I carnt turn on my dell Inspiron 1090 because it's asking me for a hitachi password which I do not have and cannot get any sug

[Kiza30]

I recently tried to update my windows on my dell Inspiron 1090 during which time my power when toff and my laptop turned off during the update . Now it's asking me for a hitachi hard drive password to start up which I do not have , is there a master password I can use as I'm really stuck now , this laptop was a Xmas gift of my late aunty so I would not want to dispose of it please can you help me thanks

 

[USAFRet]

Sounds like it has never actually been 'off' since you got it. And now its asking for the password.

Yeah, you're stuck. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do here for you, except to suggest you contact Dell.
Be prepared to prove ownership.

 

[Kiza30]

Sounds like it has never actually been 'off' since you got it. And now its asking for the password.

Yeah, you're stuck. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do here for you, except to suggest you contact Dell.
Be prepared to prove ownership.

Thank you for your reply , how do we prove ownership lol no body keeps the boxes these days lol

 

[USAFRet]

Sounds like it has never actually been 'off' since you got it. And now its asking for the password.

Yeah, you're stuck. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do here for you, except to suggest you contact Dell.
Be prepared to prove ownership.

Thank you for your reply , how do we prove ownership lol no body keeps the boxes these days lol

Talk to Dell and see what they say.

 

[jarotech]

Hi, if the laptop asked a hard drive password, it's because someone put it there. If you don't know the password, it's because you don't have the right to use the laptop. It's so simple, why people always ask for a master password, where there aren't.

 

[USAFRet]

Hi, if the laptop asked a hard drive password, it's because someone put it there. If you don't know the password, it's because you don't have the right to use the laptop. It's so simple, why people always ask for a master password, where there aren't.

That's not necessarily true.
Back in 2003, I inherited my dads Sony laptop. If he had put a password on it, I might not have known what that password was. But as I was the executor of the will, it was 'mine'. Legally.

Now....what I would have done is simply slot in a new drive and move on, rather than trying to mess around getting into the existing drive.

Are most cases like this someone trying to get into someone elses drive? Sure. But not always.
In either case....we can't help here. Because we have no way of knowing.

 

[jarotech]

I understand what was the problem with the laptop you had, you have the right to use it, but I don't know if the company who made the laptop give a damn about a hard drive password even if you are the rightful owner. But in this case the "owner" was updating his windows and after a power shut down, "his" laptop want a hard drive password. It's a little bit weird, you don't think so.

 

[USAFRet]

I understand what was the problem with the laptop you had, you have the right to use it, but I don't know if the company who made the laptop give a damn about a hard drive password even if you are the rightful owner. But in this case the "owner" was updating his windows and after a power shut down, "his" laptop want a hard drive password. It's a little bit weird, you don't think so.

If he got it last xmas, it may well have never been actually shutdown in the last 3 months. Sleep mode.
Update and reboot....password required.

Obviously, the other side presents itself:
"I stole this laptop from my ex and don't know the password....."

Either way...there is nothing we can or will do here.

 

[jarotech]

Ok, like you said, nothing can be done here, you are a moderator, why you don't close this thread?

 

[USAFRet]

Because up until now, we were having a discussion on why or why not someone may be a 'legal' owner.
It's not always cut and dried.