Hi Harvey,

There is a procedure listed in the owners manual you can get online from 
the Dell website. See
http://downloads.dell.com/Manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_xps_desktop/xps-420_owner%27s%20manual2_en-us.pdf?c=us&l=en&cs=04&s=bsd

Russ Poffenberger
[log in to unmask]

On 5/25/2013 12:42 PM, Harvey Rose wrote:
> I work in a housing complex and someone threw out the computer in the 
> snow bank. I rescued it this spring and cleaned it up, it was full of 
> dust.  I got error on the screen so tried a different video card as 
> mine own computer had the same graphic card Geforce 8800GT. This 
> solved that problem but it is asking for a password. I've taken off 
> the jumper to reset the password and have removed the motherboard 
> battery to reset the CMOS but still asking for the system password. 
> Maybe I have not left the jumpers or battery out long enough? I at 
> least waited 10 minutes. Does Dell have a special password? The only 
> thing I see wrong really is the graphics card and it was so dirty. 
> Pressing F2 or F12 doesn't do anything.
> There is only one hard drive in it. According to Dell it has Windows 
> Vista on it. I was thinking of putting Linux on it if I can't get the 
> Windows to work.
>
> Harvey Rose

                         PCBUILD's List Owners:
                      Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
                        Mark Rode<[log in to unmask]>