p100 : with laptop off,remove wifi card and short pads marked jp8 for 10 secs
satellite l10,l20,l30 and pro l20 : with laptop of short pads marked jp1 for 15 secs (l20 short pads marked g1)
satellite m100 and tecra a6 : with laptop off ,remove memory and insulation under memory and short pads marked clr1 for 15 secs
(satellite 17** series,1100,1110,1130, 1200, 1900, 2430, 3000 P20,P30, P33, A30, A70, A80, M40X, M50,M60, M70, M100)as above
tecra a3,s2,a5,a6 : pads are by memory modules and will be labeled J1, J2, J5, J7, J9 or clr1
satellite a100,tecra m7 : remove keyboard and short pads marked c88 while turning laptop on, remove short as soon as Toshiba logo appears
Satellite A100 (PSAA2A-02C01N) : Remove Memory Cover from base of machine
Release & remove right side Memory Module,Lift black plastic insulation
Locate & short PAD500 Pin 1 & 2 together,Power on machine while still shorting Pin 1 & 2
As soon as the TOSHIBA logo appears, remove short
TECRA A4 & Satellite M40
Open modem & Wi-Fi card cover,Remove mini PCI Wi-Fi card
Lift up black plastic,Locate & short C738 Pads 1 & 2 together
Power on machine while still shorting Pads 1 & 2
As soon as the TOSHIBA logo appears, remove short
tecra s1 : TECRA S1
Open palm rest cover,Remove mini PCI Wi-Fi card
Lift up black plastic,Locate & short C5071 Pin 1 & 2 together
Power on machine while still shorting Pin 1 & 2
As soon as the TOSHIBA logo appears, remove short
NOTE SOMETIMES THESE WILL TAKE A COUPLE OF TIMES TO WORK,BUT THEY WILL WORK.
on April 24th, 2009 at 7:24 am
i am going to assume it has something to do with the bridge battery? my fujitsu documentation says it has a “bridge battery” which is just a small internal battery that allows you to swap the main battery for a new one without powering down. i dont know all that much about it… but possibly this is what keeps the bios from clearing when the bios battery is pulled?
on June 22nd, 2009 at 10:15 pm
i have a toshiba satellite m30-s309 i need reset bios password any method work for me?
please someone helpme!
on July 1st, 2009 at 4:16 am
What’s My Pass? » Toshiba Laptop BIOS Recovery…
Toshiba laptops aren’t like most laptops where you can remove the BIOS battery and let it sit for a few hours to reset the BIOS. So what do you do? There are three forms of BIOS password removal being used currently by Toshiba…….
on July 30th, 2009 at 8:10 am
can you send me you programs and make me happy always!!!
on August 22nd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
i have a toshiba a105 s1014 and its locked at the bios need help reseting it or bypassing it. would appreciate the help thanks
on October 23rd, 2009 at 10:41 am
i have a laptop toshiba satellite pro s200 prob is bois password plz send me reset bios formula plz
on October 25th, 2009 at 2:45 am
is there any solution to find the response code by ourself ?
on October 27th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
Hello.
In your Toshiba laptop Bios reset dongle method http://www.whatsmypass.com/toshiba-laptop-bios-recovery. In your 1st and 2nd photo, the locations for pin #1 are in different location on the dongle. Please open the link and see what I’m talking about. Can you please confirm which one is correct before I solder and try. Please get back to me.
Thanks in advance,
RJ
on November 19th, 2009 at 2:49 pm
I have a Toshiba L305-s5919 and I need to reset the bois pw. Can anyone help me.
Thanks
on November 22nd, 2009 at 11:35 am
how to reset satellite pro 4380
because mine only display “ec/kbc is damage”
how to fix or repair it.
Hope solutions helpfully.
thanks
on November 25th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
rhett,
The first picture is the INSIDE of the plug, while the second is of the OUTSIDE of the plug. They are both correct, but from different perspectives.
Look at picture 3. Imagine picture 1 is looking at that from the top of picture 3 down( from inside the plug), while picture 2 is from the bottom up (outside of the plug).
When doing the wiring, use picture 1 as your reference.
-Martin
on January 5th, 2010 at 7:29 am
is there any Response Code Generater software available…
on January 22nd, 2010 at 5:17 am
Great articles & Nice a site
on February 21st, 2010 at 5:52 am
i want to remove bios password
on March 1st, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Hi Guys! has any one knows a code generator for Challenge Code / Response Code?
Thanks in advance!
on July 18th, 2010 at 1:28 am
Hi there, I have read on your site, and repeatedly on dozens of other sites as well, that shorting the clr1 for 15 seconds on the M60 will fix my now unuseable password (it worked fine before!) but once I remove the memory modules as described above there is absolutely NOTHING marked clr1 in that area. Has anyone found where to find the clr1 on an M60 specifically? I cannot find a single reference to it’s actual location anywhere on the net so far…
I shall bow before anyone who possesses and shares this obscure visual knowledge!!