{"id":111734,"date":"2020-11-14T09:40:37","date_gmt":"2020-11-14T06:40:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/why-did-90s-pcs-have-keyhole-locks-and-what-did-they-do\/"},"modified":"2020-11-14T09:40:37","modified_gmt":"2020-11-14T06:40:37","slug":"why-did-90s-pcs-have-keyhole-locks-and-what-did-they-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-did-90s-pcs-have-keyhole-locks-and-what-did-they-do\/","title":{"rendered":"#Why Did \u201990s PCs Have Keyhole Locks, and What Did They Do?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35d8dc689e0\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35d8dc689e0\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-did-90s-pcs-have-keyhole-locks-and-what-did-they-do\/#The_Land_Before_Passwords\" >The Land Before Passwords<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-did-90s-pcs-have-keyhole-locks-and-what-did-they-do\/#The_Origin_of_the_Keyboard_Lock\" >The Origin of the Keyboard Lock<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-did-90s-pcs-have-keyhole-locks-and-what-did-they-do\/#The_Twilight_of_the_Keyboard_Lock\" >The Twilight of the Keyboard Lock<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/why-did-90s-pcs-have-keyhole-locks-and-what-did-they-do\/#Lost_Your_Key_How_to_Bypass_a_Vintage_Keyboard_Lock\" >Lost Your Key? How to Bypass a Vintage Keyboard Lock<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#Why Did \u201990s PCs Have Keyhole Locks, and What Did They Do?&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_699780\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-699780 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xpc_keylock_hero.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic._vXO965yxC.jpg\" alt=\"A keylock on an IBM PC Clone Case.\" width=\"650\" height=\"300\" data-credittext=\"Benj Edwards\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Benj Edwards<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Back in the 1990s, many IBM PC-compatible machines included cylinder locks on their cases right next to the Turbo and Reset buttons. What did these locks do, and why were they there? Let\u2019s find out!<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Land_Before_Passwords\"><\/span>The Land Before Passwords<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In the early 1980s, IBM PC-compatible computers were largely single-task, single-user machines that ran\u00a0MS-DOS, which didn\u2019t include built-in password protection. Anyone who sat down in front of your PC could boot it up and access all your data.<\/p>\n<p>Like today, PCs often ran server software or intensive tasks that could take a long time to complete. If you had to step away, you, of course, didn\u2019t want someone to come along and press a key that interrupted the process, right? Today, you\u2019d simply lock your PC with a password, but back then, that wasn\u2019t an option.<\/p>\n<p>This is where the keyboard lock (or \u201ckeylock,\u201d as IBM called it) came in.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_699807\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-699807 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xpc_clone_keylock2.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.TScXP-5utN.jpg\" alt=\"An IBM PC clone with a keyboard lock on the front panel.\" width=\"650\" height=\"445\" data-credittext=\"Benj Edwards\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A keyboard lock on a 386-class generic PC from the early \u201990s. <span class=\"imagecredit\">Benj Edwards<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>From about 1984 through the mid-to-late \u201990s, many modular PC computer cases included a small <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tubular_pin_tumbler_lock\">tubular pin-tumbler lock<\/a> on the front panel. It was usually located near the Turbo and Reset buttons.<\/p>\n<p>When engaged (and if wired properly\u2014PC builders sometimes skipped this step), these locks would prevent the keyboard from being used. You could type all you wanted, but the PC wouldn\u2019t listen.<\/p>\n<p>On some systems, this key switch also prevented a PC from booting when it was locked, resulting in a \u201c<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.minuszerodegrees.net\/5170\/post_errors\/5170_post_errors.htm\">302-System Unit Keylock is Locked<\/a>\u201d error.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>Why Did the Turbo Button Slow Down Your PC in the &#8217;90s?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Origin_of_the_Keyboard_Lock\"><\/span>The Origin of the Keyboard Lock<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ancestors of the keyboard lock can be traced back to IBM <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/archive.org\/search.php?query=IBM%20keylock&amp;sin=TXT\">servers and mainframes<\/a>, which predated the company\u2019s PCs. A physical lock was a security measure to prevent unauthorized use.<\/p>\n<p>For PC compatibles, the keyboard lock originated on the IBM Personal Computer AT, an expensive <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Intel_80286\">286-based<\/a> machine released in 1984. IBM initially aimed the $4,000-$6,700 machine (about $10,000-$16,800 today) at small business professionals, but its new features soon became the de facto standard for PC compatibles.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_699803\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-699803 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xibm_keylock_zoom2.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.cMWOhR-5Aa.jpg\" alt=\"An IBM PC AT, key, and keylock.\" width=\"650\" height=\"389\" data-credittext=\"IBM\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">IBM<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>When IBM included a cylinder lock on the front of the PC AT, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/books.google.com\/books?id=qy8EAAAAMBAJ&amp;lpg=PA49&amp;dq=%22keylock%22&amp;pg=PA49#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false\">clone makers followed<\/a>, introducing their own keyboard locks on AT-compatible machines. They added the lock both to include features that were on par with IBM\u2019s and also to maintain compatibility with its systems. Compatibility was a key selling point for PC clones at that time.