Appendix A. Using Enhanced Security - Lenovo NetVista A40p User Manual

Appendix A. Using Enhanced Security

Note: The following Enhanced Security information is for the A40p model only.
Enhanced Security can be enabled or disabled only when you update system
programs.
If Enhanced Security is enabled and you have not set an administrator password,
your computer will operate as though enhanced security is disabled.
If Enhanced Security is enabled and you have set an administrator password, your
computer will operate as follows:
v The contents of the security EEPROM (your administrator password and startup
v The security EEPROM will be protected from unauthorized access because it
v Some models have a chassis-intrusion feature that will alert you if the cover of
v Configuration settings cannot be changed in the Configuration/Setup Utility
To enable or disable Enhanced Security:
1. Update the system programs. See "Appendix C. Updating System Programs" on
2. When updating system programs, you are given the option of enabling or
© Copyright IBM Corp. 2000
sequence) will be protected from failure of the battery and CMOS memory.
locks after your computer is turned on and the system programs have
completed their startup routine. Once it is locked, the security EEPROM cannot
be read from or written to by any software application or system software until
the computer is turned off and back on again. On a network, this might prevent
certain functions from being performed remotely on your computer.
Enhanced Security adds a hard lock for an extra measure of protection for the
system programs in your computer. Normally, the entire contents of the system
programs EEPROM is write protected with a soft lock. A soft lock enables the
Remote Administration program to function in a network environment. With a
hard lock, when your computer is turned on and the system programs startup
routine is completed, Remote Administration is locked and cannot be unlocked
until the computer is restarted and the administrator password is entered. Note
that, in a networking environment, this prevents the system programs in your
computer from being updated remotely. Someone must be present at your
computer to turn it on and off and enter the administrator password.
your computer has been opened. This feature will work if your computer is on
or off. If the cover has been opened, a prompt for your administrator password
will appear on your screen, and your computer will remain in a suspended state
until your administrator password is entered.
program until you enter the administrator password. This means that any
changes to the computer hardware that the system programs detect will generate
a configuration error until you enter the administrator password.
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disabling Enhanced Security. Your choice is automatically recorded in the
System Security menu of the Configuration/Setup Utility program.
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