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BIOS Locked Setup
I've got an XPS L521X bought brand new from Dell around December 2012. It came with Windows 8 and I had decided I would give Windows 10 a try so upgraded and ran this for a while.
Anyway, having used it for a while and had a few problems with it I decided to go back to Windows 8, but rather than just reverting I decided it was a good time to replace the hard drive with an SSD and do a fresh install.
The problem is I can't change the boot order in the BIOS, in fact there is very little I can change as it is locked. Under the 'Security' tab in the BIOS it states 'Locked Setup' When I select this is asks 'Unlock Setup?' and wants a password. I've not set one and didn't realise it had one.
The System Password and HDD Password are not set, just the 'Locked Setup' as stated earlier.
Does anyone know how I go about getting this unlocked?
ejn63
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February 14th, 2016 10:00
You'll need to place a phone call to Dell support -- upon verification of ownership, they'll help clear the password. If the system is out of warranty, there will be a charge for the support call.
Townie
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February 14th, 2016 10:00
Thanks for the quick reply, I kind of figured that may be the case but just wanted to check.
Rather disappointing to know they may want to charge me to unlock something that shouldn't be locked in the first place. I'll certainly try to point that out and see how it goes.
Thanks once again.
LittlestWitch
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February 14th, 2016 14:00
I agree with the unnessary cost she is now going carry because she didnt put the password in Dell puts all these hidden little pasword in chips and all over. At first that impressed me, thinking it to protect us their clients???? Starting to think its jist a way to make more money out of us
ejn63
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February 14th, 2016 17:00
There is by default no password on the system - either someone set it, or there's something wrong with the system board.
LittlestWitch
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February 14th, 2016 22:00
So how do you explain the 24C02 chip located below the PCMCIA that jols the system pasword????
ejn63
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February 15th, 2016 04:00
What system are you asking about? The L521x has no PCMCIA slot.
Townie
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February 15th, 2016 16:00
I can confirm there is no PCMCIA or Express Card slot on the L521X.
I can also confirm that I didn't set a password myself in the BIOS, however, before calling Dell I thought I would try one last thing. I spoke to the only other person who has used the laptop and asked about setting a BIOS password.
They swore blind they didn't know what I was talking about but did mention about setting a password in something in Windows and how it stated it would be linked to something somewhere else. Vague or what?
So I asked them to try this password to see if it unlocked it, and it did. So I take it back, Dell didn't lock it.
This then got me thinking, how was this even possible? I've never heard of anything like it. Does anyone know of an application in Windows capable of setting a password in the BIOS and if so, what?