Dell PowerEdge R430 Owner's Manual page 52

Creating a system and setup password
Prerequisites
Ensure that the password jumper is enabled. The password jumper enables or disables the system password and setup password
features. For more information, see the System board jumper settings section.
If the password jumper setting is disabled, the existing system password and setup password are deleted and you
NOTE:
need not provide the system password to boot the system.
Steps
1. To enter System Setup, press F2 immediately after turning on or rebooting your system.
2. On the System Setup Main Menu screen, click System BIOS > System Security.
3. On the System Security screen, verify that Password Status is set to Unlocked.
4. In the System Password field, type your system password, and press Enter or Tab.
Use the following guidelines to assign the system password:
● A password can have up to 32 characters.
● The password can contain the numbers 0 through 9.
● Only the following special characters are allowed: space, ("), (+), (,), (-), (.), (/), (;), ([), (\), (]), (`).
A message prompts you to reenter the system password.
5. Reenter the system password, and click OK.
6. In the Setup Password field, type your setup password and press Enter or Tab.
A message prompts you to reenter the setup password.
7. Reenter the setup password, and click OK.
8. Press Esc to return to the System BIOS screen. Press Esc again.
A message prompts you to save the changes.
Password protection does not take effect until the system reboots.
NOTE:
Related references
System Security on page 49
Using your system password to secure your system
About this task
If you have assigned a setup password, the system accepts your setup password as an alternate system password.
Steps
1. Turn on or reboot your system.
2. Type the system password and press Enter.
Next steps
When Password Status is set to Locked, type the system password and press Enter when prompted at reboot.
If an incorrect system password is typed, the system displays a message and prompts you to reenter your password.
NOTE:
You have three attempts to type the correct password. After the third unsuccessful attempt, the system displays an error
message that the system has stopped functioning and must be turned off. Even after you turn off and restart the system,
the error message is displayed until the correct password is entered.
Related references
System Security on page 49
52 Pre-operating system management applications