Hard drive
•Helps protect the data on your hard drive or external hard drive (if one is being used) from unauthorized access
NOTE: Some hard drives do not support hard drive passwords.
NOTICE: Passwords provide a high level of security for data in your computer or hard drive. However, they are not foolproof. If you require more security, obtain and use additional forms of protection, such as smart cards, data encryption programs, or PC Cards with encryption features.
If you forget any of your passwords, contact your system administrator or contact Dell (see Contacting Dell). For your protection, Dell support staff will ask you for proof of your identity to ensure that only an authorized person can use the computer.
Using a Primary/System Password
The primary (system) password allows you to protect the computer from unauthorized access.
Access User Accounts from the Control Panel to create user accounts and add or change passwords. After assigning a primary password, you must enter it each time you turn on your computer.
If you do not enter a password within 2 minutes, the computer returns to its previous operating state.
NOTICE: If you disable the administrator password, the primary password is also disabled.
If you have assigned an administrator password, you can use it instead of the primary password. The computer does not specifically prompt you for the administrator password.
Using an Administrator Password
The administrator password is designed to give system administrators or service technicians access to computers for repair or reconfiguration. The administrators or technicians can assign identical administrator passwords to groups of computers, while still allowing you to assign a unique primary password.
To set or change administrator passwords, access User Accounts from the Control Panel.
When you set an administrator password, the Configure Setup option becomes available in the system setup program. The Configure Setup option allows you to restrict access to system setup in the same way that a primary password restricts access to the computer.
The administrator password can be used instead of the primary password. Whenever you are prompted to enter the primary password, you can enter the administrator password.
NOTICE: If you disable the administrator password, the primary password is also disabled.
NOTE: The administrator password provides access to the computer, but it does not provide access to the hard drive when a hard drive password is assigned.
If you forget the primary password and do not have an administrator password assigned, or if you have both a primary and an administrator password assigned but forget them both, contact your system administrator or contact Dell (see Contacting Dell).
Using a Hard Drive Password
The hard drive password helps protect the data on your hard drive from unauthorized access. You can also assign a password for an external hard drive (if one is being used) that can be the same as or different from the password for the primary hard drive.
After assigning a hard drive password, you must enter it each time you turn on the computer and each time you restore the computer to normal operation from standby mode; a message appears asking for the hard drive password.
To continue, enter your password (with no more than eight characters) and press <Enter>. If you do not enter a password within 2 minutes, the computer returns to its previous operating state. If you enter the wrong password, you receive a message stating that the password is invalid. Press <Enter> to try again.
If you do not enter the correct password in three attempts, the computer tries to start from another bootable device if the Boot First Device option in the system setup program is set to allow
If the hard drive password, the external
NOTE: The administrator password provides access to the computer, but it does not provide access to the hard drive when a hard drive password is assigned.
Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
NOTE: The TPM feature is not available in all regions.
