Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (
More info?)
Brilliant - will keep me happy and busy for awhile. Knew about the jumper
option - but now i know where it is and how to do it properly. Thanks Joe.
"Joe Morris" <jcmorris@mitre.org> wrote in message
news:d0hm6s$h5q$1@newslocal.mitre.org...
> "Paul E" <paulestrie@hotmail.co.uk> writes:
>
>>also ... what's the default bios password please? I've tried all the
>>obvious
>>e.g. optiplex, password, changeme, getlost .. all to no avail. I'm hoping
>>that the password is still set at the default one!!!
>
> Desktop systems (including the Optiplex line) generally have a jumper
> on the system board which, when {installed, removed, relocated}, will
> erase the CMOS setup options, including BIOS passwords. (The existence
> of this jumper is a good reason to consider physical security of the
> computer, but that's a topic for another lecture.) Given this, there
> is no need for a "master password".
>
> No laptop computer I've run into has such a jumper, and I wouldn't buy
> one that did. The security implications of an easily stolen computer
> with a jumper to defeat password protection are obvious (I hope).
>
> In the case of the GX110, the jumper is located on the corner of the
> system board diagonally opposite the parallel printer connection,
> and close to the riser and IDE1 sockets. DISCONNECT THE POWER CABLE,
> open the case, remove the jumper, reconnect power, boot the system:
> the passwords should now be "not set". Turn the computer off
> DISCONNECT THE POWER CABLE, reconnect the jumper, close the covers,
> reconnect power, and you should be set. (BTW: the above can be
> found in the GX110 user's guide, available for download from the Dell
> web site.)
>
> Note the CAPITALIZED WARNING TO DISCONNECT THE POWER CABLE above. In
> modern systems, the power supply is always active, and is supplying
> voltage to the system board whenever the computer is attached to the
> power mains. The only way to remove power from the system board is
> to disconnect the power cable, and this should be done whenever you
> are poking around inside the cabinet.
>
> Back to your original posting: if you look at the Dell web site you
> should be able to enter the "service tag" (on a label on the back
> of the computer) and get the original configuration as shipped from
> the factory. Even if you can't figure out exactly what drivers are
> needed, just download all the likely candidates from the Dell web
> site and try them until you find a set of drivers that work, then
> go back to a clean setup and install those drivers. This is a messy
> way to do it and is not recommended if you have any way to find out
> beforehand which drivers are needed, but if you really can't figure
> out what's in the box it's one way to get a working system.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Joe Morris
> system it will
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