laptop problem with BIOS password

[matt9992004]

hey,
Currently trying to get a super old laptop running which I've had for quite a while but its so old I've never really been interested.

Its a Acer Travelmate 313T. Currently running on windows 2000. I installed windows 2000 but it is way to big for the laptop and I'm wanting to go to windows 98.

I have a windows 98 boot disc all ready but I cant get onto my Phoenix BIOS settings to say boot from disc. Stupidly I've put a password on from years ago and I cant remember it.

Is there a simple solution? I've heard there are software that can find it out but i can't seem to find anything that works. I was going to try taking my laptop apart but i thought it best to consult someone who knows what there doing.

Taking apart is really a last resort as i wouldn't want to break anything!

Thanks,
Matt

[DELTREE]

What you might try is to get a program like Partition Magic.
This should be of some help in your case.http://bestsmileys.com/computer2/3.gif

[matt9992004]

i been able to get in, spent a day going through ALL the passwords, but now its so old it cant reformat cause it cant read the cd drive, prety gay

[jtdoom]

Hi
does it have a floppy drive?

[matt9992004]

yer it does, just found out tonight, i had to insert the reboot floppy, and then it comes up saying windows 98 reformat from disc, i click it n it says it cant find the cd drive. So must mean the driver isnt installed,

its an external cd drive, works fine but it cant find it, its called Addonics Technologies Pocket CD-II, and its a PCMCIA adapter attached.

Any help would be grand.

[jtdoom]

hi
in our download section, we have CD-God

if that one does not see the drive, you'll have to prepare a floppy yourself.
I never used a pcmci external drive (nor did I ever own a USB cdrom)
I hope you have drivers for DOS mode for that drive.

this one came without internal cdrom?
With an internal swap bay, you cannot have both in at same time, but I can point to real help so that an installation can be done from CD.
(it has been done before, see. )

btw, you will need diskpart or other drivetool to wipe NTFS partition off from within DOS (assuming 2000 uses NTFS)