Member Avatar for David Weiss

I have a Toshiba a25-s207 (PS20U-02HKLV) when you power it up the screen goes directly to enter a password power on password :rolleyes: (the password is not known to me I bought this machine at a resale shop and the owner does not know the password either. After 3 tries it shuts the machine off. How can I bypass the password word? I have tried everything, donggle, password bios list of names, and even called Toshiba who said you have to bring it in for service (boo hoo!:sad: )........Please help if you have any ideas, Thanks Dave

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Short version for : a forgotten "Power‑on" (BIOS) password on a Toshiba Satellite is treated as a firmware security lock and, for that model family, Toshiba/Dynabook says an Authorized Service Provider (ASP) is the only supported way to remove it if you do not know the password. That matches what you were told by Toshiba; they will require proof of ownership before they clear it. Toshiba / Dynabook support bulletin.

Two important diagnostic checks you can do (safe, non‑destructive):

  • Confirm whether the prompt is a BIOS/power‑on password or a hard‑disk (HDD) password. If the HDD is password‑locked the drive itself will refuse access even if moved to another machine; that is permanent unless service/drive replacement is used. See the HDD lock guidance from Sony for how that behaves. Sony HDD password note.
  • To distinguish them quickly you can remove the hard drive and boot. If the password prompt still appears, it is firmware/BIOS level. If the machine boots (or shows a different error) without the drive, it is likely an HDD lock. Do not try to format a locked HDD — the password lives in the drive firmware.

About the CMOS/battery/jumper suggestions from and : those are common and sometimes worked on certain older boards (there are model‑specific jumpers or community “jump” tricks), but they are not guaranteed for Toshiba Satellites and can risk damage if done blindly. Community threads and repair guides document mixed results; on many machines the password is stored off the RTC battery and cannot be cleared by simply removing the coin cell. If you consider DIY, read the official service/disassembly manual for the A25 first and proceed only if comfortable. Community discussion / examples and the Satellite manual are available for reference.

Recommended next steps

  • Find the unit serial and any proof of purchase or seller receipt; contact Dynabook/Toshiba ASP and ask for their password‑clear procedure/fee (they can confirm whether a simple ASP reset or board work is required). Toshiba support bulletin.
  • If data access is the priority and the HDD is not locked, remove the drive and image it before any risky attempts.
  • If you want to avoid service cost and are technically experienced, research the exact A25 service manual and jumper locations before attempting anything; otherwise take it to an ASP to avoid bricking the machine or losing data.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for 'Stein

Have you tried removing and putting back in the CMOS battery on the MoBo?

I believe this clears it...

Member Avatar for David Weiss

Have you tried removing and putting back in the CMOS battery on the MoBo?

I believe this clears it...

Were is the cmos battery located? I'll try it............Thanks for the help Dave :mrgreen:

Member Avatar for phattness

Hey i can help, pop the plastic hood out . Its located above the keyboard now you can see the keyboard screws. After removing the screws flip the keyboard upside down towards you. Unplug the wires that plug into the board. There are two plugs close together, they are the fan and the battery just unplug them for 48 hrs. You might have to take it apart and seperate the batterys. I would just stick the wires in my port instead of the dongle. There was a series of wires all side by side all attached to eachother. unsolder so there not used, it wasnt in the diagram how to make the dongle remember. Might help :p

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