Alright, so I have completed my assembling "Phew". Everything is still the same and I hope it stays like that. :)
So much for lab day...lol
Thanks for all the help fellas to all who left a comment. I rest my case and my laptop is back up working. I don't need to switch OS's.
Woo hoo!! so glad to see it turned out ok mate I did my Toshy L550 the other month had three screws left over and the keypad slightly raised but go it down turned on and nothing - thought well thats that then started thinking about those screws doing some cussing and - now don't laugh I hadn't plugged it in and the battery was flat
Stuff like that happens. I do believe the OP got it all back together and everything is working. He didn't break anything so it's not all bad. A lot, and I mean a lot, of people have been caught out thinking it would work just like it does in a desktop PC. There are ways to reset the passwords but the Manufacturers aren't inclined to give that information out unless they really have to. That's why they make you jump though hoops to prove you own the laptop and its not stolen before they will help. Google will give you some insight if you type in the correct search terms. That's really about all I can say on that subject.
Personally I think having passwords on an ordinary everyday users machine just about as ridiculous as it can get.
As for the BIOS I was always under the impression that it was a ROM based fixture that can be altered by software from the manufacturer and the battery just keeps it set ie date time etc
They used to be on the older machines just a flip in flip out chip if my memory serves me right.
The BIOS chip is often socketed on desktop motherboards. On desktop motherboards boot order, and other user changeable settings like passwords are stored in volatile memory. If you remove power from the chip those settings are lost and everything reverts to the factory defaults. The actual BIOS code is stored in another section that is non volatile. This section can be rewritten by a BIOS flash but will not be lost if the battery is removed. On a laptop the BIOS passwords are also stored in a non volatile section to make them more secure. Basically you need to know the password to change the password.
Hum myself have never come across a passworded one so that why I said it sounded ridiculous. I suppose it would make it secure from the point of theft but a second buyer would be stick if the original owner didn't know it eh?
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So I am guessing then the CMOS removal didn't remove the password. sorry for having you strip down your laptop. I should have looked into that more. and thanks for the info Alphanumeric, good stuff