Dell OptiPlex 755 - Manual (Page 8)

Typing Your System Password
When you start or restart your computer, the following prompt appears on the screen.
If Password Status is set to Locked:
Type the password and press .
If you have assigned an administrator password, the computer accepts your administrator password as an alternate system password.
If you type a wrong or incomplete system password, the following message appears on the screen:
** Incorrect password. **
If you again type an incorrect or incomplete system password, the same message appears on the screen. The third and subsequent times you type an
incorrect or incomplete system password, the computer displays the following message:
** Incorrect password. **
Number of unsuccessful password attempts: 3
System halted! Must power down.
Even after your computer is turned off and on, the previous message is displayed each time you type an incorrect or incomplete system password.
Deleting or Changing an Existing System Password
1. Enter system setup (see Entering System Setup ).
2. Highlight System Password and press .
3. When prompted, type the system password.
4. Press twice to clear the existing system password. The setting changes to Not Set.
If Not Set is displayed, the system password is deleted. If Not Set is not displayed, press to restart the computer, and then repeat steps 3
and 4.
5. To assign a new password, follow the procedure in Assigning a System Password .
6. Exit system setup.
Administrator Password
Option Settings
You cannot change or enter a new administrator password if either of the following two options is displayed:
l Set — An administrator password is assigned.
l Disabled — The administrator password is disabled by a jumper setting on the system board.
You can only assign an administrator password when the following option is displayed:
l Not Set — No administrator password is assigned and the password jumper on the system board is in the enabled position (the default setting).
Assigning an Administrator Password
The administrator password can be the same as the system password.
1. Enter system setup (see Entering System Setup ) and verify that Admin Password is set to Not Set.
2. Highlight Admin Password and press the left- or right-arrow key.
The computer prompts you to type and verify the password. If a character is not permitted, the computer emits a beep.
NOTE: You can use Password Status in conjunction with System Password and Admin Password to further protect your computer from unauthorized
changes.
NOTE: If the two passwords are different, the administrator password can be used as an alternate system password. However, the system password
cannot be used in place of the administrator password.