confuse with "BIOS PASSWORD"

hey Guys, i found a item CF-19 Mk6 sell on ebay and the description make me confuse,(on his FAQs)
original link:
( http://www.ebay.com/itm/BIOS-PASSWO...424043?hash=item1c56726dab:g:5poAAOSw3ydVrbJg)


1>the item(cf-19) with "BIOS PASSWORD" but the seller said that is not problem to use the machine as if you use a normal toughbook.what's the normal and unormal?

2>And the seller said that BIOS PASSWORD can be remove by Panasonic and cost $400, as i know PC's bios password is can be modify and remove by user, is toughbook has a different?

3>"computer technician MAY need the bios password" , I wonder that technician use the bios password for what purpose? config hardware? As I know the bios password protect the CMOS configure or firmware upgrade, even the CMOS date and time something like that, so even normal user will use the bios password to access the CMOS configure? again, toughbook different?

4>"reload the OPERATING SYSTEM do not need the bios password", if I need to change the boot sequence will not need the bios passwork?

yeah,I still bargen to my "dealer" for the Mk6 ,so i don have one yet. it so important to know what is the BIOS PASSWORD is important or not,I have to ask the seller(not the ebay's guy) about that.

final question, how(where) can I check the toughbook has BIOS PASSWORD or not when the transation on going(goods check)?

 

as far as i know , and i may be wrong :
if the bios password has been set and is unknown , you are "stuck" with what the machine is set to recognize or use for certain functions and/or hardware .
there are certain things you can do in the bios and others you simply cannot do .
yes , you can flash the bios and other similar things .

there is no way for a user to "reset" the password ... this is a super secret of the panasonic computer techs .
as far as the 400 dollar price ... i do not know and have not heard anything about a price ... maybe one of the other guys have ?

also , it is against the rules of this forum to discuss any "methods" of getting around the password .

to "see" what is going on with that machine , have the seller post the bios screen pictures .

the price of any panasonic toughbook with a locked bios will/can be lower than one that is not locked ...
you have some leverage in this case , to get a lower price ...
or , just forget it and find one with an unlocked bios .
i have a toughbook that i used for parts because it had a locked bios .

 

Toughbooks are different in that BIOS passwords are next to impossible to remove unless you send to to an official repair location. Many times the service centers replace the motherboard.
You reasons to get into the BIOS are the same on a Toughbook. What the seller is saying is if it was a "normal user" such as maybe your Mom. The normal user does not need to get into the BIOS. Nor will your Mom add hardware such as GPS or WWAN card.

Since you and I are members of this forum "we" are not normal. I have 6 fully working Toughbooks in sight right now. What normal person has over 6 laptops? .

If the BIOS is already set to check for USB boot device then when you do OS change just plug in usb stick and reboot. No need to change boot sequence.
I had a CF52 with BIOS password that I used for quite a while without having any trouble.

Best I can say is ask the dealer first. Most will tell you ahead of time. Or post an advertisement here in the buy sell trade section..

 

I am not attempt the reset the bios password. just want tho know how's to affect the funtions. but according to your description, just for parts to use because it had a locked bios, it sure I am not going to purchase that.

But still that question, how can I sure the BIOS has not been locak(has password)?

 

You can be sure by NOT buying on ebay. Buy it from a member here. I do not have any CF19 mk6 or I would set one up for you.

Also ask the seller to show you a photo of the BIOS page.

 

"But still that question, how can I sure the BIOS has not been locak(has password)?"

"to "see" what is going on with that machine , have the seller post the bios screen pictures ."

have the seller post screenshots/photos of the bios pages .

 

OK, we are not normal,I agree! So I will pass any BIOS locked toughbook.

And the problem is what the dealer say is never be convince at China. You know, some chinses seller just want to seller some for profit, after transation was done, they will disappear(yeah, a little like drug dealer).And some of them may just know nothing, question from us are also to them. So I have to check it myself to make sure nothing wrong!

Yeah, again, how can I check the BIOS has password locked or not?

 

Good idea for ask the BIOS screen, as your say is just I can access to BIOS that is sure the BIOS has not password? I plan to meet the dealer and transation face to face. So I can actual check the toughbook on my hand.

 

face-to-face is a different deal ...
have him bring up the bios pages ... this is done during the boot-up sequence .
one of the screens should say/show/indicate if the bios password has or has not been set .

a good idea would be to post pictures of the bios screens here so we can figure out what is going on ...
this will actually be easier than a llllooonnngg bunch of writing that covers all the things that go on in the bios ...
there will be less chance of a mistake .

 

Thx Shawn! Sure is better buy one from member, but Mk6 is not that much can be found in forum for sell(probable too new). And the other reason is to expense for that, Even found a decent price for the toughbook and the shipping fee, but China custom duty is horrible, the problem is china custom can charge any price for the duty what ever they want(is up to 20% customs duty for computer price and the price define is on customs, they think how much that is it, we can provide the evidence). So the customs duty is so high that not good for pruchase foreign for me.

