Chapter 5. Using the Setup Utility
17
Using passwords
By using the Setup Utility program, you can set passwords to prevent
unauthorized persons from gaining access to your computer and data.
See “Starting the Setup Utility program.” The following types of passwords
are available:
• Administrator Password
• Power-On Password
You do not have to set any passwords to use your computer. However, if
you decide to set any passwords, read the following sections.
Password considerations
A password can be any combination of up to 64 characters (a-z and
0-9) and symbols. For security reasons, it is a good idea to use a strong
password that cannot be easily compromised. We suggest the passwords
should adhere to the following rules:
• Must have at least seven characters in length
• Contain at least one alphabetic character and one numeric character
• Setup Utility program and hard disk drive passwords are not case
sensitive
• Not be your name or your user name
• Not be a common word or a common name
• Be significantly different from your previous password
Administrator password
When a Administrator Password is set, it deters unauthorized persons from
changing configuration settings. If you are responsible for maintaining
the settings of several computers, you might want to set a Administrator
Password.
After you set a Administrator Password, a password prompt is displayed
each time you try to access the Setup Utility program.
If both the Administrator and Power-On Password are set, you can type
either password. However, to change any configuration settings, you must
use your Administrator password.
