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Gordony's avatar
Gordony
Iron Contributor
Jan 19, 2026

How to wipe a lenovo laptop clean without password?

Got a Lenovo laptop that needs a full wipe, but the Windows login password is unknown. This machine is no longer in use and the goal is to erase everything before reuse or resale. Since there's no ac...
Komondor2240's avatar
Komondor2240
Iron Contributor
Jan 19, 2026

There exists an additional, highly efficient method that may defy conventional thinking: utilising Lenovo's built-in UEFI BIOS firmware to perform a hardware-level secure erase—one of the most powerful yet frequently overlooked features for wiping a Lenovo laptop clean on modern models.

Accessing the UEFI BIOS Setup Interface

  • First, completely power down the notebook.

  • Press the Novo button on the chassis, then select BIOS Setup from the Novo menu that appears and press Enter.

  • Use the arrow keys to navigate, locate and enter the tab or menu labelled Security.

Locating the Storage Device Erase Option

  • Common Lenovo model path: Security > Storage Device Security.

Execute the Secure Erase Operation

  • Select the notebook's built-in storage device.

  • Locate and choose either Sanitise Storage Device, Cryptographic Erase, or Secure Erase.

  • Carefully read the on-screen warnings and confirm execution of the erase command.

  • The entire process takes under one minute and may cause the notebook to reboot automatically.

Outcome and subsequent steps

  • Upon completion, the hard drive data will be permanently erased. The laptop will display ‘No bootable device’ upon startup and fail to enter the system normally. Simply reinstall the operating system.

If you cannot access BIOS mode, an alternative method is to repeatedly press the F1 or F2 key immediately after powering on to enter BIOS.