 

I understand.

 

it looks like the best thing to do in this case is for you to post pictures of the bios .
maybe you will get it for a cheaper price .

 

yeah, I will bargain with the dealer for a couple days to test the device,and post photos on forum share with you guys!

 

Only thing I would do is make sure it boots from USB before purchase.
The rest of the settings are not usually a big deal.
Does it have WWAN installed? 3G / 4G
If it does not, you can not install it on a BIOS locked Toughbook.

 

Oh, this deal maybe no deal for many reason like qulity or biso locked something like that. So if you have a 19 Mk6 for sell or know so trusted seller please let me know. I maybe can let the device ship to HongKong to my firend, that can be skip the unreasonable customs duty, I just get myself to HK to get it!

 

member here..I don't know if he does overseas or not.
safn1949...... http://forum.notebookreview.com/members/safn1949.562022/.

Rob is dealer .

~Rob - Rugged Depot ~ Cell: (630)/300-8877~

http://forum.notebookreview.com/members/rob.107548/

 

Thnaks Shawn, after this deal on China, if it's success,I will post some photo on forum, if no deal,I will contact safn1949 and Rob ask them the CF-19 Mk6!

 

To pay $799.99 for a bios locked Toughbook is way to much . It's only worth about $300.00 to me and that is if it has a working USB and WIFI . If I buy one locked it is for parts only .

 

wait a minute ... stop the wedding ...
800 bucks ?!
the OP mentioned meeting the seller "face to face" ...
the seller is in the US ... illinios to be exact ... unless the OP is in the US , i don't see how this would work .
the company selling the toughbook is not new nor small time ... ask them to post pictures of the bios pages ... this is pretty much a standard thing that most sellers of toughbooks do (just look around on ebay) .

even if the company will post pictures of the bios , i would pass on this deal ...
like rob said , it is way too much money for what it is .

spend your money wisely .

 

The OP is in China.
Some of his posts are difficult due to translation. I don't know if he uses Google translator or he speaks limited English. I think Google translator.
The link to Proton may be just an example. I was under the impression he was looking at one from within China.

 

The seller in Illinios is Proton Computers and they want $799.99 here http://www.ebay.com/itm/BIOS-PASSWO...424043?hash=item1c56726dab:g:5poAAOSw3ydVrbJg
I think he is also looking at one where he lives too.

Heartland Services wants around $250.00 to $400.00 to remove the password . Depends on the model of the Toughbook .

 

the first link in this thread leads to "war laptops" ... i don't know if that is the same outfit as "proton" .
that is what started cranking up the light bulb .
yep , the way i understood things is that the OP was thinking about getting it and having it shipped to china ...
the part about the OP complaining/lamenting about customs over his way ripping off people by being able to "charge whatever they want to" is what led me to believe the above .

gawd , i love my meds .

250-400 bucks ... man , i am in the wrong business .

 

On the eBay page where the first picture should be it says "warcheaplaptops.net" but if you look at the sellers name it is "protoncomputers1". They do this so you will go to there Web page instead of buying on ebay. Really it's against eBay rules to do this.

 

Sorry for my limited english to confuse you guys.
I'm in China and I looking a CF-19 Mk6 within China, a dealer near my city can be deal face to face. I look in ebay for get a decent price about the toughbook and found the link I post here what they mention about BIOS PASSWORD, so I ask you guys about that what happen if the device has BIOS PASSWORD. Shawn said it need bios password to install WWAN, so I decide avoid the BIOS PASSWORD device because I need to install WWAN, GPS.

 

That is very smart to avoid that one. Let us know how you make out.

 

yep ... that clears things up a bit ... makes more sense now .
heh ... offer the guy 100 bucks for that locked machine ... you could get more than that for parting it out .

 

Bad news for me. After chat with the dealer, confirm that CF-19 Mk6 is locked, so it would be no deal for me. continue to find a Mk6, i need luck!

but thanks all you guys for the infomation that avoid me to do the bad deal for a locked toughbook!

 

"avoid me to do the bad deal for a locked toughbook!"
an expression used over here , amongst those of us that are a bit older and maybe from remote areas is :
"do not buy a pig in a poke" .
a "poke" is a type of cloth sack (burlap , oilcloth , etc) .

 

thanks for The idioms pig in a poke.
Because there is less infomation about toughbook in China, I have to do more search about that!

 

As you if you need any help we are here

 

Pig in a poke

 

I am going to close this thread . This is just a reminder for ones that don't know this....

To the point... There will be ZERO TOLERANCE for anyone asking for anything having to do with how to bypass/reset passwords
http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...yone-who-posts-in-the-panasonic-forum.351660/