Bios Passwords
[This is a link, I think]

Finding the BIOS password might give you unlimited access to a "secured" computer, but maybe even more interresting, the same password might be used often by those who are in charge of the computers, e.g their logins. (If there's a lazy staff, the password might even be the name of the cooperation or if each room are numbered the number might be used)
Of course, this page is only intended to be used by hackers who deal with really lame admins, since BIOS password gives you very little security and shouldn't be used to ensure security. The ultimate usage of bios hacking is, of course, the ability to enable disabled diskdrives, thus being able to bring hacking utilities into a "secured environment".

DEFAULT PASSWORDS
Default passwords for some systems are
589589, AMI, AWARD, AWARD SW, AWARD_SW, CONDO, J262, J64, LKWPETER, SZYX.
(Most of these passwords are for various Award systems)
Please note that on a few systems the default password is a master password:
It can be used to access the computer and/or the BIOS even if you don't know the password typed in!
CHECKSUM ERROR
Checksum Errors are very handy when hacking BIOS so we have some data about it here:
The BIOS settings are stored as normal computer information in CMOS circuits. A CMOS curcuit is NOT an non-voltable memory nor a flash memory, it lose the information if its powersupply is broken. (the problem is that more and more motherboards stop using CMOS and use non-voltable memory, but luckily they still handle CMOS checksum errors for backward compatiblity. The funniest thing is that often they still call it CMOS although they have changed into newer types of memory) Since incorrect hardware settings might cause damage, CMOS stores a checksum and will act as it never have been setup if it boots with incorrect checksum.

The BIOS will force user to enter setup when booting, autoloading the system defaults and give user free access to change password or whatever he wants to do. Often the password is none existent (press enter if it asks for password), or the default password have been loaded (but 99% of all bioses removes the password check at a checksum error)

Please note that the disk(s) and harddrive(s) may not configured after a checksum error so it could be stupid to cause a checksum error on elderly PCs (286/386) since you might not be able to autodetect the IDE drives. There is a risk that a checksum error may cause problem for you, if the BIOS manufacturer hasn't designed the system to handle such situations. However, I have never had any troubles after causing a checksum error.

HACKING THE PASSWORD - SOFTWARE ATTACKS
You have three different ways to "hack" the BIOS using software:
BIOS CRACKERS
BIOS Crackers "know" how the BIOS store the password, and read it (and decrypt it if it is stored encrypted)
Try finding a Bios Cracker for the BIOS you need to access, knowing the password is the best way to "hack" a BIOS. There might be some variation of the usual Bios Crackers which sets the password but I've never seen them.
Eleventh Alliance are making new crackers, and adding them to the !BIOS package.
MAKING A NEW BIOS CRACKER
Try to decrypt/find the password yourself and make a new Bios Cracker.
BIOS passords are sometimes not hashed, so if you know how or try hard you can decrypt the password without any bruteforce.

Check out our pages about making Bios Crackers

SCRAMBLING CMOS CHECKSUM
The easiest way to "hack" a password which don't involve understanding different BIOSes nor finding a specific Bios Cracker, is to scramble the CMOS checksum - cause a CHECKSUM ERROR.
How do you do that? Well...
CMOS can be attacked using almost any programming language, by making an OUT to 70h, followed by a OUT to 71h.
We provide a "BIOS Blaster" named !BIOS, which can make a direct attack of the CMOS checksum.
Some BIOSes, such as some old AMIs, can also be attack via various none-CMOS ports.
HACKING THE PASSWORD - HARDWARE ATTACKS
Removing CMOS battery or short circuit some hardware often cause CHECKSUM ERROR. If you look through the motherboards FAQ/manual you probably will find that there's a switch on your motherboard designed to be able to reset the CMOS.