Dell 1900 Personal Computer User Manual


 
Using the System Setup Program 43
5
Confirm that
Not Enabled
is displayed for the
System Password
option.
If
Not Enabled
is displayed for the
System Password
option, the system password has been deleted. If
Enabled
is displayed for the
System Password
option, press the <Alt><b> key combination to restart
the system, and then repeat steps 2 through 5.
Using the Setup Password
Assigning a Setup Password
You can assign (or change) a setup password only when the Setup Password option is set to Not Enabled.
To assign a setup password, highlight the Setup Password option and press the <+> or <–> key. The
system prompts you to enter and verify the password. If a character is illegal for password use, an error
message appears.
NOTE: The setup password can be the same as the system password. If the two passwords are different, the setup
password can be used as an alternate system password. However, the system password cannot be used in place of
the setup password.
You can use up to 32 characters in your password.
As you press each character key (or the spacebar for a blank space), a placeholder appears in the field.
The password assignment is not case-sensitive. However, certain key combinations are not valid. If you
enter one of these combinations, an error message appears. To erase a character when entering your
password, press <Backspace> or the left-arrow key.
After you verify the password, the Setup Password setting changes to Enabled. The next time you enter
the System Setup program, the system prompts you for the setup password.
A change to the Setup Password option becomes effective immediately (restarting the system is not
required).
Operating With a Setup Password Enabled
If Setup Password is set to Enabled, you must enter the correct setup password before you can modify
most of the System Setup options. When you start the System Setup program, the program prompts you
to enter a password.
If you do not enter the correct password in three attempts, the system lets you view, but not modify, the
System Setup screens—with the following exception: If System Password is not set to Enabled and is not
locked through the Password Status option, you can assign a system password (however, you cannot
disable or change an existing system password).
NOTE: You can use the Password Status option in conjunction with the Setup Password option to protect the
system password from unauthorized changes.