Choosing the system boot mode
System Setup enables you to specify one of the following boot modes for installing your operating
system:
• BIOS boot mode (the default) is the standard BIOS-level boot interface.
• Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) boot mode is an enhanced 64-bit boot interface. If you
have configured your system to boot to UEFI mode, it overlays the system BIOS.
1.
From the
System Setup Main Menu
, click
Boot Settings
and select
Boot Mode
.
2.
Select the boot mode you want the system to boot into.
CAUTION: Switching the boot mode may prevent the system from booting if the operating
system is not installed in the same boot mode.
3.
After the system boots in the specified boot mode, proceed to install your operating system from
that mode.
NOTE: Operating systems must be UEFI-compatible to be installed from the UEFI boot mode. DOS
and 32-bit operating systems do not support UEFI and can only be installed from the BIOS boot
mode.
NOTE: For the latest information about supported operating systems, go to
Dell.com/ossupport
.
Creating a system or setup password
Prerequisites
• Ensure that the password jumper setting is enabled. The password jumper enables or disables the
system password and setup password features. For more information about the password jumper
settings, see
System board jumpers and connectors
.
• Ensure that password status is unlocked in the
System Security Settings
screen. For more
information, see
System Security Settings screen details
.
NOTE: If the password jumper setting is disabled, the existing system password and setup password
are deleted and you need not provide the system password to boot the system.
Steps
1.
To enter system setup, press F2 immediately after turning on or restarting the 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 then 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 system password, and then press Enter or Tab.
A message prompts you to reenter the setup password.
7.
Reenter the setup password, and click
OK
.
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