Using A Hard-Disk Drive Password - Dell Inspiron 3800 System Reference Manual

Passwords and Security: Dell Inspiron 3800 System Reference
NOTE: The administrator password provides access to the system, but it
does not provide access to the hard-disk drive when it is protected by a
password.
If you forget the primary password and do not have an administrator password assigned, or if
you have both a primary and an administrator password assigned but forget them both, call
Dell.
NOTICE: If you disable the administrator password, the primary password is
also disabled.

Using a Hard-Disk Drive Password

The hard-disk drive password helps protect the data on your hard-disk drive from unauthorized
access. You can also assign a password for the modular hard-disk drive (if one is being used)
that can be the same as or different from the password for the primary hard-disk drive.
NOTE: Only hard-disk drives purchased from Dell for use with your Dell
computer support the hard-disk drive password option.
After assigning a hard-disk drive password, you must enter it each time you turn on the
computer and each time you resume normal operation from standby mode.
If the hard-disk drive password is enabled, the following message appears each time you turn
on the computer:
Please type in the hard-disk drive password and press <Enter>.
To continue, enter the hard-disk drive password. Press <Esc> to return the computer to its
previous state—standby mode.
NOTE: If no password is entered within 2 minutes, the computer returns to its
previous state.
If you enter the wrong password, the following message appears:
Invalid password
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