User's Guide

Use passwords
This section introduces types of passwords in UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) BIOS (Basic
Input/Output System) and how to set, change, and remove a password.
Password types
You can set a power-on password, supervisor password, or hard disk password in UEFI BIOS to prevent
unauthorized access to your computer. However, you are not prompted to enter any UEFI BIOS password
when your computer resumes from sleep mode.
Power-on password
If you set a power-on password, the icon
is displayed on the screen when you turn on the computer.
Enter the correct password to use the computer.
Supervisor password
The supervisor password protects the system information stored in UEFI BIOS. When entering the BIOS
menu, enter the correct supervisor password when you are prompted by the icon
. You also can press
Enter to skip the password prompt. However, you cannot change most of the system configuration options in
UEFI BIOS.
If you have set both the supervisor password and power-on password, you can use the supervisor password
to access your computer when you turn it on. The supervisor password overrides the power-on password.
Hard disk passwords
The hard disk password prevents unauthorized access to the data on the storage drive. When a hard disk
password is set, you are prompted to type a correct password each time you try to access the storage drive.
To set the hard disk password, select one of the following types:
• User hard disk password only
When a user hard disk password is set without a master hard disk password, the user must enter the user
hard disk password to access files and applications on the storage drive.
• Master hard disk password + User hard disk password
The master hard disk password is set and used by a system administrator. It enables the administrator to
access any storage drive in a system or any computer connected in the same network. The administrator
can also assign a user hard disk password for each computer in the network. The user of the computer
can change the user hard disk password as desired, but only the administrator can remove the user hard
disk password.
When prompted to enter a hard disk password, press F1 to switch between the master hard disk password
and user hard disk password .
Attention: Record your hard disk password and store it in a safe place. If you forget the hard disk password,
Lenovo cannot reset your passwords or recover data from the storage drive. You must take your computer to
a Lenovo reseller or a marketing representative to have the storage drive replaced. Proof of purchase is
required, and a fee will be charged for parts and service.
Note: The hard disk password is not available in the following situations:
Chapter 4. Secure your computer and information 31