Grandaughter had this bought for her by her dad for Xmas. Whilst showing it
to her friends and demonstrating how secure it was with a password she had
set, invited said friends to attempt to gain access to her laptop, not
realising that 3 failed attempts would lock it up - permanently. Apparently
there is nothing within the documentation that comes with the machine that
tells you this. After a quick google I discovered that the NVRAM password is
virtually impossible to get except from DELL.
Grandaughter telephones DELL and was told that they want £57 up front to
give her the password.
Robbing devils!! It may be a security feature, but why cant the master
password be included on a sticker in the manual that comes with the machine,
like a factory fitted car radio password? Or is it done deliberatley,
knowing that thousands of poor souls who buy there products will probably
one day have to pay a ransom to get them released. I am so annoyed that I
will probably have to open the machine up to do the NVRAM short trick to get
back in. And when I do, that password is going to be cleared off -
permanently.

Roy

Roy L wrote:
> Grandaughter had this bought for her by her dad for Xmas. Whilst showing it
> to her friends and demonstrating how secure it was with a password she had
> set, invited said friends to attempt to gain access to her laptop, not
> realising that 3 failed attempts would lock it up - permanently. Apparently
> there is nothing within the documentation that comes with the machine that
> tells you this. After a quick google I discovered that the NVRAM password is
> virtually impossible to get except from DELL.
> Grandaughter telephones DELL and was told that they want £57 up front to
> give her the password.
> Robbing devils!! It may be a security feature, but why cant the master
> password be included on a sticker in the manual that comes with the machine,
> like a factory fitted car radio password? Or is it done deliberatley,
> knowing that thousands of poor souls who buy there products will probably
> one day have to pay a ransom to get them released. I am so annoyed that I
> will probably have to open the machine up to do the NVRAM short trick to get
> back in. And when I do, that password is going to be cleared off -
> permanently.
>
> Roy
>
>
Well, if you are knowledgeable enough (and have the necessary equipment)
to consider doing such a trick on the machine, you certainly know that
this will void the warranty, "permanently". I suspect your attempt might
have other "permanent" consequences ... Please post the result of your
surgery.

--
John Doue

Roy L wrote:
> Grandaughter had this bought for her by her dad for Xmas. Whilst showing it
> to her friends and demonstrating how secure it was with a password she had
> set, invited said friends to attempt to gain access to her laptop, not
> realising that 3 failed attempts would lock it up - permanently. Apparently
> there is nothing within the documentation that comes with the machine that
> tells you this. After a quick google I discovered that the NVRAM password is
> virtually impossible to get except from DELL.
> Grandaughter telephones DELL and was told that they want £57 up front to
> give her the password.
> Robbing devils!! It may be a security feature, but why cant the master
> password be included on a sticker in the manual that comes with the machine,
> like a factory fitted car radio password? Or is it done deliberatley,
> knowing that thousands of poor souls who buy there products will probably
> one day have to pay a ransom to get them released. I am so annoyed that I
> will probably have to open the machine up to do the NVRAM short trick to get
> back in. And when I do, that password is going to be cleared off -
> permanently.
>
> Roy
>
>
Well, if you are knowledgeable enough (and have the necessary equipment)
to consider doing such a trick on the machine, you certainly know that
this will void the warranty, "permanently". I suspect your attempt might
have other "permanent" consequences ... Please post the result of your
surgery.

--
John Doue

"John Doue" <notwobe******.com> wrote in message
news:VDoxl.38$x74.25@read4.inet.fi...
> Roy L wrote:
>> Grandaughter had this bought for her by her dad for Xmas. Whilst showing
>> it to her friends and demonstrating how secure it was with a password she
>> had set, invited said friends to attempt to gain access to her laptop,
>> not realising that 3 failed attempts would lock it up - permanently.
>> Apparently there is nothing within the documentation that comes with the
>> machine that tells you this. After a quick google I discovered that the
>> NVRAM password is virtually impossible to get except from DELL.
>> Grandaughter telephones DELL and was told that they want £57 up front to
>> give her the password.
>> Robbing devils!! It may be a security feature, but why cant the master
>> password be included on a sticker in the manual that comes with the
>> machine, like a factory fitted car radio password? Or is it done
>> deliberatley, knowing that thousands of poor souls who buy there products
>> will probably one day have to pay a ransom to get them released. I am so
>> annoyed that I will probably have to open the machine up to do the NVRAM
>> short trick to get back in. And when I do, that password is going to be
>> cleared off - permanently.
>>
>> Roy
> Well, if you are knowledgeable enough (and have the necessary equipment)
> to consider doing such a trick on the machine, you certainly know that
> this will void the warranty, "permanently". I suspect your attempt might
> have other "permanent" consequences ... Please post the result of your
> surgery.
>
I most certainly will should I have to go down this route. As for DELLs
warranty, if they are as crappy as they have been so far I wont worry!
I certainly would not buy or reccommend them to anyone!
Roy

