My laptop won't start up, I get a message saying to enter password for harddrive, but I didn't put it on there

Question

The computer is a Dell Inspiron 3800, with travelstar 20g HHD

The laptop won't let me go into the configure more, it keeps going to a white screen saying the this HDD device#....... needs an Authentic Password to be used. I never enter one and this is a new hardrive.

Answer 1

When you turn your computer on there will usually be a key you press to enter whats called the BIOS(Enter Setup) I believe on Dells you tap on the Delete or F2 Key, but in there there will usually be a section where you can enable/disable the hardrive/power on password or change it. Otherwise you may have to send the machine in to have Dell Remove the CMOS battery.

Answer 2

This might not work but give it a try. During boot up, go to bios mode. [keep pressing F1/F2 or Del key - which ever works for your laptop] when you get into bios mode, find the option for "administrator password". Use the arrow keys to move to that option and press enter twice. Then do the same on "password" option.[hitting enter twice will disable any password that have been set] Then press F10 to save and exit.

You laptop will restart. And hopefully the password will be disabled. Hope it works! Good Luck!

Answer 3

Sounds like a hardware password was enabled or that an HD encryption package was installed. Have you checked your BIOS settings to see if the password is enabled? If it is, you may need the password to turn it off. There's also a hardware reset, but you'd need the manual to find out where that's at.

If it's an HD encryption package, and you don't have the password, you may be in trouble. Contact the vendor in that case.

Answer 4

You don't have to send it back to Dell, just flip the laptop over and take the battery out and put it back (the little round batter 3v), then the cmos/bios info will be reset