Motherboard issue

[Trouble]

I have a Dell Studio 1558 laptop, which stopped displaying anything on the monitor. No post info or anything else although I could hear the computer running. I decided that the on-board ATI HD Video adapter was toast, so I purchased a new motherboard.

Description NEW GENUIINE Dell Studio 1558 Motherboard w/Discrete ATI HD Video CGY2Y 25VRN
Item# 172498124035
Total
$139.99 USD
Payment
$139.99 USD

It was sold as new so I was reasonably satisfied with the price.
It arrived today and I installed it.
The good news is that it POSTs so I went into the BIOS set the correct date and time and Saved and exited.
AND now I get this

Intel Anti-Theft System Lock due to: Platform Attack Detected
Time Left to enter password
Please select one of the following for platform recovery
1 - User Password
2 - Server Token Password

Select one of the above options to proceed

Intel Anti-Theft service provider Id:2000

Absolutely no idea what to do now.
Thought I'd ask to see if anyone has had any experience with anything like this.
Brand new motherboard
2x2gig sticks of memory
Brand new SSD
All dressed up and no where to go.

 

[Trouble]

And additionally

 

[clifford_cooley]

And pulling the battery to clear CMOS does nothing?

 

[Trouble]

Nope.
All that seems to accomplish is reverting the system time and date back to whatever the default is.
There has got to be some kind of by-pass, or default password or some way to get past this.
I've contacted the seller, through Ebay (not a fan), so far I haven't heard anything back from them.
I'll give it a day or two and then return it and see how that goes.

I hate BIOS passwords and the people who set them.

I was kind of hoping that someone who works with or on Dell Laptops a lot, might have run into something like this.
Not sure what the "Anti-theft" -> "Platform Attack Detected" is all about.

 

[Ian]

As you suspected, it looks like it's not new and you've been locked out by the old owner . At least Ebay have buyer protection, so you'll be able to return it - bit of a shame though!

As it's a laptop, I don't think you'd be able to remove the lock without using a master password from Dell. As the motherboard has been changed, I guess that will have altered the asset tag it thinks it has, so it may not be easy to get them to help over the phone. I did some reading up and there are some dodgy looking 3rd party tools (like this one), but I don't know if that would also allow you to disable the anti-theft stuff.

 

[Digerati]

I agree, it looks like this mobo was not exactly "new".

I found this from Intel, Intel AT Recovery Tool for Anti-Theft Services. I note it says to use the AT Status Tool to check it has been "enrolled" first.

Other than that, everything else I see looks like you will have to contact the notebook maker, in this case, Dell, and likely pay for their support.

 

[Trouble]

bit of a shame though!

Yes, especially considering what a pain in the rear it was to swap it out. I remember hating to work on laptops, even back when I actually did it for a living.

looks like you will have to contact the notebook maker, in this case, Dell, and likely pay for their support.

I finally called Dell and they were very nice and gave me their master unlock code for my particular Service Tag.
Unfortunately it didn't work, so back to square one.
Still emailing with the Ebay seller....... FUN!
I'll give them another day or two before I resort to returning it.

Thanks to you both for putting in the effort to check around for me.
Much appreciated.

I wish I knew more about the Intel Anti-Theft Technology.
IF it is chip based on the processor, I'd just buy another i5 and install it.
BUT, if it is chip based on the motherboard, I'm not going to go searching around for a chip and a couple pins to short out with a paper clip or something.
My eyes are no longer up to that sort of work.

 

[Digerati]

IF it is chip based on the processor, I'd just buy another i5 and install it.

Pretty sure it is part of the motherboard's chipset - which is surface mounted and cannot be replaced.

 

[Norton]

I agree. If the Dell method doesn't work why ruin by jumpering something and void the return policy. I believe you have 60 days.

 

[Trouble]

Well ...... it's up and running with Windows 10 installed and all seems OK........ FINALLY!
Got my refund and purchased yet another replacement motherboard.
This one however, booted and worked as it is suppose to without the Intel Anti-Theft nonsense.
Very labor intensive, disassembling and reassembling everything twice, but.....
IT did serve to remind me why I stopped doing this type of work on laptops a few years ago.
Nice to know that I can still do it but glad that I don't