This video shows how to open the case and then remove the password from the BIOS of a Dell Optiplex GX280.
I bought an old Dell Optiplex GX280 in some sort of garage sale, back at home I tried to boot from a USB drive in order to install a new OS. Unfortunately this GX280 wasn’t allowing me to change BIOS settings because it had an “admin password” set.
In most PCs you can reset all BIOS settings (including the admin password) by just removing the CMOS battery (CR2032) from the motherboard for a few moments and then putting it back in. This is not the case for the Optiplex.
It happens to be that there’s an additional step for this Dell, there’s a jumper called PSWD located close to the motherboard’s power supply connector. After the jumper is removed the BIOS password can be reset using the regular “battery procedure”.
Steps are:
1. Shut down the computer.
2. Remove the power cable.
3. Open the case.
4. Remove the CMOS battery.
5. Remove the PSWD jumper located near the motherboard’s power connector.
6. Put the CMOS battery back in.
7. Close the case.
8. Reconnect the power cable.
9. Start the computer and use F2 to go into the BIOS settings.