====== Project Fail: HP ProBook BIOS Password Crack ======
Source: [[https://www.nerdworld.org/Content/Password%20Crack/Password%20Crack.html|Nerdworld]]
===== Background =====
A second‑hand HP ProBook was purchased with a locked-down Windows 10 installation.  
The BIOS was protected by an unknown administrator password set by a cyber‑school IT department.  
Although the system could be wiped and reinstalled, the BIOS settings remained inaccessible.

===== Why Traditional Methods Failed =====
Older systems allowed BIOS password resets by:
  * clearing CMOS jumpers  
  * removing the RTC battery  
  * resetting configuration RAM  

Modern HP ProBooks store the password in a separate rewritable ROM.  
Therefore, CMOS resets **do not** remove the password.

HP officially offers a master unlock key, but only to large enterprise customers.  
Regular users receive no assistance.

===== Attempted Approaches =====
Several methods were explored:

==== 1. YouTube Tutorials ====
Many videos claim to show reset methods, but none worked for this model.

==== 2. HP BIOS Configuration Utility ====
HP provides a Windows tool that can modify BIOS settings,  
but it requires knowing the current password — making it useless in this case.

==== 3. Rust-Based Brute Force Tool ====
A GitHub project attempted to brute-force the password via the HP utility.  
The program could not be executed successfully, and others reported similar issues.

==== 4. Custom Python Brute Force Script ====
A custom Python script was created to:
  * read password candidates from a list  
  * call the HP BIOS utility  
  * attempt to clear the password  
  * log each result  

Each attempt took about **9 seconds**, making brute force extremely slow.

===== Password List Generation =====
Initial lists:
  * 50,000 common passwords → no success  
  * 100,000 passwords → no success  

Expanded lists:
  * 500,000 generated candidates (with leetspeak variations)  
  * another 500,000 unique candidates  

Total runtime:  
  * ~52 days for each 500k batch  
  * nearly **6 months** of continuous testing  

No password was ever found.

===== Final Outcome =====
Despite months of effort, the BIOS password could not be cracked.  
The project is considered a “successful failure”:  
  * the laptop now runs Debian Linux without issues  
  * the process provided experience with scripting, automation, and AI-assisted coding  
  * it highlighted the robustness of modern HP BIOS security

===== Provided Files =====
The original project included:
  * Python script for sequential password testing  
  * Python script for generating 1 million password candidates  
  * HP BIOS Configuration Utility  

(See original source for downloads.)

===== Conclusion =====
Modern HP ProBook BIOS passwords are extremely resistant to brute-force attacks.  
Without the original password or HP enterprise support, unlocking the BIOS is effectively impractical.  
This project demonstrates both the limits of brute force and the value of experimentation.