User guide

support.dell.com Using the System Setup Program 4-7
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Your Dell system is shipped to you without the system password feature enabled. If
system security is a concern, you should operate your system only with system pass-
word protection.
You can assign a system password whenever you use the System Setup program.
After a system password is assigned, only those who know the password have full
use of the system.
When the
System Password
option is set to
Enabled
, the computer system
prompts you for the system password just after the system boots.
To change an existing system password, you must know the password (see the sec-
tion “Deleting or Changing an Existing System Password” found later in this chapter).
If you assign and later forget a system password, you need to be able to remove the
computer cover to change a jumper setting that disables the system password feature
(see the section “Disabling a Forgotten Password” found later in this chapter). Note
that you erase the setup password at the same time.
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Before you can assign a system password, you must enter the System Setup program
and check the
System Password
option.
When a system password is assigned, the setting shown for the
System Password
option is
Enabled
. When the system password feature is disabled by a jumper setting
on the system board, the setting shown is
Disabled by Jumper
. You cannot change
or enter a new system password if either of these settings is displayed.
When no system password is assigned and the password jumper on the system
board is in the enabled position (its default), the setting shown for the
System Pass-
word
option is
Not Enabled
. Only when this option is set to
Not Enabled
can you
assign a system password, using the following procedure:
1. Verify that the
Password Status
option is set to
Unlocked
.
2. Highlight the
System Password
option and then press the left- or right-arrow key.
3. Type your new system password.
You can use up to seven characters in your password.