J.D. Hodges

Question from reader M.H.:

Hi J.D.,

Thank you so much for those great step-by-step memory upgrade instructions. As you obviously know much more about the AO722 than I do, I was wondering if I could pick your brain on something. As I’ve forgotten my computer’s BIOS supervisor password, would you be able to let me know how to clear it or otherwise get into my BIOS? (that is, other than sending the netbook back to Acer and paying them over $100 to do it). The ever-helpful Jaroc has mentioned a procedure to clear the BIOS, but I read online that someone said that the Aspire One’s BIOS password is probably stored in an EEPROM — whatever that is — and not in the CMOS itself. Would you know if this is correct or not? And so will shorting/ clearing the CMOS eliminate the BIOS password, and if not, is there a way to short / clear the EEPROM ? Other than this, someone online mentioned a way to do “BIOS Recovery” for the AO722:

http://www.laptop-forums.com/aspire-one-ao722-bios-recovery-t23653.html

But do you know whether this procedure would merely flash a newer version of the BIOS, or would it also clear the BIOS password?

Alternatively, someone online mentioned there is a program that allows one to read all the digits and text stored in the CMOS, thus helping to remind one of the password stored somewhere therein, but I’m sure that will work for the AO722; would you know?

Sorry to impose like this, but your depth and breadth of knowledge about the AO722 make it hard to resist asking you  Many thanks in advance!

M.H.

Answer:

Hi M.H.,
Thank you for your comment and for your good question(s).

I am sorry that I do not have a definitive answer for you. However, I do know of a few things you may want to try:

#1 Deduce what the password may be
http://support.bicestercomputers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=292
(according to that post, the password may be converted to ALL CAPS and it may also be truncated to 8 characters… so if you had set the password to mhpw2012zzz then the Acer BIOS might have changed it to MHPW2012)
So if you set the password yourself and thought you remembered it, but it didn’t work… then this might be helpful 

#2 Attempt the BIOS Recovery Route
Here is the nice URL that you mentioned:

and here is some general information on flashing the BIOS on an Acer Aspire One:

My best guess is that this would remove the BIOS supervisor password, but I do not know for sure. The good thing is that is should not hurt anything and it may well work!

NOTE, here are a few more resources on BIOS recovery/flashing for a couple Acer Aspire One models:

http://acer.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/333/kw/bios/session/L3NpZC8yZm00ZXdCaw%3D%3D

http://macles.blogspot.com/2008/08/acer-aspire-one-bios-recovery.html

Please keep us posted on your progress and please let me know if there is anything else I can help with  I am sorry that I did not have a more definitive answer! 

Best regards,
-JD

PS Here is perhaps the most detailed and useful response I’ve found on the topic! It purports to show a way to clear the password:
http://www.overclock.net/t/800610/acer-aspire-one-d250-bios-password/10
http://www.overclock.net/t/800610/acer-aspire-one-d250-bios-password
I hope this helps and please keep us posted!