back up battery

[znawtboy]

i forgot my login password for windows vista on hp laptop. If i un plug the back up battery will that reset login ? if so wherer is it?

[torbjorn]

No. Any passwords set by the operating system (no matter if it is Windows Vista or whatever) are stored in some kind of database or encrypted file on the fixed disk. Not in the CMOS memory which can be cleared by disconnecting the backup battery.

In the past (say, early to mid 90's), some computers had a possibility to set a password in the BIOS setup and in such cases the password can be reset by disconnecting the backup battery or temporarily moving a jumper. But that technology was only useful with operating systems lacking safe login schemes (like MS-DOS or Windows 95), it is never used on modern computers.