Setting a hard disk password prevents unauthorized access to the data on the internal storage drive (such
as a hard disk drive). When a hard disk password is set, you are prompted to enter a valid password each
time you try to access the storage drive.
Notes:
– Even if the storage drive is removed from one computer and installed in another, the hard-disk
password is still valid.
– If the hard disk password is forgotten, there is no way to reset the password or recover data from the
storage drive.
Password considerations
A password can be any combination of up to 64 alphabetic and numeric characters. For security reasons, it
is recommended to use a strong password that cannot be easily compromised.
Note: The Setup Utility program passwords are case-sensitive.
To set a strong password, consider the following guidelines:
• Have at least eight characters in length
• Contain at least one alphabetic character and one numeric character
• Not be your name or your user name
• Not be a common word or a common name
• Be significantly different from your previous passwords
Setting, changing, or deleting a password
To set, change, or delete a password, do the following:
1. Start the Setup Utility program. See “Starting the Setup Utility program” on page 65.
2. Select Security.
3. Depending on the password type, select Set Power-On Password, Set Administrator Password, or
Hard Disk Password and press Enter.
4. Follow the instructions on the right side of the screen to set, change, or delete a password.
Note: A password can be any combination of up to 64 alphabetic and numeric characters. For more
information, see “Password considerations” on page 69.
5. To save settings and exit the Setup Utility program, press F10 or Fn+F10 (depending on the keyboard
settings). Then, select Yes in the window displayed, and press Enter.
Erasing lost or forgotten passwords (clearing CMOS)
This section provides instructions on how to erase lost or forgotten passwords, such as a user password.
Note: The instructions in this section do not apply to the hard disk password.
To erase a lost or forgotten password, do the following:
1. Remove any media from the drives and turn off all connected devices and the computer. Then,
disconnect all power cords from electrical outlets and disconnect all cables that are connected to the
computer.
2. Remove the computer cover. See Chapter 9 “Hardware removal and installation” on page 97.
3. Locate the Clear Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) /Recovery jumper on the system
board. See “Hardware locations” on page 29.
Chapter 6. Advanced configuration 69
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