> --
> John Doue

"John Doue" <notwobe******.com> wrote in message
news:VDoxl.38$x74.25@read4.inet.fi...
> Roy L wrote:
>> Grandaughter had this bought for her by her dad for Xmas. Whilst showing
>> it to her friends and demonstrating how secure it was with a password she
>> had set, invited said friends to attempt to gain access to her laptop,
>> not realising that 3 failed attempts would lock it up - permanently.
>> Apparently there is nothing within the documentation that comes with the
>> machine that tells you this. After a quick google I discovered that the
>> NVRAM password is virtually impossible to get except from DELL.
>> Grandaughter telephones DELL and was told that they want £57 up front to
>> give her the password.
>> Robbing devils!! It may be a security feature, but why cant the master
>> password be included on a sticker in the manual that comes with the
>> machine, like a factory fitted car radio password? Or is it done
>> deliberatley, knowing that thousands of poor souls who buy there products
>> will probably one day have to pay a ransom to get them released. I am so
>> annoyed that I will probably have to open the machine up to do the NVRAM
>> short trick to get back in. And when I do, that password is going to be
>> cleared off - permanently.
>>
>> Roy
> Well, if you are knowledgeable enough (and have the necessary equipment)
> to consider doing such a trick on the machine, you certainly know that
> this will void the warranty, "permanently". I suspect your attempt might
> have other "permanent" consequences ... Please post the result of your
> surgery.
>
I most certainly will should I have to go down this route. As for DELLs
warranty, if they are as crappy as they have been so far I wont worry!
I certainly would not buy or reccommend them to anyone!
Roy

> --
> John Doue

"AJL" <nomail@fakeaddress.com> wrote in message
news:huuhs45uqdghmibgudlqfrefrv8mb5edru@4ax.com...
> "Roy L" <Roy.L@work.com> wrote:
>
>> Each machine has a
>>unique service tag, which I believe is used to generate the master
>>password.
>
> While Googling on this I noticed that there were some hack programs
> offered for some Dell computers that would generate the password
> from
> the tag. Some people in the various web forums claimed success with
> the hack. Unfortunately I never saw one for the Inspiron laptop, but
> it may well be out there. Here's one forum example:
>
> http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic18780.html
>
>> What I wrote about DELL wanting £57
>>up front to unlock the machine is true...
>
> It reminds me of what my dealer will charge me if I lose my car's
> smart key. Well over US$100 for replacing one little key. Makes me
> want to really really avoid losing the key. And of course I never
> lend
> the car to my granddaughter... ;)

Losing a piece of hardware i.e. your car keys is somewhat different to
getting your computer locked by a piece of software. You expect to pay
for replacement hardware. As I previously wrote, what is the problem
with including the master password for the laptop in with the
documentation for it? What makes it worse is that this "security
locking feature" is not documented in the user manual. Granddaughter
had no idea that laptop would be locked after 3 failed attempts at
password. BTW I did not lend her the laptop - her father bought it for
her for xmas, he is fuming and refuses to pay for the unlock and has
told grandaughter to save up to pay for it!. Although there are many
of the so-called password generators mentioned in the various
groups/webpages, I didnt manage to find any.
As her dad is not interested, I am at present drafting a stinking
letter to DELL, copies will be sent to various consumer watchdogs.

Roy

"Roy L" <Roy.L@work.com> wrote:

>Losing a piece of hardware i.e. your car keys is somewhat different to
>getting your computer locked by a piece of software. You expect to pay
>for replacement hardware.

I thought the analogy was reasonable. In both cases the company is
holding you hostage because you desperately need the key to get your
machine going again. So they take advantage and gouge you.

>What makes it worse is that this "security
>locking feature" is not documented in the user manual.

