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So I have a Laptop whose password I have forgotten.
It turns out though that his BIOS is password protected too so since I can't open the case and reset the BIOS jumpers. I will have to format it.

The problem is the Hard Drive is probably in the first order since I tried Cd/DvD and USB. So my "brilliant" idea was to remove the hard drive while the system boots and then after it boots from my DVD I put the hard drive back in.

While Googlein I pick the tern "HOT SWAPPABLE".....that brings me to the question here;

Is my internal Hard Drive hot swappable? And if not is there any other way to remove the password on my windows 7. Else if: Dont bother telling me to take it to a repair store

Additional Details One other question is there any standard password that BIOS-es use my laptop is Acer Aspire 5542-13xx. If you need further information I'll go open my laptop.......

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migrated from electronics.stackexchange.com Jul 28 '13 at 20:54


try this social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/… –  JIm Dearden Jul 28 '13 at 19:42
What is the problem you are trying to solve? Reset a BIOS password, resetting disk encryption password, resetting the Windows password OR a combination of the three? Either way this question is off topic. You should carefully remember your passwords or take the laptop (with the receipt) to the shop you bought it from. –  jippie Jul 28 '13 at 20:08

2 Answers 2

I would open the computer up to see what kind of connection the HD uses. If it uses SATA, there's a good chance that it's hotswappable. If it uses IDE/PATA, the only way to make it hot swappable is to use a USB-IDE adapter, making the drive function much like an external.

Unfortunately, I can't tell you with 100% certainty that your drive is hot-swappable. Your best bet it to find the website for a manual (assuming you don't already have one). If one cannot be found, as a plan "B", Google is your friend.

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Answer 1:
Lookup in the manual which button lets you choose your first boot device. Usually you can hold F11 at boot to bring up the boot order menu.

Answer 2:
Laptops have reset cmos jumpers, try looking in the ram or battery compartment. If you cant find it, you can take the bottom plate off and disconnect the cmos battery.

The sata standard does specify that sata drives be hot swappable, but it is up the the individual chipsets to actually support this feature.

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