You turn on the laptop, and instead of Windows you get “Enter Password” or “System Disabled”. Or you want to get into the BIOS/Setup, but it asks for a password nobody knows. A common situation — especially with used laptops that arrive locked. Here’s what can be done, and what honestly can’t.
What BIOS locking looks like
- It asks for a password at power-on, before Windows even starts.
- You can’t get into the BIOS/Setup (F2, Del) — it asks for a password.
- A “System Disabled” or “Password Check Failed” message with some code.
- The drive asks for a separate password (HDD/NVMe password) — this is the hardest case.
Types of passwords (they’re not all the same)
- Supervisor / BIOS password — protects access to Setup and to any changes.
- Power-on / boot password — required at every startup.
- HDD / NVMe password — locks the drive itself at the hardware level. This is actually encryption and the hardest to resolve.
Why it happens
Most often: you bought a used laptop that the previous owner (or a company) locked and forgot to remove. Or someone at home or at the office set a password and then forgot it. On business-grade Dell, Lenovo, and HP machines the password is often a “corporate” one and deliberately strong.
How we approach it
- Diagnostics — we determine which type of password it is (supervisor, boot, or HDD), because each one is handled differently.
- Older laptops and desktops — often solved with a reset (CMOS/EEPROM), with no data loss.
- Modern laptops — the password is stored in a protected chip; it’s done via a master code derived from the “System Disabled” code or by reprogramming the EEPROM, depending on the model.
- HDD/NVMe password — honestly: this is strong encryption. On some models it can be removed, on others not without risk to your data. We give you a realistic answer before we touch anything.
Bought a used laptop that arrived locked?
A common situation — and the seller is long gone, or won’t answer. Don’t worry: we don’t ask you for any paperwork. You bring in the laptop, during diagnostics we see which type of password it is and what can be done, and we honestly tell you whether it’s feasible before we do anything.
Frequently asked questions
Can every BIOS password be removed?
Supervisor and boot passwords — in the vast majority of cases, yes. The HDD/NVMe password is encryption, and there we can’t always guarantee it, because the whole point of that protection is that it can’t be bypassed. After diagnostics we tell you exactly what’s possible for your model.
How do I know which password it is?
If it only asks for a password once you enter Setup — that’s the supervisor. If it asks right at power-on — that’s boot. If a separate prompt for the drive appears after that — that’s the HDD password. You don’t have to guess; we determine it during diagnostics.
Do I lose data during unlocking?
With supervisor and boot passwords, usually not — your data stays. With an HDD password it depends on the model and method; we warn you in advance if there’s any risk.
What if it’s a corporate laptop with Computrace/asset lock?
Some business machines have additional locks (Absolute/Computrace, asset tag lock) that can’t be removed by standard means. If that’s the case, we’ll tell you honestly that it’s not worth spending money on the attempt.
Locked laptop? Bring it to one of our stores or have a courier pick it up — diagnosing the password type is free, and we tell you the exact price and whether it’s possible before any work begins. Prices are in our price list.