Bios password and tpm..

[Markokk888]

I have a laptop with a tpm and with pre boot bios password and i wonder if its possible to clear the bios password by removing the cmos battery or using the jumpers and boot directly to the os ? or when i do that the tpm also will be cleared ? there is also a master password so i wonder whats is the point of using the tpm if its so easily accessible ?

if anyone will use master password or clear the bios password and the data on the tpm will remain anyone will have access to all my data and will able easily boot to the os so whats the point of having tpm then ?

 

[Bill_Bright]

It would be silly if passwords could that easily be bypassed - so they can't.

I am not saying it is impossible, I am saying it is not easy.

See: https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001302.htm

If still worried, encrypt your data.

 

[jboydgolfer]

I ran into a similar situation quite a while ago (with an older laptop) and removing the CMOS battery and powering it down for a handful of hours was not effective. What I did end up doing ,is shorting the EEPROM which reset it. However if your only choice is to void your warranty and risk possible damage, I would recommend unless you're extremely confident in your skills that you not do it.

If it is a laptop that has a locked bios ,the chances are that it's not intended for modification because it's not suitable for it. My guess is even if you were able to get in there you wouldn't make much difference in increasing performance (if that is not your goal).

 

[Markokk888]

I'm not using hdd password im using bitlocker the entire drive is encrypted with tpm and of top of that bios boot password. i'm not locked out. I'm just trying to understand how secure the laptop will be if anyone stole it.Because if the bios password will be bypassed somehow the tpm will tell the encryption keys to the os and os will boot without a problem, so is it secure ? Or should i avoid the tpm instead ?

The real question is if someone gonna reset the bios to defaults by removing the cmos battery or entering the master password or some other way is tpm chip will be reseted to ? Or it still gonna hold the encryption keys ? If yes and the bios will no longer have any password then tpm will simply let the os to bootup without any problems. Or im wrong here ?

Also i wonder how to correctly update the tpm chip software is it in firmware or in driver level ?