Ampro COM 830, Reference Manual

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Chapter 4 BIOS Setup Description
82 Reference Manual COM 830
Serial Port and Console Redirection
Serial Redirection allows video and keyboard redirection via a standard RS-232 serial port.
BIOS Security Features
The BIOS provides both a supervisor and user password. If you use both passwords, the supervisor
password must be set first. The system can be configured so that all users must enter a password every time
the system boots or when setup is executed.
The two passwords activate two different levels of security. If you select password support you are prompted
for a one to six character password. Type the password on the keyboard. The password does not appear on
the screen when typed.
The supervisor password (supervisor mode) gives unrestricted access to view and change all the setup
options. The user password (user mode) gives restricted access to view and change setup options.
If only the supervisor password is set, pressing <Enter> at the password prompt of the BIOS setup program
allows the user restricted access to setup.
Hard Disk Security Features
Hard Disk Security uses the Security Mode feature commands defined in the ATA specification. This
functionality allows users to protect data using drive-level passwords. The passwords are kept within the
drive, so data is protected even if the drive is moved to another computer system.
The BIOS provides the ability to 'lock' and 'unlock' drives using the security password. A 'locked' drive will
be detected by the system, but no data can be accessed. Accessing data on a 'locked' drive requires the proper
password to 'unlock' the disk.
The BIOS enables users to enable/disable hard disk security for each hard drive in setup. A master password
is available if the user can not remember the user password. Both passwords can be set independently
however the drive will only lock if a user password is installed. The max length of the passwords is 32 bytes.
During POST each hard drive is checked for security mode feature support. In case the drive supports the
feature and it is locked, the BIOS prompts the user for the user password. If the user does not enter the
correct user password within five attempts, the user is notified that the drive is locked and POST continues
as normal. If the user enters the correct password, the drive is unlocked until the next reboot.
In order to ensure that the ATA security features are not compromised by viruses or malicious programs
when the drive is typically unlocked, the BIOS disables the ATA security features at the end of POST to
prevent their misuse. Without this protection it would be possible for viruses or malicious programs to set a
password on a drive thereby blocking the user from accessing the data.
NOTE
The above mentioned feature is only applicable if an external Super I/O has been
implemented on the carrier board.
NOTE The above mentioned feature is only applicable if an external Super I/O has been
implemented on the carrier board.
NOTE Setting the password check to 'Always' restricts who can boot the system. The
password prompt will be displayed before the system attempts to load the operating
system. If only the supervisor password is set, pressing <Enter> at the password
prompt allows the user to boot the system.