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From: jnemeth@cue.bc.ca (John Nemeth)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.misc,misc.consumers
Subject: Re: Everex BIOS Password
Message-ID: <1991Jun18.120535.19608@sol.UVic.CA>
Date: 18 Jun 91 12:05:35 GMT
References: <91163.205448TEMNGT23@ysub.ysu.edu> <1991Jun13.174004.17784@mccc.edu> <1991Jun14.201315.15848@amd.com>
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In article <1991Jun14.201315.15848@amd.com> pal@brahms.amd.com (WHO?) writes:
>The password is stored in the EEPROM so is some of the configurations.
>even if the batery is removed the password and these conf. will not be 
>erased or reset.

     IBM PC's and clones do NOT use EEPROM's.  They use battery backed
up CMOS RAM (which is often buried in one of the ASIC's).  Removing
the battery will cause the password (and all the setup information) to
be lost.  It usually takes anywhere from a couple of hours to a day
for the the information to be lost.  Most machines have a jumper or a
switch you can use to zap the CMOS RAM.

     Most machines I've seen that have password protection have the
option of just protecting the system setup, or protecting system setup
and booting.
--
John Nemeth                                                   jnemeth@cue.bc.ca
System Administrator                                {uw-beaver,ubc-cs,ssc-vax}!
Computer Using Educators of B.C.                            uvicctr!cue!jnemeth