System Password Feature: Dell Dimension� XPS M166s/M200s/M233s
System Password Feature: Dell Dimension XPS M166s/M200s/M233s
System Password Feature
| Assigning a System
Password | Using the
System Password to Secure the System | Changing an Existing
System Password | Disabling
a Forgotten Password
The password features provide a basic level of security for
the data on the system. However, these features are not
foolproof. If the system's data requires more security, it is the
user's responsibility to obtain and use additional forms of
protection.
The system is shipped with the System Password category set to
Not Enabled, which allows the user to enter the system setup
program and assign a password. If system security is a concern,
operate the system only with system password protection.The user
can assign a system password whenever using the system setup
program. Once a system password is assigned, only those who know
the password have full use of the system.
When the System Password category is set to Enabled, the
computer system prompts the user for the system password just
after the system boots. To change an existing system password,
the user must know the password. If the user assigns and then
forgets a system password, the user must remove the computer
cover and change a jumper setting to disable the system
password feature. Note that the setup password is erased at
the same time.
Assigning a System
Password
With a system password assigned, the status shown in the
System Password category is Enabled. With the system password
feature disabled by a jumper setting on the system board, the
status shown is Disabled By Jumper. The user cannot change or
enter a new system password if either of these options is
displayed.
With no system password assigned and with the password jumper
on the system board in the enabled position (its default
setting), the status shown in the System Password category field
is Not Enabled. Only when this option reads Not Enabled can the
user assign a system password, using the following procedure:
- Turn on (or reboot) the system, and press <Delete>
to enter the system setup program.
- Press the <Alt><p> key combination to move to
Page 2 of the system setup screens.
- Press <Tab> or <Shift><Tab> to
highlight the System Password category; help information
related to the current password status appears in the
Help window.
- If the current status displayed is Not Enabled, press the
left- or right-arrow key. The category heading changes to
Enter Password, followed by an empty 7-character field in
square brackets.
- Type the new system password. The password can contain up
to 7 characters.
- As the user presses each character key (or the
<Spacebar> for a blank space), a
placeholder appears in the field.
- The password assignment operation recognizes keys
by their location on the keyboard, without
distinguishing between lowercase and uppercase
characters. For example, if there is an
"M" in the password, the system
recognizes either "M" or "m"
as correct.
- Certain characters are not valid. If an invalid
key character is entered, a beep will sound.
- To erase a character when entering the password,
press <Backspace> or the left-arrow key.
- To escape from the field without assigning a
system password, press <Tab> or
<Shift><Tab> to highlight another
field, or press <Esc> at any time before
completing step 7.
- Press <Enter>. If the new system password contains
fewer than 7 characters, the whole field fills with
placeholders. Then the category heading changes to Verify
Password, followed by another empty 7-character field in
square brackets.
- To confirm the password, type it a second time and then
press <Enter>. The password setting changes to
Enabled. The system password is now operational; exit the
system setup program and begin using the system.
The system password is used to protect the system. When the
system is turned off and on or the reset button is pressed, the
following prompt appears on the screen:
Type 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 to
operate the system as usual.
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. The third and subsequent times an incorrect or incomplete
system password is entered, the system displays the following
message:
** Incorrect password. **
Number of unsuccessful password attempts: 3
System halted! Must power down.
The number of unsuccessful attempts made to enter the correct
system password can alert the user to an unauthorized person
attempting to use the system.
- Boot the system and type the password as usual, but press
<Ctrl><Enter>.
- Enter the system setup program and confirm that Not
Enabled is displayed for the System Password category of
the system setup program.
- Reboot the system and press <Delete> to
enter the system setup program.
- Press <Alt><p> to move to Page 2 of
the system setup screens.
- If Not Enabled appears in the System Password
category, go to step 3. If Not Enabled is not
displayed for the System Password category, press
<Esc> to exit the program and reboot the
system. Then repeat steps 1 and 2.
- Assign a new
system password.
 |
NOTE: When the Password
Status category is set to Locked, the system
password cannot be changed or disabled during the
boot routine by pressing
<Ctrl><Enter>. To unlock the system
password, the user must enter the setup password
and then change the Password Status category to
Unlocked. See Password
Status. |
If the user forgets the system password, the user will be
unable to operate the system until disabling the password.
Disabling the password involves going inside the computer and
changing a jumper setting (twice) on the system board. To disable
a forgotten password, perform the following steps:
- Turn off the system, and remove the cover.
- Move the jumper plug on jumper A to pins 2 and 3 to
disable the password(s).
- Turn on the computer. Powering up the system with jumper
A set to the disabled position erases existing
password(s).
Before assigning a new system password, the user must reset
jumper A to the enabled position, as follows:
- Turn off the computer.
- Place a jumper plug on pins 1 and 2 of jumper A to enable
the password features.
- Replace the computer cover.
- To assign a new password, follow the procedure in Assigning a System
Password.
|
