2500 SX/20  (250-4077)              Password            Faxback Doc. # 1192

Passwords help protect your computer from unauthorized users. Your computer
supports two passwords:

* Power-on Password--Prevents unauthorized use of your computer when you are
  not present. When a power-on password is required, you must enter it each  
  time you turn on the computer or press the RESET button. Use the  
  password.com utility to create a power-on password.

* Keyboard Password--Enables you to temporarily lock and unlock your keyboard
  (and mouse if you have one) without turning off the computer. The keyboard
  password is cleared when you turn off the computer. Use the kp.exe utility
  to create or change a keyboard password.

Each password can have as many as seven characters, consisting of any
characters on the keyboard. The system does not distinguish between uppercase
and lowercase letters. Try to create passwords that are easy for you to
remember but difficult for anyone else to guess. For example, do not use your
name. Use a word or number that has special meaning to you.

The password utilities record the exact keys you press as you create a new
password. This means that, if you use the 6 from the typewriter keys when you
create the password, you can not substitute the 6 from the numeric keys when
you enter the password.

Note: When you create a password, the characters in the password are displayed
on the screen as you type them. This enables you to verify the password as you
type it. When you change a password, or enter a password to access your
computer or keyboard, the password characters are not displayed as you type
them.

Creating and Using a Keyboard Password:

A keyboard password enables you to lock the keyboard and mouse. By default,
the keyboard password is the same as the power-on password. Use kp.exe to
specify a keyboard password that is different from the power-on password. To
further protect your data, you can use kp.exe to clear the screen before
locking the keyboard.

Follow these steps to lock the keyboard:

1. Be sure you are in the drive and directory containing kp.exe and that you
   are at the MS-DOS prompt.

2. To use an already created keyboard password: type kp and press [ENTER] to
   lock the keyboard. or type kp /b and press [ENTER] to clear the screen and
   lock the keyboard. To specify a new keyboard password: type kp /c and press
   [ENTER]. The system prompts you to enter a new password and then locks the
   keyboard. or type kp /b/c and press [ENTER]. The system clears the screen  
   and prompts you to enter a new password, and then locks the keyboard and  
   mouse.

When the system prompts you to enter a password, type the password, using the
[BACKSPACE] key to correct any errors, and press [ENTER]. The following prompt
appears: Is this correct? (Y/N/ESC)

3. To verify the password, type Y and press [ENTER]. To correct the password,
   type N, and press [ENTER], and type the correct password. To cancel the
   utility, press ESC. You will return to the MS-DOS prompt.

To unlock the keyboard and mouse, type the keyboard password and then press
[ENTER].

Creating and Using a Power-on Password:

A power-on password enables you to restrict the use of the computer, keyboard,
and mouse. If you can not supply the correct password, the computer will not
accept input from the mouse or the keyboard. You might not want to write your
password down in a safe place in case you forget it.

To create a power-on password:

1. At the system prompt, type password and press [ENTER].

2. Type the password, using the [BACKSPACE] key to correct any errors. Press
   [ENTER]. The following prompt is displayed: Is this correct? (Y/N)_

3. If the password is correct, type Y and press [ENTER]. If the password is
   incorrect, type N, and press [ENTER], and enter the correct password.

You will be prompted to enter the correct password each time you turn on the
computer or press the RESET button.

Entering a Power-on Password:

If you have specified a power-on password, the following prompt is displayed 
when you turn on the computer: Enter Password:_   Type the complete password, 
and press [ENTER].

The computer permits three attempts to enter the correct password. If the
correct password is not entered by the third attempt, the computer will not
accept further input from the mouse or the keyboard. To try again, turn the 
computer off then on again, or press the RESET button.

Changing or Removing a Power-on Password:

When the computer prompt you for the power-on password at startup, you can 
change or remove the existing password.

To change the password, type the current power-on password, followed 
immediately by a forward slash (/), followed immediately by the new password. 
Then press [ENTER]. For example, if the current password is old and you want 
to change it to new, type old/new an press [ENTER].

To remove the current password without assigning a new one, simply press 
[ENTER] after the slash. After you remove the power-on password, the password 
prompt is no longer displayed when you turn on the computer.