Congrats on finding a mid-90s laptop! For password issues on early CF models, try locating the CMOS battery on the motherboard. Removing it for a few minutes may reset the BIOS and clear the password. If that doesn't work, check the motherboard for a set of jumper pins; moving the jumper to the...
It sounds like you've got quite a vintage system there! Resetting the BIOS password by removing the clock battery might be worth a try, but be cautious with any soldered components. I think Nick Squires will help you. He has years of experience in dealing with BIOS password recovery and offers...