Overview of BIOS Features

3.9 BIOS Security Features

The BIOS includes security features that restrict access to the BIOS Setup program and who can boot the computer. A supervisor password and a user password can be set for the BIOS Setup program and for booting the computer, with the following restrictions:

The supervisor password gives unrestricted access to view and change all the Setup options in the BIOS Setup program. This is supervisor mode.

The user password gives restricted access to view and change Setup options in the BIOS Setup program. This is user mode.

If only the supervisor password is set, pressing the <Enter> key at the password prompt of the BIOS Setup program allows the user restricted access to Setup.

If both the supervisor and user passwords are set, users can enter either the supervisor password or the user password to access Setup. Users have access to Setup respective to which password is entered.

Setting the user password restricts who can boot the computer. The password prompt will be displayed before the computer is booted. If only the supervisor password is set, the computer boots without asking for a password. If both passwords are set, the user can enter either password to boot the computer.

Table 41 shows the effects of setting the supervisor password and user password. This table is for reference only and is not displayed on the screen.

Table 41. Supervisor and User Password Functions

 

Supervisor

 

 

Password to

Password

Password Set

Mode

User Mode

Setup Options

Enter Setup

During Boot

Neither

Can change all

Can change all

None

None

None

 

options *

options *

 

 

 

Supervisor

Can change all

Can change a

Supervisor Password

Supervisor

None

only

options

limited number

 

 

 

 

 

of options

 

 

 

User only

N/A

Can change all

Enter Password

User

User

 

 

options

Clear User Password

 

 

Supervisor

Can change all

Can change a

Supervisor Password

Supervisor or

Supervisor or

and user set

options

limited number

Enter Password

user

user

 

 

of options

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*If no password is set, any user can change all Setup options.

For information about

Refer to

Setting user and supervisor passwords

Section 4.4.5, page 82

 

 

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