WARNING!! There is windows in my.. BIOS!!!!

From my laptop's Bios download page

This BIOS is ONLY for use with Windows Vista. Please do not install this BIOS for use with Windows XP, or other Windows versions.

Now what the hell does a bios have to do anything with the OS installed??

Anyways ignoring this, I installed win xp, opensuse and all went fine. But since yesterday I have not been able to boot into anything coz the bios is suddenly asking for a password I never set! This happened ever since I attached usb-to-serial thing.

SO while trying to fing a solution for my problem I stumbled upon this 4 year old Article (which explains why such a problem probably arrived)

Microsoft Embraces BIOS Vendor Phoenix The reality of the agreement will mean fewer choices for customers and more control for Microsoft. Oct 16, 2003 - By Steven Schuchart Jr. In a move best described as puzzling, BIOS manufacturer Phoenix Technologies inked an agreement with Microsoft that will more tightly bind Windows to the system BIOS. The goal of the agreement, both companies say, is to improve security, serviceability and deployment of Windows boxes. Although this is a laudable goal, the reality of the agreement will mean fewer choices for customers and more control for Microsoft. Any benefits should be accessible to all, not just those running Microsoft operating systems. The agreement was a foolish move on Phoenix's part, not only in a customer relations sense but also a practical sense. Phoenix doesn't sell operating systems and should not play favorites when it comes to its BIOS. Better to make the new BIOS features available to everyone, and let the consumer decide what operating system to run. For its part, convicted monopolist Microsoft should stop trying to push the hardware and BIOS industries into sentencing alternative operating systems to a second-rate electronic Siberia. Customers should take note and hope that competing BIOS manufacturers, such as American Megatrends, have a clearer vision than the people running Phoenix.

In short PHOENIX is making its bios specifically for one single OS! in this case its pis-sta

Avoid phoenix and ofcourse toshiba thats selling such laptops(crippled to work only with one OS).

EDIT: and for linux sake please Digg this

Edit2: Boy this got dugges!! Thanks all

TO clear some points:
1. I did NOT flash my bios. I am not a stupid lonely kid playing around with a 'toy'.
2. I did not set any power-on, super-user or bios password.
3. PROOF : In this thread there is another person with the same problem (who had to send it to toshiba for repair). If you google
around you will find more.
4. I never said ALL-phoenix bios have the problem.

Thats bloody crazy man...I wonder if there's a way out of that mess.

I'll stay away from Phoenix

no point getting on people like them without getting the boss first ...


//ok ... lets go ...

.

Originally Posted by akudewan Thats bloody crazy man...I wonder if there's a way out of that mess. I'll stay away from Phoenix

Indeed that REALLY sucks but if you want a suggestion as to what to do, here's two or three:
1 - look up your BIOS all over Google, locate the assortment of default admin passwords used by phoenix BIOS's, and try them all to get in.
2 - Failing that, clear your CMOS memory to reset the BIOS, and install your own password upon reboot.
3 - Flash the BIOS to a previous version for your motherboard & chipset, preferably a version from the 'pre-vista-microsoft-monopoly-B.S.-era'

Originally Posted by chessonly From my laptop's Bios download page This BIOS is ONLY for use with Windows Vista. Please do not install this BIOS for use with Windows XP, or other Windows versions.

So you chose to ignore the warning, and now you're complaining that it's broken?

I know that the BIOS shouldn't be able to dictate which OS you use, but apparently this one does. Flash your old BIOS back in and be happy.

Unfortunately, Toshiba and Phoenix can install/sell/write any kind of BIOS they want---noone is required to sell computers with any particular kind of BIOS. This said, there is no harm in contacting Toshiba to voice your concerns.

Will Dell come through on it's promise to sell Linux systems?? This will help.

And there are several vendors selling Linux laptops.

AND--isn't there a Linux BIOS project?

Ouch...

It seems like someone at Microsoft is feeling a little insecure.
I think they've realised their future isn't looking to pretty at the moment, IMNSHO.

Edit:
Pixellany: Yes, there is a Linux BIOS project.

link: http://linuxbios.org/index.php/Main_Page

Actually there are tons of articles on the net about this. (Google "phoenix bios" vista). Here's one that explains how proud Phoenix is of this new funtionality. I would contact the Phoenix bios people and ask if that feature can be bypassed by people who wish to run other OSes.

If it does indeed render computers unable to run other OSes, I wonder what the folks who said TPM was no problem in this thread think now.

Originally Posted by pixellany AND--isn't there a Linux BIOS project?

Yup, there is, but it isn't quite as "widely compatible" with machines in general as are the standard BIOSes. By Googling 'Linux BIOS Project' one can read all about it, and see the motherboards and chipsets it is available for. The selection is a relatively small portion of what's out there.

So you chose to ignore the warning, and now you're complaining that it's broken?

well you have a point there, but tell me is it possible to 'tolerate' vista for long?. Besides there are plenty of ppl on notebook forums who have and use xp on this.
And most importantly I am not complaining (that I will do in grand fashion) but informing .

Originally Posted by rickh Here's one that explains how proud Phoenix is of this new funtionality.

I tried to read this article but my eyes hurt too much.

However, I can just imagine Phoenix's response to Linux users: 'w3 pwnd j00!'

Hmmm this is Evil but not surprising. Microsoft is famous for playing Dirty.

Originally Posted by pixellany Will Dell come through on it's promise to sell Linux systems?? This will help.

We recently bought 6 Dell servers w/ the RHEL AS4.x license. The OS was not pre-loaded, but that is how we asked for it, so no complaints about that.

Why create Bios that will only support one OS. Sure seems like backward thinking to me.

This is interesting. My notebook is an HP, and the bios is a Phoenix bios, and on the notebook it is marked as Vista capable, however I am happily dual booting XP and Slackware with it, and I have not encountered such problems about suddenly being locked out, and so far the only issues I have under Linux with this particular bios right now is just getting ACPI and APM to work correctly, but other than that, no problems.

[edit]

I should also point out that LILO is the default loader as well.

@ Jeebiz, For the time being at least, I guess 'Vista Capable' and 'Vista Limited' are still two different things

A suggestion, regarding your ACPI/APM : I believe (not 100% certain) you only need one of them. They work to the same end, but ACPI is the newer way of doing things.