Clear Power On Password (POP)

From Peter Wendt's MCA-Enthusiasts Page.


If you see little "Key Symbol" during the Power On process it means that the machine has a "Power On Password" (POP) set.

How to clear Power On Password?

Machine ModelMethod
8525 / 8530 (286-CPU)Jumper J13
8525 (386-SX)Jumper J2
8530 / 8540Jumper J14
8550 / 8560 / 8570 / 8580Jumper or cable at Speaker/Battery unit (see Note 1)
8555 / 8565 (386-SX)Speaker Cable at Planar (see Note 2)
8556 / 8557Jumper J18
8573 (P70 and P75)Jumper close to MEM4 (see Note 1)
8590Jumper J10
9533, 9535/9540Jumper J20
9556 / 9557Jumper JMP1 - Do not touch JMP2! (see Note 3)
9576 / 9577Jumper JMP1 - Do not touch JMP2! (see Note 3)
9595 (Server 95)Jumper JMP1 - Do not touch JMP2! (see Note 3)
9585 (Server 85)Jumper J16 (?!?)

Usually the systems have a 3-pin jumper. To erase the POP toggle the jumper - cover mid-pin and the one currently not used. Leave the jumper in that position until the password needs to be erased next time.

Note 1: Locate the Speaker/Battery unit. The older version of that unit has a 2-pin jumper at the left side - apply a short between the two pins and power the machine on. Remove the short after the memory count finished and the machine beeped.
Later models have a short thin black cable with an insulated connector at the end hanging around on the unit. Use a piece of wire or a meter lead to short to GND (power supply case, FDD, HD-Subframe etc.). Also power on the machine and release the short after memory test completed and machine beeped.

Note 2: Locate the cable from the planar to the speaker unit. Detach the cable at the planar, turn it over by 180 degrees and plug it back into the planar connector. Then power on the machine - password deleted. Leave the cable that way until you need to erase the password next time...

Note 3: The JMP2 enables / disabled the "Privilege Access Password" (PAP). Default is "PAP disabled". On various machines the PAP fulfills C2-Security regulations and cannot be deleted except through entering the PAP again. Once you'd accidently set a PAP and forget it - the planar must be replaced...
Therefore, hands off from this jumper.

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Louis F. Ohland, Peter H. Wendt, David L. Beem, William R. Walsh, Tatsuo Sunagawa, Tomáš Slavotínek, Jim Shorney, Tim N. Clarke, Kevin Bowling, and many others.

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