Sunday, November 07, 2010

How to reset BIOS Password in Toshiba M105-S3064

Two years back, my Toshiba M105-S3064 notebook got stuck and I gave it a cold start (used the power on button to switch off and switch on again). Since then it has been prompting me always at boot for authentication to the BIOS, either to swipe the finger or to enter the password. As I remember, I hadn't set a BIOS password and was unsure why it was prompting for authentication. Fortunately, it accepted my finger swipe and authenticated me. However, I didn't know what the password was.

Most recently I restored the OS (Windows XP) from the restore disk and after a couple of days of using the notebook it didn't recognize my finger swipe. Therefore, I decided I had to find a solution to this. I ran a search on google trying to find a fix for this issue, lo and behold this was a known bug in the BIOS in some Toshiba laptops. With doing a cold start, when the BIOS password is not set, some settings in the BIOS gets corrupted and sets a password. The articles I read suggested to short circuit the CMOS_CLR1. Although I located CMOS_CLR1 on the circuit board, I wasn't sure which pins I had to short circuit since I had no visual guide and I didn't want anything nasty to happen to my laptop. After some researching around and contemplating I managed to figure out what needs to be done.

First make sure the power cable and the battery is removed. Open the memory compartment at the bottom and take out the memory module. What you see below is the memory compartment cover removed and the memory module in place, which needs to be removed. There's a clamp at either end which holds the memory module in place. You just need to push them little outward and the memory module should lift it self up.


Then lift up the black insulation and you should be able to spot the text CMOS_CLR1 on the circuit board. Do not put too much force when lifting the black plastic insulation or it may tear. Just above the CMOS_CLR1 mark you should be able to spot something which looks like a zipper. Hold a screwdriver or something metal on that zipper like imprint on the circuit board for 15-30 seconds. Then put everything back together and you should be good to go. When you boot it will prompt saying the time has not been set. You can hit F1 to go with default settings or F2 to go to the BIOS setup. I selected F2 and set the BIOS password with something I will remember.

61 comments:

Anonymous said...

Muchas gracias por tu ayuda, me sirvio muchisimo !!

Anonymous said...

merci :)

Anonymous said...

wow it worked

Anonymous said...

Worked like a charm!

Anonymous said...

Wish I had read this before I took my whole laptop apart...

Anonymous said...

You are the BOSS!!!!
Kudos!!! Thanks and Praise.

-Racefast

Anonymous said...

Hi, I'm a tech currently working on this model of laptop thats having the same issue. The second picture that your provided seems to have been removed can you please re-upload? I've tried many spots on the mother board but have yet to be prompted that the time has not been set. Much appreciated.

DoN RuKsHaN said...

Please refresh your page. All images are intact.

Anonymous said...

Wow.....that was easy thanks for the help...I've been trying to get this issue fixed for a long time....I was beginning to wonder if I was going to lose all my info on my laptop

Tanboo said...

Great job!!! it works!!!

Anonymous said...

will it work also to any model of toshiba? thanks

DoN RuKsHaN said...

It possibly may work. However, I have tried this only on a Toshiba M105-S3064.

تیزهوشان said...

دمت گرم!
thank you!

Anonymous said...

thanks a million! This post is still very useful.

Unknown said...

I like your style of writing. You break it down nicely. Very informative post. Keep up the good work.

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Anonymous said...

Like everyone was saying before me- written perfectly and with enough detail and pics to get the job done quickly. Thank you so much for the info.

Anonymous said...

That was a great help!!!! Thank you!!!!

alf said...

after hours of research, found this video with similar design of mine, did not work first time I guess i did not wait enough time. second try i jumped the ground to the W shape with battery in place 40 sec. worked like charm, thank you for the info.

Anonymous said...

I'm a 74 yr old retiree and I followed your pictures and instructions very carefully and it WORKED THE FIRST TIME I POWERED UP. THANKS!!!!!!!!!!
ON A MODEL M105-S3041 in Mobile, AL

DoN RuKsHaN said...