<\/p>\n<p>For the IBM PC AT, the lock on the front of the case not only disabled the keyboard and interrupted the boot process, but it also moved an internal metal flange. This prevented the computer\u2019s metal case from being opened.<\/p>\n<p>In the many IBM PC clones that followed, only high-end machines tended to copy the case-locking feature. On most other PCs, the lock simply disabled the keyboard.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Twilight_of_the_Keyboard_Lock\"><\/span>The Twilight of the Keyboard Lock<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As cool as it was to have a PC case with a lock, few people actually used it. As the PC clone market increasingly became a cutthroat commodity business, with slimmer and slimmer margins, PC manufacturers began to trim away features. They especially targeted legacy features few people used, like the keyboard lock and Turbo button.<\/p>\n<p>Keyboard locks really fell out of favor in the mid-\u201990s. Passwords arrived in modern multiuser, multitasking operating systems, like\u00a0Windows NT, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/NetWare\">Novell NetWare<\/a>, Linux, and (to some extent)\u00a0<a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/www.boran.com\/security\/it16-pc.html#Heading11\">Windows 95<\/a>. The latter mostly used passwords to save personal preferences, though, rather than for security.<\/p>\n<p>Who needs an expensive hardware lock when the software has one?<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_699810\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-699810 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xlate_era_keylock.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.AEifQzhCZC.jpg\" alt=\"A keyboard lock on a CHT Systems computer.\" width=\"650\" height=\"247\" data-credittext=\"Benj Edwards\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A late-era keyboard lock on a generic PC case, circa 1996. <span class=\"imagecredit\">Benj Edwards<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>BIOS passwords\u00a0also became a common feature for PC clones in the mid-\u201990s. There was now a software-based way to prevent people from booting a computer.<\/p>\n<p>With operating system passwords and BIOS passwords widely available,\u00a0the keyboard lock didn\u2019t seem as useful anymore. It finally dis<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>eared around the mid-to-late \u201990s. The latest PC clone we\u2019ve seen with a keyboard lock hails from 1996.<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>How to Secure Your Computer With a BIOS or UEFI Password<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Lost_Your_Key_How_to_Bypass_a_Vintage_Keyboard_Lock\"><\/span>Lost Your Key? How to Bypass a Vintage Keyboard Lock<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you have an old IBM PC-compatible that\u2019s locked and you\u2019ve lost the key, there are some work-arounds. First, you obviously should never attempt to circumvent a lock on a computer without the owner\u2019s permission. It\u2019s probably illegal somewhere, somehow. So, only do this on a vintage machine you own or have permission to work unlock.<\/p>\n<p>If it\u2019s merely a keyboard lock and doesn\u2019t physically lock the case, you can take the computer apart and find the two wires leading from the keyboard switch to the motherboard. Gently unplug the connector for the keylock wires from the motherboard (it\u2019s okay to leave them unattached).<\/p>\n<p>After you do this, you should be able to use the PC.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_699814\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-699814 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xkeylock_connector_motherboard_2.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.xRwdw0cJ5Z.jpg\" alt=\"A keylock connector on a 386 motherboard.\" width=\"650\" height=\"372\" data-credittext=\"Benj Edwards\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A keylock connector on a 386 motherboard. <span class=\"imagecredit\">Benj Edwards<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If it locks the case <em>and<\/em> the keyboard, well, that\u2019s a different story. You might want to consult a locksmith. If you attempt to force your way in with tools, it will damage the case.<\/p>\n<p>Alternatively, it might be possible to buy a spare key for your machine. <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ebay.com\/sch\/58058\/i.html?_from=R40&amp;_nkw=computer+case+key\">Check eBay<\/a> and search the web. Computer parts vendor, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.directron.com\/catalog\/product\/view\/id\/6133\/s\/key1\/category\/164\/\">Directron<\/a>, still sells sets of spare computer-case keys. Keep in mind, though, different cases used barrel locks of different diameters, so there\u2019s no guarantee a particular replacement key will work with your system.<\/p>\n<p>There will probably be some trial and error involved. Good luck!<\/p>\n<p><strong>RELATED:<\/strong> <strong><em>Why Did the Turbo Button Slow Down Your PC in the &#8217;90s?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/699698\/why-did-90s-pcs-have-keyhole-locks-and-what-did-they-do\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Why Did \u201990s PCs Have Keyhole Locks, and What Did They Do?&#8221; Benj Edwards Back in the 1990s, many IBM PC-compatible machines included cylinder locks on their cases right next to the Turbo and Reset buttons. What did these locks do, and why were they there? Let\u2019s find out! The Land Before Passwords In the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":111735,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/thumbcache\/2\/200\/f94eb89f317d742e9818e21793d63230\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/pc_keylock_hero.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111734"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111734\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/111735"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}