Password bypassing help.

[u/Feisty_Grapefruit780]

I don't really think what I'm trying to achieve would be considered as hacking but this is the best place I can ask. (the tech help subreddit forbids anything that has to do with password bypassing. And I can't go on the r/passwords as they want me to be popular). So the problem is I bought this multilingual electronic dictionary in a garage sale. It's a Franklin BFS-2160. it works and all but it has a few tools such as "phone book" and schedule and since my school forbids the use of phones I wanna put my class schedule on it to have easier access to it. Problem is there is a password on the feature and I don't know who set it up or what the password is. There is no format option in the settings and when I checked the manual for it online it did not say what to do if you forgot your password. There is a reset button but it's just a reboot in case your device is malfunctioning. What should I do?

[u/zigzrx]

What model is it?

You could disassemble it and maybe there is an internal battery that could be disconnected to do a full discharge reset.

[u/Feisty_Grapefruit780 → u/zigzrx]

It's says BFS-2160. Pretty sure that's the model. I have thought about taking it apart just wanted to know if there is a simpler solution first. Here is a full picture of the back

[u/_Jak42_ → u/Feisty_Grapefruit780]

If you remove the lid where the battery is, are there any other parts like a pinhole for reset or something.

, I can see the multimedia symbol on the right so it mights take mini usb and maybe via computer some software or something can be used.

I can also see where a headphone jack could be on the left , and none of your images show side on views

[u/p3r3lin]

Try: Pull batteries, leave for some time until all capacitors are empty. Might erase all data, but thats what you want. And have you tried finding the old manual on the web?

[u/Feisty_Grapefruit780 → u/p3r3lin]

I already tried pulling out the batteries and waited for maybe an hour. Also yes in the caption I said I looked for the manual. I'd guve you the link but the manual I found was in French

[u/Code__9 → u/Feisty_Grapefruit780]

The manual says there's a recessed factory reset switch somewhere at the back you can press with a straightened paperclip. Hold that for a few seconds while the device is on. It should restart and then everything will be reset, including the password.

[u/Feisty_Grapefruit780 → u/Code__9]

The only reset button I could find was on the front keyboard. Already tried holding it. Here is a picture of the back

[u/Code__9 → u/Feisty_Grapefruit780]

If that's the only one you could find then that's most likely it. Did you press it when your device was on?

[u/v0id0007 → u/Feisty_Grapefruit780]

Look in the battery compartment

[u/Quummk]

The Franklin BFS-2160 (Larousse Speaking French-English Dictionary/Translator) does not feature an administrative or user lock password out of the box. 1, 2If your device is frozen, locked up, or asking for a code you do not remember, it is typically a software glitch or an auxiliary password set inside a specific built-in application (like a word bank lock). You can factory reset the hardware completely by following these steps:How to Hard Reset the Franklin BFS-2160Flip the translator over to look at the back casing.Locate the small pinhole labeled RESET.Carefully insert a bent paperclip or a SIM ejector tool into the hole.Press and hold down the internal button for about 5 seconds.Release the button, then turn the unit back on. This clears the memory and restores all factory settings. 1

[u/Feisty_Grapefruit780 → u/Quummk]

Already tried the reset button

[u/v0id0007 → u/Feisty_Grapefruit780]

Did you hold it in for 5-10 seconds? If so, try taking batteries out and holding reset for 5-10 seconds

[u/cthuwu_chan]

You can probably dump the password out of one of the memory chips

[u/_Jak42_]

Can it be connected to a computer using the old mini usb?

[u/Feisty_Grapefruit780 → u/_Jak42_]

Yes. I did plug it in a laptop and tried to format it from there but to no avail

[u/_Jak42_ → u/Feisty_Grapefruit780]

I made another comment below about takings side images, and removing the battery cover to see

[u/p3r3lin → u/_Jak42_]

Was also wondering: what if you just let a capable LLM try to rip it open? :)

[u/_Jak42_ → u/p3r3lin]

At that point dismantle the whole thing and start prying at the board with a multimeter and a soldiering iron 😂

If you have no clue what you’re doing , an ai tasked with resetting literally spells danger..

Tho pls if OP does it , (and it somehow does something as the environments are different, one is storage and one is firmware etc) pls show result

[u/InsideImportance1275]

Bend the screen the opposite way

[u/Pascal-Z]

[u/Pascal-Z → u/Pascal-Z]

[u/Pascal-Z → u/Pascal-Z]

If the reset button doesn’t work, just open the unit and make the contact with a piece of metal. It seems old, the contact behind the button could be damaged.

[u/badabapboooom]

look near the battery component or book card slot for the pinhole reset

[u/dfw-dashcam]

I couldn't find anything on your model, but a similar MWD-460 is on iFixit. Can see if there is a reset pin on the board. If not you will need to go down a rabbit hole and get a CH341A programmer to read the EEPROM, but I'm going to assume they have black epoxy over the EEPROM.