Dell 4100 - Disabling a Forgotten Password; Understanding System Password Options

Using the System Setup Program 4-15
Disabling a Forgotten Password
If you forget your user or supervisor password, you can-
not operate your system or change settings in the System
Setup program, respectively, until a trained service tech-
nician opens the computer chassis, changes the password
jumper setting to disable the passwords, and erases the
existing passwords. This procedure is described in “Dis-
abling a Forgotten Password” in Appendix C of the
Installation and Troubleshooting Guide.
Password Options
Table 4-2 lists several ways the supervisor and user pass-
word and the PASSWORD ON BOOT category can be used
to provide security for your system.
Responding to Error Messages
If an error message appears on your monitor screen while
the system is booting, make a note of the message. Then,
before entering the System Setup program, refer to
Chapter 3, “Messages and Codes,” in your Installation
and Troubleshooting Guide for an explanation of the
message and suggestions for correcting any errors. (An
exception to this routine: It is normal to receive an error
message the first time you boot your system after a mem-
ory upgrade is installed. In that situation, follow the
instructions beginning with step 5 of “Performing a
Memory Upgrade” in Chapter 8 of the Installation and
Troubleshooting Guide.)
If you are given the option of pressing either <F1> to con-
tinue or <F2> to run the System Setup program, press the
<F2> key.
Table 4-2. Password Options
Supervisor
Password
User
Password
1
Password
on Boot
Boot
Prompt
Setup
Prompt Comments
Enabled Disabled Enabled Yes
Yes
3
You are prompted for a password at
boot and for access to System Setup.
The supervisor password must be
entered for system to boot. The super-
visor password must be entered at
setup prompt for full use
2
of System
Setup.
Enabled Disabled Disabled No
Yes
3
Your are not prompted for a password
at boot. The supervisor password must
be entered at setup prompt for full
use
2
of System Setup.
1
The system always requests a password at boot if the user password is enabled.
2
The user can change only the DATE, TIME, NUM LOCK, SPEAKER, and SET USER PASSWORD categories unless the supervi-
sor password is entered.
3
If you press <ESC> at the setup password prompt, you can access System Setup, but can change only the categories described
in note 2 above.