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.
NOTICE: If you disable the administrator password, the primary password is also disabled.
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 resume normal operation from standby mode.
If the hard drive password is enabled, the following message appears each time you turn on the computer:
Please type in the
To continue, enter your password (maximum of eight characters). Press <Esc> to return the computer to its previous operating state.
If you do not enter a password within 2 minutes, the computer returns to its previous operating state.
If you enter the wrong password, the following message appears:
Invalid password
[Press Enter to retry]
If the correct password is not entered in three attempts, the computer tries to boot from another bootable device if the Boot First Device option in the system setup program is set to allow it. If the Boot First Device option is not set to allow booting from another device, the computer returns to the state it was in when you turned it on.
If the hard drive password, the external hard drive password, and the primary password are the same, you are prompted only for the primary password. If the hard drive password is different from the primary password, you are prompted for both. Two different passwords provide greater security.
NOTE: The administrator password provides access to the computer, but it does not provide access to a hard drive that is protected by a hard drive password.
Assigning an Asset Tag
The Asset Tag utility allows you to enter an asset tag that you or your company assigns to the computer. After you enter an asset tag, the tag appears in the system setup screens.
You can also use the Asset Tag utility to enter an owner tag that appears in the system
NOTE: The Drivers and Utilities CD for your computer is a bootable CD.
Viewing Existing Asset Tag and Service Tag
1.Boot the computer using a bootable floppy disk or CD.
2.Type cd c:\Dell\Util and press <Enter>.
3.Type asset and press <Enter>.
Assigning an Asset Tag
An asset tag can have up to ten characters; any combination of characters excluding spaces is valid.
1.Boot the computer using a bootable floppy disk or CD.
2.Type cd c:\dell\util and press <Enter>.
3.Type asset and a space followed by the new asset tag, and press <Enter>.
For example, type the following command line and press <Enter>:
asset 1234$ABCD&
