This week a friend brought me the new ipod nano which her son locked and she couldnt figure out the password. It’s a real simple fix. Connect the ipod to your computer. makes sure hidden files and folders option is set and browse to “\iPod_Control\Device\_locked” Change the file name from _locked to _unlocked. Save. disconnect. Reset your ipod by holding down the menu and center button. At this point your ipod will be unlocked but you won’t be able to set a new password without first entering the old one(which you don’t know). To set a new password, go back into _unlocked and erase all of the characters in the file and save again. Reset once more. You can now set a new password if you choose.

The biggest risk to your Mac is if it is lost, stolen or physically compromised. If you setup a secure password as discussed previously and the thief can’t login, they can still gain access to all your data using one of the special start-up modes built into all Macs.

These start-up modes include booting from an install DVD and resetting the password, using Target Disk Mode to use your Mac as an external hard disk, or booting into Unix-style Single User Mode.

There is a way to protect your computer by setting a firmware password. The password is written into the computer’s firmware chips on the motherboard and if anyone tries to use a special start-up mode, they will be prompted for that password.

Apple provides a utility for setting a firmware password called Firmware Password Utility.

For Mac OS X 10.5.x, start from the Leopard Install DVD and choose Firmware Password Utility from the Utilities menu.

1. Click to select the checkbox for “Require password to change Open Firmware settings”, as shown below.

2. Type your password in the Password and Verify fields.

3. Click OK

4. Click lock icon to prevent further changes

5. Choose Quit from the application menu

Now, if anyone attempts to use any of the special start-up modes, they will be prompted for the firmware password you set.

via: mac101.net

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

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Here’s a .pdf by Fastback68 which appears to to compiled from qasimtoep’s old website explaining how to reset a Dell BIOS password using a paperclip.The laptop that was used in this demonstration is a Model 630 type PPX.

There are a lot of people who have a dell or similar laptop that they are not able to use because of a special password chip that can’t be cleared by resetting the CMOS using software or by removing the battery. (more…)

Please take note that this handy tip is intended to recover/regain a forgotten Vista Administrator password. It is not intended to illegally hacking into a Vista system that’s not owning by users who refer this guide!! It is also intended to inform Vista users about the method by which anyone can access their private accounts by cracking passwords….Thus anyone can hack into administrator account and bypass guest user restrictions…. Lets start… Steps to hack Windows Vista Administrator account password: (more…)

Brief introduction on how Internet Explorer stores its passwords

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