Password Removal

Password Removal

The problem: the machine comes up with a sort-of "Key"-symbol and refuses to boot.

What happened: Someone set a Power-On Password. And you don't know it, right ?

So what's to do ? This page contains the methods how to properly remove a set password on various PS/2 machines.

One tip, often given given to those asking how to remove a password on a PS/2 machine is: "Just take out the battery for half an hour - and the password is gone."

Right so far ... works in most cases. But the configuration is also gone. And this is not only annoying - in some particular cases it is darn hard or probably impossible to get it restored again. Especially if there are very rare adapters used and / or the reference disk and the adapterfiles are lost.

Experience showed: That's the point where the most trouble just started ...

So what's the proper Password Removal then ?

That depends on the machine. The later PS/2 had a particular jumper on the systemboard - the older ones used different methods. I'm going to list them in the following chapter and describe what to do to properly delete the password without loosing the configuration.

PS/2 8525 & 8530, Mod. 25 & 30-0xx (8086 CPU)
Has no Power On Password	The Models with only Floppies have no protection at all, the Models with a harddisk may have a case-lock, which includes a keyboard lock (Mod. 30-021). If the "Key"-symbol shows up on a Mod. 25 or 30 - it is most likely a 286-machine of that type.

PS/2 8525-286 & 8530, Mod. 30-Hxx, -Exx (80286 CPU)
Jumper J13	front / left edge of the board

PS/2 8525, Mod. 25SX (386SX CPU)
Jumper J2	middle / left edge of the planar.

PS/2 9533, Premium Line Mod. 33
Jumper J20	middle / front between riser connector and FPU-socket.

PS/2 8535 & 8540, Mod. 35 & 40
Boards A: (same as 9533 - 4 or 8MB onboard + 2 option memory sockets)
Jumper J20	middle / front between riser connector and FPU-socket
Boards B: (3 x 72-pin memory sockets; all modules removeable)
Jumper J14	middle / right between riser connector and power supply

PS/2 8550, 8570 & 8580, Mod. 50, 70 & 80
Earlier Models:
Pair of jumper pins at the left outside edge of the battery / speaker unit	Apply a short between the two pins (jumper, coin, screwdriver tip) and power the machine on. When the memory count has completed and the system beeps remove the short
Later Models:
Short black cable with insulated plug at the end	Use a short piece of wire or a thin screwdriver inside the insulated plug and short it with GND (case of power supply, upper side of floppy disk drive) and power the machine on. When the memory count has completed and the system beeps remove the short

PS/2 8555, Mod. 55SX
Internal connection in the speaker cable	Locate the cable from the vertical slot riser card to the frontside mounted speaker. Detach the cable at the riser card, turn it by 180° and plug it back. Power on the machine. Plug stays in this position until the next password deletion is required (if any !)

PS/2 8556 & 8557, Mod. 56 & 57
Jumper J18	middle / rear, under the COM-port

PS/2 9556 & 9557, Premium Line Mod. 56 & 57
Jumper JMP1	middle / rear, under the COM-A port The left one of the two. Do Not change the JMP2 (Privileged-access password enable)

PS/2 8560, Mod. 60
Pair of jumper pins at the left outside edge of the battery / speaker unit	Apply a short between the two pins (jumper, coin, screwdriver tip) and power the machine on. When the memory count has completed and the system beeps remove the short

PS/2 8565, Mod. 65SX
Internal connection in the speaker cable	Locate the cable from the systemboard to the frontside mounted speaker. Detach the cable at the systemboard, turn it by 180° and plug it back. Power on the machine. Plug stays in this position until the next password deletion is required (if any !)

Procedure for all machines with Jumpers:

1.) Pull off the jumper and set it to cover middle pin and the one previously free.
2.) Start the machine. Password is erased from the memory.

Jumper stays in this (new) position. Only the change got detected and clears the password.

Feel free to contact me to report errors, experiences,
missing adapters and their ADFs.
I'm collecting any ADF or entire option disks I can get.

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