3.10 Bios Security Features; Supervisor And User Password Functions - Intel DX79TO Specification

Intel Desktop Board DX79TO Technical Product Specification

3.10 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 the supervisor mode.
The user password gives restricted access to view and change Setup options in the
•
BIOS Setup program. This is the 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.
• For enhanced security, use different passwords for the supervisor and user
passwords.
Valid password characters are A-Z, a-z, and 0-9. Passwords may be up to
•
16 characters in length.
Table 36 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 36. Supervisor and User Password Functions
Password Supervisor
Set Mode
Neither Can change all
options
Supervisor Can change all
only options
User only N/A
Supervisor Can change all
and user set options
Note: If no password is set, any user can change all Setup options.
70
User Mode Setup Options
Can change all None
(Note) (Note)
options
Can change a Supervisor Password
limited
number of
options
Can change all Enter Password
options Clear User Password
Can change a Supervisor Password
limited Enter Password
number of
options
Password Password
to Enter During
Setup Boot
None None
Supervisor None
User User
Supervisor or Supervisor or
user user