The short answer: It depends on the model



The longer answer: Most of the computers I refurbish are sold locally, to people who don't even know what a BIOS is. If the BIOS is locked, but nothing is disabled (Such as WiFi or USB ports) and if I can install Windows on it without problems, it's a working PC and is good to go. If the BIOS is locked and needs to be unlocked, but can be unlocked with a little work, we dock for that. If it's locked, and the only way to make the laptop usable is through a motherboard replacement, it's a parts machine (May still be more than scrap, but that depends for model again of course)

I know you deal in higher volumes, so I'm assuming you're looking at a few machines that are the same model and BIOS?