Dell OptiPlex Gxi - Manual (Page 43)

Using the System Setup Program 2-13
category highlighted, prompting you to type in the
password.
If you do not enter the correct password in three tries, the
system lets you view, but not modify, the System Setup
screens—with the following exceptions:
• You can still modify the DATE , TIME , CPU SPEED , NUM
LOCK , and SPEAKER categories.
• If SYSTEM PASSWORD is not enabled and is not
LOCKED via the PASSWORD STATUS category, you
can assign a system password (however, you cannot
disable or change an existing system password).
NOTE: You can use the PASSWORD STATUS category
in conjunction with SETUP PASSWORD to protect
SYSTEM PASSWORD from unauthorized changes. For
more information, see “Password Status” found ear-
lier in this chapter.
Deleting or Changing an Existing Setup
Password
To delete or change an existing setup password, perform
the following steps:
1. Enter the System Setup program.
2. Highlight the SETUP PASSWORD category, and press
the left- or right-arrow key to delete the existing setup
password.
The setting changes to NOT ENABLED .
3. If you want to assign a new setup password, fol-
low the procedure in “Assigning a Setup
Password” found earlier in this section.
D
isabling a Forgotten Password
If you forget your system or setup password, you cannot
operate your system or change settings in the System
Setup program until you remove the computer cover,
change the password jumper setting to disable the pass-
words, and erase the existing passwords.
To disable a forgotten password, perform the following
steps:
1. Remove the computer cover according to the
instructions in “Removing the Computer Cover”
in Chapter 5.
2. Remove the jumper plug from the PSWD jumper
to disable the password feature.
Refer to “Jumpers” in Chapter 5 for jumper informa-
tion and to Figure 5-7 for the location of the
password jumper (labeled “PSWD”) on the system
board.
3. Replace the computer cover.
4. Reconnect your computer and peripherals to
their power sources, and turn them on.
Booting your system with the PSWD jumper plug
removed erases the existing password(s). To assign a
new system and/or setup password, continue to
step 5.
NOTE: Before you assign a new system and/or setup
password, you must replace the PSWD jumper plug.
5. Repeat step 1.
6. Replace the PSWD jumper plug to reenable the
password feature.
7. Replace the computer cover, reconnect the com-
puter and peripherals to their power sources, and
turn them on.
Booting the system with the PSWD jumper installed
reenables the password feature. When you enter the
System Setup program, both password categories
appear as
NOT ENABLED , meaning that the password
feature is enabled but that no password has been
assigned.
8. Assign a new system and/or setup password.
To assign a new system password, see “Assigning a
System Password” found earlier in this chapter. To
assign a new setup password, see “Assigning a Setup
Password” found earlier in this chapter.
CAUTION: See “Protecting Against Electro-
static Discharge” in the safety instructions at
the front of this guide.