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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