Using the Password Features: Dell Dimension XPS P60 M
Using the Password Features: Dell Dimension™ XPS P60 M
Using the System
Password Feature | Assigning
a System Password | Using the
System Password to Secure the System | Changing an Existing
System Password | Assigning
a Setup Password | Operating With a
Setup Password Enabled | Disabling a Setup Password
| Changing an
Existing Setup Password | Disabling a Forgotten
Password
 |
NOTE: The password features provide a basic level of
security for the data on the system. However, they are
not foolproof. |
The system is shipped with the system password feature Not
Enabled, so that the system setup program can be entered and a
password assigned.
|
NOTE: Boot Sequence and Password Entry are affected
by the setting chosen for System Password. |
When the System Password category is set to Enabled, the
computer system prompts for the system password just after the
system boots. The password must be available to change an
existing system password.
If a system password is forgotten, remove the computer cover
and change the jumper setting to disable the system password
feature. See Disabling
a Forgotten Password. Note that the setup password is erased
at the same time.
 |
CAUTION: If the system is left running and unattended
without a system password assigned, anyone can access the
data stored in the system. |
With a system password assigned, the status shown in System
Password is Enabled. With the system password feature disabled by
a jumper setting on the system board, the status shown is
Disabled By Jumper. A new system password cannot be changed or
entered if either of these options is displayed.
With no system password assigned and with the password jumper
on the system board in the enable position (default), the status
shown for System Password is Not Enabled. Only when Not Enabled
is displayed can a system password be assigned.
- Press <Del> to enter system setup and
press <Alt><P> to move
to Page 2.
- Press <Tab> or <Shift><Tab>
to highlight System Password.
- If Not Enabled is displayed, press the left- or
right-arrow key.
The category heading changes to Enter
Password, followed by an empty 7-character field.
- Type in the new system password.
- Press <Enter>.
- To confirm the password, type it in a second time and
then press <Enter>.
The password setting changes to Enabled.
If Before Boot was selected, after the system is turned off
and on or rebooted, the following prompt appears:
Type in the password and
...
- press <ENTER> to
leave password security enabled.
- press
<CTRL><ENTER> to disable password security.
Enter password:
After entering the correct system password and pressing
<Enter>, the system boots and the keyboard can be used. If
a wrong or incomplete system password is entered, the following
message appears on the screen:
** Incorrect password. **
Number of unsuccessful
password attempts: 1
Enter the password again. If an incorrect or incomplete system
password is entered again, the same message appears on the
screen. After the 3rd incorrect attempt, the following message
appears:
** Incorrect password. **
Number of unsuccessful
password attempts: 3
System halted! Must power
down.
If After Boot was selected, the system password does not have
to be entered immediately. The system completes the boot sequence
and loads or runs any programs that are normally initiated during
the boot sequence.
To disable an existing password, perform the following steps:
- Reboot the system to force it to prompt for a system
password.
- When prompted, type in the system password.
- Instead of pressing <Enter> to continue with the
normal operation of the system, press <Ctrl><Enter>
to disable the existing system password.
- Confirm that Not Enabled is displayed for the System
Password category of the System Setup program.
Enter the System Setup program by pressing <Del>.
Press <Alt><P> to move to Page 2. If Not
Enabled appears in the System Password category, go to step
5. If Not Enabled is not displayed, press <Esc>
to exit the program and reboot the system. Repeat steps 1
through 4.
- To assign a new password, follow the procedure in Assigning a System
Password.
A setup password can be assigned (or changed) only when the
Setup Password category is set to Not Enabled. To assign a setup
password, highlight the Setup Password category and press the
left- or right-arrow key. Enter and verify the password. If a
character is illegal for password use, the system emits a beep.
The setup password can be the same as the system password.
After the password is verified, the Setup Password setting
changes to Enabled. From this point on, the system setup program
prompts for the setup password.
When Setup Password is Enabled, the setup password must be
typed in before the majority of the system setup categories can
be modified (with the exceptions listed below).
- Date, Time, CPU Speed, and Num Lock categories can still
be modified.
- If System Password is not enabled, a system password can
still be assigned.
Enter the system setup program, highlight the Setup Password
category, and press the left- or right-arrow key. The setting
changes to Not Enabled. Now a setup password can be assigned or
the system can be operated with no password assigned.
Enter the system setup program, and disable the current
password as described in Disabling
a Setup Password. With the Setup Password category set to Not
Enabled, assign a new setup password as described in Assigning a Setup Password.
The jumper setting on the system board must be changed as
follows:
- Turn off the system, and remove the cover.
- Move the jumper plug on the ENA/DIS PSWD jumper to pins 2
and 3.
- Replace the computer cover, reconnect to power sources,
and turn it on.
Booting the system erases the old
password.
- Repeat step 1.
- Move the jumper plug on the ENA/DIS PSWD jumper to pins 1
and 2.
- Replace the computer cover, reconnect to power sources,
and turn the system back on.
- Assign a new system and/or setup password. See Assigning a System
Password or Assigning
a Setup Password.
| 
