Starting the Setup Utility program. Lenovo E73z, 10Bl

Chapter 6. Using the Setup Utility program

The Setup Utility program is used to view and change the configuration settings of your computer, regardless of which operating system you are using. However, the operating system settings might override any similar settings in the Setup Utility program.

Starting the Setup Utility program

To start the Setup Utility program, do the following:

1. Ensure that your computer is turned off.

2. Repeatedly press and release the F1 key when turning on the computer. When you hear multiple beeps or see a logo screen, release the F1 key.

Note: If a Power-On Password or an Administrator Password has been set, the Setup Utility program

menu will not be displayed until you type the correct password. For more information, see “Using passwords” on page 55.

When the POST detects that the hard disk drive has been removed from your computer or the memory module size has decreased, an error message will be displayed when you start the computer and you will be prompted to do one of the following:

• Press F1 to enter the Setup Utility program.

Note: After you enter the Setup Utility program, press F10 to save changes and exit the Setup Utility program. Press Enter when prompted to confirm the exit. The error message will not be displayed again.

• Press F2 to bypass the error message and log in to the operating system.

Note: You have to enable the configuration change detection feature for the POST to detect the removal of the hard disk drive. To enable the configuration change detection feature, do the following:

1. Start the Setup Utility program.

2. From the Setup Utility program main menu, select Security ➙ Configuration Change Detection , and press Enter.

3. Select Enabled and press Enter.

4. Press F10 to save changes and exit the Setup Utility program. Press Enter when prompted to confirm the exit.

Viewing and changing settings

The Setup Utility program menu lists various items about the system configuration. To view or change

settings, start the Setup Utility program. See “Starting the Setup Utility program” on page 55. Then, follow

the instructions on the screen.

You can use either the keyboard or the mouse to navigate through BIOS menu choices. The keys used to perform various tasks are displayed at the bottom of each screen.

Using passwords

By using the Setup Utility program, you can set passwords to prevent unauthorized access to your computer and data. The following types of passwords are available:

• Power-On Password

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• Administrator Password

• Hard Disk Password

You do not have to set any passwords to use your computer. However, using passwords improves computing security. If you decide to set any passwords, read the following sections.

Password considerations

A password can be any combination of up to 64 alphabetic and numeric characters. For security reasons, it is recommended to use a strong password that cannot be easily compromised. To set a strong password, use the following guidelines:

• Have at least eight characters in length

• Contain at least one alphabetic character and one numeric character

• Setup Utility program and hard disk passwords are not case sensitive

• Not be your name or your user name

• Not be a common word or a common name

• Be significantly different from your previous passwords

Power-on password

When a power-on password is set, you are prompted to type a valid password each time the computer is turned on. The computer cannot be used until the valid password is typed in.

Administrator password

Setting an administrator password deters unauthorized users from changing configuration settings. If you are responsible for maintaining the configuration settings of several computers, you might want to set an

Administrator Password.

When an administrator password is set, you are prompted to type a valid password each time you try to access the Setup Utility program. The Setup Utility program cannot be accessed until a valid password is typed in.

If both the power-on password and administrator password are set, you can type either password. However, you must use your administrator password to change any configuration settings.

Setting, changing, and deleting a password

To set, change, or delete a password, do the following:

1. Start the Setup Utility program. See “Starting the Setup Utility program” on page 55.

2. From the Setup Utility program main menu, select Security .

3. Depending on the password type, select Set Power-On Password , Set Administrator Password , or

Hard Disk Password .

4. Follow the instructions on the right side of the screen to set, change, or delete a password.

Note: A password can be any combination of up to 64 alphabetic and numeric characters. For more

information, see “Password considerations” on page 56.

Erasing lost or forgotten passwords (clearing CMOS)

This section provides instructions on how to erase lost or forgotten passwords, such as a user password.

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