Set a BIOS Setup Password

Even if you don't use a BIOS boot password, you may want to password-protect the BIOS settings themselves using the BIOS's administrator or supervisor password. When this password is set, the system will ask for it each time a user attempts to enter the BIOS setup program. From a security standpoint, this allows you to set the BIOS to disallow booting from the floppy or CD-ROM drives (preventing anyone from booting the system with or installing a different operating system), and ensures that only you can change the setting.

Warning: Forgetting your administrator password can be a much bigger problem than forgetting your boot password. Though the system continues to boot and run just fine, you can't make any changes to the hardware configuration or boot options--including any boot password you set. And since you'll use the administrator password infrequently, it's much more likely that you'll forget it (or forget where you wrote it down). In a few cases, the only way around a forgotten password is to replace the system's motherboard. So if you plan to use an administrator password, pick one you'll never forget, and store it in a place where you can always find it.

Assuming your BIOS supports an administrator password, you'll find this option in the same place you found the BIOS boot password in the previous tip. Enter the BIOS setup program, look for security settings, and go from there.

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