Using Your System Password To Secure Your System - Dell Precision 410 User Manual

set to Not Enabled can you assign a system password,
using the following procedure:
1. Verify that the Password Status category is set to
Unlocked.
For instructions on changing the setting for Pass-
word Status, see "Password Status" found earlier in
this chapter.
2. Press the left- or right-arrow key.
The category heading changes to Enter Password,
followed by an empty seven-character field in square
brackets.
3. Type in your new system password.
You can use up to seven 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 operation recognizes keys
by their location on the keyboard, without distin-
guishing between lowercase and uppercase
characters. For example, if you have an M in your
password, the system recognizes either M or m as
correct.
Certain key combinations are not valid. If you enter
one of these combinations, the speaker emits a beep.
To erase a character when entering your password,
press the <Backspace> key or the left-arrow key.
NOTE: To escape from the field without assigning a
system password, press the <Tab> key or the
<Shift><Tab> key combination to move the highlight to
another field or press the <Esc> key at any time prior to
completing step 5.
4. Press <Enter>.
If the new system password is less than seven char-
acters, the whole field fills with placeholders. Then
the category heading changes to Verify Password
followed by another empty seven-character field in
square brackets.
5. To confirm your password, type it in a second
time and press <Enter>.
The password setting changes to Enabled. Your sys-
tem password is now set; you can exit the System
Setup program and begin using your system. Note,
however, that password protection does not take
effect until you reboot the system by pressing the
reset button or by turning the system off and then on
again.
Using Your System Password to Secure
Your System
Whenever you turn on your system, press the reset
button, or reboot the system by pressing the
<Ctrl><Alt><Del> key combination, the following
prompt appears on the screen when the Password Status
category is set to Unlocked:
Type in the password and...
— press <ENTER> to leave password
security enabled.
— press <CTRL><ENTER> to disable password
security.
Enter password:
If the Password Status category is set to Locked, the fol-
lowing prompt appears:
Type the password and press <Enter>.
After entering the correct system password and pressing
<Enter>, your system boots and you can use the key-
board to operate your system as usual.
NOTE: If you have assigned a setup password (see
"Using the Setup Password Feature" found later in this
chapter), the system accepts your setup password as an
alternate system password.
If a wrong or incomplete system password is entered, the
following message appears on the screen:
** Incorrect password. **
Enter password:
If an incorrect or incomplete system password is entered
again, the same message appears on the screen.
The third and subsequent times an incorrect or in-
complete system password is entered, the system displays
the following message:
** Incorrect password. **
Number of unsuccessful password
attempts: 3
System halted! Must power down.
Using the System Setup Program 3-11