My guess is that your granddaughter would not have read the manual
anyway. Heck, does anybody ever read the manual? I don't... ;)

>I did not lend her the laptop - her father bought it for
>her for xmas, he is fuming and refuses to pay for the unlock and has
>told grandaughter to save up to pay for it!.

How sad that what is supposed to be a happy xmas present turns into
such an unhappy mess.

>I am at present drafting a stinking
>letter to DELL, copies will be sent to various consumer watchdogs.

That may work if the publicity gets wide enough coverage. Hit the
ruined granddaughter xmas present angle, those media wolves might go
for that...

I'm sorry, but I do not believe that there is a "universal" or "back
door" password. NONE. Period. If such a password existed, it would,
eventually, leak out and compromise the security of the ENTIRE installed
base. And your post suggests that you think that they are going to give
such a password to you, an end user. No way.

I'm not saying that there isn't a way to get into the machine .... there
is, and they may charge for it, and you may even need to send the
machine back to them. But the way in is not by some "universal password".


Roy L wrote:
> Grandaughter had this bought for her by her dad for Xmas. Whilst showing it
> to her friends and demonstrating how secure it was with a password she had
> set, invited said friends to attempt to gain access to her laptop, not
> realising that 3 failed attempts would lock it up - permanently. Apparently
> there is nothing within the documentation that comes with the machine that
> tells you this. After a quick google I discovered that the NVRAM password is
> virtually impossible to get except from DELL.
> Grandaughter telephones DELL and was told that they want £57 up front to
> give her the password.
> Robbing devils!! It may be a security feature, but why cant the master
> password be included on a sticker in the manual that comes with the machine,
> like a factory fitted car radio password? Or is it done deliberatley,
> knowing that thousands of poor souls who buy there products will probably
> one day have to pay a ransom to get them released. I am so annoyed that I
> will probably have to open the machine up to do the NVRAM short trick to get
> back in. And when I do, that password is going to be cleared off -
> permanently.
>
> Roy
>
>

I'm sorry, but I do not believe that there is a "universal" or "back
door" password. NONE. Period. If such a password existed, it would,
eventually, leak out and compromise the security of the ENTIRE installed
base. And your post suggests that you think that they are going to give
such a password to you, an end user. No way.

I'm not saying that there isn't a way to get into the machine .... there
is, and they may charge for it, and you may even need to send the
machine back to them. But the way in is not by some "universal password".


Roy L wrote:
> Grandaughter had this bought for her by her dad for Xmas. Whilst showing it
> to her friends and demonstrating how secure it was with a password she had
> set, invited said friends to attempt to gain access to her laptop, not
> realising that 3 failed attempts would lock it up - permanently. Apparently
> there is nothing within the documentation that comes with the machine that
> tells you this. After a quick google I discovered that the NVRAM password is
> virtually impossible to get except from DELL.
> Grandaughter telephones DELL and was told that they want £57 up front to
> give her the password.
> Robbing devils!! It may be a security feature, but why cant the master
> password be included on a sticker in the manual that comes with the machine,
> like a factory fitted car radio password? Or is it done deliberatley,
> knowing that thousands of poor souls who buy there products will probably
> one day have to pay a ransom to get them released. I am so annoyed that I
> will probably have to open the machine up to do the NVRAM short trick to get
> back in. And when I do, that password is going to be cleared off -
> permanently.
>
> Roy
>
>

Barry Watzman <WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote:

>I'm sorry, but I do not believe that there is a "universal" or "back
>door" password.

Not "universal" but *master* password, 'master' meaning supersedes all
other passwords on the machine and because it is in the bios is
difficult to compromise which I suppose is its purpose. We all know
how safe Windows passwords are. The master password is different for
each machine or the universal password problem you state would exist
and anybody with a sad granddaughter story could get it on Usenet.
Dell is understandably careful about who they give it to but if true
the fee does seem excessive...

-----------------

Dell Inspiron BIOS Password Recovery

Each Dell Inspiron has a master password which will clear the BIOS
password. You can get this number by calling Dell Technical Support at
(800)624-9896.

Dell Technical Support will request the Service Tag and Express
Service Code from the bottom of your Inspiron.

If you were not the original owner of the Inspiron, Dell will transfer
registration of the used Inspiron from the original owner with only
the Service Tag and Express Service Code from the tag on the laptop.

To transfer the registration of a used Dell Inspiron, fill out the
Transfer of Ownership form on Dell's web site.