Excellent!!!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this! The photos really helped. It worked the first time for me, on a clinic work computer. Our IT guy was impressed :)

Anonymous said...

You are awsome.good job

Anonymous said...

I used this BIOS reset on a Satellite M105-S3041. It worked perfectly. Total time was approx 4 minutes. Toshiba quoted $378 to address the same issue. Thanks

Jasmine said...

When putting screwdriver to the circuit board should I plug it in or put the battery back in?

Unknown said...

gracias me funciono al 100

DoN RuKsHaN said...

Plugging it in or putting the battery back either should be fine. I would go with putting the battery back on, cause anyway I'd need the battery.

Anonymous said...

Slick! My neighbor is rolling again!!! Thanks for sharing the love!

Unknown said...

thanks very much..... is work 100%

Anonymous said...

Thanks man, it is december 2016...
Will give this laptop to my daughters with linux installed. (Learning)
You are a saver pal!.
Thanks :)

Unknown said...

Funcionou. Obrigado!!!!!

DPatriot said...

I have a slightly different model Satellite M105-S3041. But I found the same zipper like solder just like you described here.
I tried to method and it doesn't work. Is it because different model requires different procedure? What am I missing?

DoN RuKsHaN said...

Looking through some others comments, seems that it has worked on that model. Try holding on to the zipper little longer.

Lusweka said...

Hi I am Zuberi From Nairobi Kenya.Thanks so much Bro For one week I have been looking for this pictorial info so has not do somethings that I will regret and add more problem.But your simple picture illastration I was able to see the Zipper clearly and I did the Password Reset the Finger Print and Bio Password.Asante Sana May God Bless You

Unknown said...

Hi, thank you heaps for helping us.. your a legend.. I thought it won't work if I unplugged the power cable so, I keep the power on while
pressing the ZIPPER image for 30 second.
And surprisingly it works ��

I feel great thank you again ����

Unknown said...

Thank you so much!!!

Unknown said...

Just did it, worked nicely, thanks!

Unknown said...

WORKED Thank You SOoooooo much

Anonymous said...

gracias me funciono eres un heroe sin capa

Unknown said...

This is the best article and explanation I have used! Thanks so much for your knowledge!!! You have beeen a world of help!!!

dadang supriatna said...

nuhun kang

Unknown said...

Thanks very much

..::BORIS::.. said...

Thank you so much!. I was having this problem with an ol toshiba model m105-sp381.
The bios password was forgotten long ago. just jumpign the zipper do the trick.

Anonymous said...


I woke up my old laptop, thanks to your help it works for me, a whole day looking for the solution, thanks.

Protoz said...

Funcionó en una M105-S3004, muy buena info, gracias!!!

Anonymous said...

Perfect thanks. This worked on my toshiba m105 s3041
Great directions

Unknown said...

Big thanks sir

Nick said...

Worked great on a M105-S3011 with no battery or power cable. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

man you're made of gold.

vamos roque perez

May Camilo said...

Me Funciono, muchas gracias

Dr Dre said...

It worked nice...kudos

richard said...

works perfect thank you! toshiba m105-s3004

Unknown said...

gracias me funciono a la perfeccion, enverdad se aprecia mucho la ayuda que personas comparten de sus conocimientos que dios te bendiga

Anonymous said...

Unbelievable, it worked!! Thank you so very much.

jaco6985 said...

Excelent, thankyou!!

julinho music said...

Funcionou...Valew..muito obrigado 😃✌🏻

Anonymous said...

Perfect solution.

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much. It worked!

Anonymous said...

So simple. It worked. Thank you so much!

Coddias1 said...

Thank you very much! It works yet.

Coddias1 said...

Useful information in 2022! Regards.

Anonymous said...

Thank You Very Much. I have two M105's, and had already dismantled one and was thinking to desolder one contact of the CMOS battery in order to reset the BIOS... and then, ¡miracle! you came to the rescue. One of 5he laptops already resetted. The dismantled one will follow.