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96 Securing Your Computer
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.
To assign or change a hard drive password, enter system setup (see "System
Setup Program" on page 123).
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.
If the hard drive password is enabled, you must enter it each time you turn on
the computer: 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, a message tells you 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
system setup is set to allow start-up from another device. If the Boot First
Device option is not set to allow the computer to start from another device,
the computer returns to the operating 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, the computer prompts you only for the primary
password. If the hard drive password is different from the primary password,
the computer prompts you for both. Two different passwords provide greater
security.
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: Computers shipping into China and Russia are not equipped with the TPM
feature.