2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44
Protect the system from unwanted access to settings and your personal data.
The Windows login password prevents outsiders from logging into the user account. But it does not interfere with access to BIOS settings, with which you can harm your computer or simply unblock the entrance to Windows. To protect your device from these problems, set an additional BIOS password. This will take you a few minutes.
First of all, you need to get into the BIOS menu. To do this, in the first seconds of turning on the computer, press the special key until the settings appear. This can be F1, F2, F8, or Delete, depending on the motherboard manufacturer. Typically, the desired key is displayed at the bottom of the screen when the computer starts up.
Then find the settings with the word Password. The design and location of BIOS partitions differ on different computers, so you will have to find the necessary options yourself. Most often, the password can be changed in the Security section. Perhaps your PC is not installed with a classic BIOS, but a graphical UEFI shell. In this case, the algorithm of actions will not differ.
When you find a setting with a name like BIOS Setting Password, use it to set a password. The system will ask for it if someone tries to enter BIOS.
Write down the new password somewhere so as not to forget, or remember it well.
Your BIOS version may support not one, but two types of passwords. In this case, you will see the settings with the words User Password and Administrator Password and you can set any of them.
If you set the Administrator Password, the system will only ask you for a password when entering the BIOS menu. Select this option if you do not want outsiders to be able to change the settings.
If you set User Password, the password request will always appear when you start the computer (do not confuse it with the Windows password). This option not only protects BIOS settings, but also prevents attackers from using flash drives to reset Windows password and reinstall OS. Use User Password if you are concerned about such tampering.
Once you have configured your password, look for the Save And Exit item in the BIOS menu (usually triggered by pressing the F10 key) to save your changes and restart your computer. If you want to disable protection in the future, find the password settings again and leave an empty line instead of a new combination.
The BIOS password does not guarantee absolute security, but it makes it much more difficult to crack. To nullify such protection, the ill-wisher will have to open the case and dig inside the computer.
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