SOLVED Locking your PC through the BIOS?

[catilley1092]

Instead of going through the time to encrypt my drives (which by chance has little of value on them), is there a way on newer computers to simply lock it down through the BIOS?

The reason that I ask, is that my older Dell notebook has this option, a password must be entered to even boot it, not even a boot disc will unlock it.

I went through the BIOS on mine, when I had to enable HAV to run Windows Virtual PC. When I was there, I seen the options to create passwords, supervisor passwords, but no option to lock it down totally. Mabye one of these does lock it down, it's just not showing.

Does anyone know how to do this on a HP Pavilion (see my specs)?

Thanks for any responses.

Cat

 

[clifford_cooley]

Unless I am mistaken, any password set in the BIOS can be removed by pulling the battery.

 

[Super Sarge]

Unless I am mistaken, any password set in the BIOS can be removed by pulling the battery.

Yes that is correct

 

[TrainableMan]

If anyone wants your data and the drive is not encrypted, they can simply plug it into another machine. All the password in BIOS does is prevent that machine from booting, it does nothing to the drive.

You can encrypt specific files rather than the entire drive; although if the key is maintained on the drive then you are really only protecting the files from someone stealing them over the internet, again if they have physical control of your harddrive they can likely access them.

 

[Digerati]

Notebooks are different than PCs. Although PCs can grow legs, notebooks already have good ones. NTFS has supported data encryption since day 1. Notebook makers typically take advantage of that because people walk off with other people's notebooks all the time.

http://www.ntfs.com/ntfs-encrypted.htm

 

[catilley1092]

I realize about the encryption deal, as I was using BitLocker when I had Ultimate on here. One of my backup drives (the Seagate FreeAgent) is encrypted. What I want is a simple way to disable starting my computer, like say, if we had company or whatever. I can't watch the grill & my desktop at the same time.

As far as the battery goes, that would take a lot of time to find, especially for someone that doesn't know about it. I don't even know where the BIOS battery is on here. On my notebook, it's behind a small door on the bottom. There's no such small door on here, except a cover that accesses the RAM.

For me, it's just to prevent unauthorized access to my desktop. I suppose if I wanted to, I could just kill the power by a toggle switch, more or less a fancy power strip inside of my computer desk. It must serves some purpose, as it guarantees my equipment up to $25,000, in case of power surges. It slides into place on a narrow shelf, and has 6 switches for various equipment, plus a main one for all. It's about 12 inches wide, a little deeper, and is about one and a half inches tall.

Also, the door to that part of my desk locks, so really I could do either. I just figured the password option would be simpler, in case I forgot to switch the power off, and lock the door.

Cat

 

[Digerati]

For me, it's just to prevent unauthorized access to my desktop

Then assign a password to your account, set it to require a password when waking from sleep, then when you walk away, just put your computer to sleep.

 

[yodap]

I can't watch the grill & my desktop at the same time.

You could reconsider your dinner guest list.

 

[Nibiru2012]

You could reconsider your dinner guest list.

Amen to that! I think with Cat it's his relatives... stepson I think.

Ya know how that old saying goes: You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your relatives!

 

[catilley1092]

Digerati, I know how to use the screen saver option, that's what I do when I run a virus scan, I usually do this when I have errands to run. Otherwise, except for when company arrives, I don't use it. But the power switch can be held down long enough for it to shut down, to reboot.

yodap, I don't have a choice as to the dinner list, but I wished that I did. Sometimes, that's the way things are.

Nibs, you hit the nail straight on the head. I can't turn my back on anything around here with second guessing what's going on. Everything of value to me has to be kept under lock & key when I'm gone, or there's the risk of theft. A few months ago, just days after being released from the hospital for neck surgery, I had to run an errand, and forgot to put my bag of meds in the safe before leaving.

After I returned home, it was time for my meds, as riding wears me out. Some (about 20 or so) of my Demerol were gone, from a new prescription. Just so happens, that relative had a back injury from lifting weights, and had came over while I was gone. This is also the same relative that I signed for a new Jeep in '99, and the finance company was always sending letters to me on the matter.

Then a couple of weeks ago, which is why this thread is even being started, I came home after a doctor's visit, and my wife told me that something was wrong with my computer. I asked her who was using it, as she doesn't even care to use it, she said that he needed to place an order for something. So I came in here, and it had been booted into recovery mode. Fortunately, he didn't proceed with the recovery, got scared, and left, telling my wife that something was wrong with my computer, even going as far to say that I needed to "fix" it.

When you're dual booting Windows with most any variant of Linux, the last option on the boot list is Vista. But that's the recovery partition, I don't know why it even says Vista on it. Anyway, I removed Linux from that drive, and placed it on it's own.

However, that's not the point. If I open my mouth to complain about anything, the "troublemaking" flag gets thrown at me, whether I'm in the right, makes no difference in the matter. He simply refuses to allow my wife to see her granddaughter, she gets upset over it, and when it's all said and done, everything falls on me for even saying anything from the start.

So, locking down the computer from even booting would be the best option for me. That may not be the case for some, but we're all different, and there is no "all-in-one" answer here. For the time being, I'm flipping the master power switch for all of my desktop devices, and locking the door that has access to it, whenever we have company, or I go somewhere.

I'm still wondering if locking the BIOS would be the easiest (and best) option for me. It's quicker to enter a password, rather than dig out a hidden key to unlock a desk door every time I come home. As to my family situation, I cannot change that. I just need to prevent certain things from happening. I don't believe that I need to be concerned about the removal of the BIOS battery, as he doesn't even know how to install a printer properly, let alone hunting for a battery that he probably doesn't know of it's existence.

Cat

 

[Digerati]

But the power switch can be held down long enough for it to shut down, to reboot.

So what? If you assign a password to your account, they still need a password to get in after a reboot, sleep, hibernate, or switch user.

 

[lonewolfmage]

Catilley~

Believe me there is NO OFFENCE intended at all with this part of the response …. But that guy sounds like a real JERK( putting it mildly).

Be that as it is ... setting a BIOS password SHOULD (theoretically) lock out anything /one undesirable from gaining access to your system. Especially if as you said” he can’t even install a printer correctly”. I had to do this at one point on both my laptop and desktop. And it pretty much stopped them in their tracks’. Especially, for the ‘technologically challenged’.

Also what I would do is lock down each operating system, if you can, with a password. Including, the ‘hidden’ admin accounts. That way they can’t even gain access to any part of the computer.

I have seen, but never purchased, computer cases that DO have a ‘lock’ on them... They have a key, that is basically NON COPYABLE. The key is like one of these that unlock a vending machine. But in this case... it ‘cuts’ the connection to the main power. And without the key...the system won’t even power up.

Granted it’s not the most ideal thing to have to buy new hardware to curtail this issue. But sometime you got to do what you got do. And it may give you a little more “piece of mind” as far as your system is concerned.

Just some thoughts.
~Lonewolf

 

[Digerati]

Why not make him his own "limited" account? Then assign a password to your user account and if you must walk away from the computer, put it to sleep (or log off) in as little as 2 mouse clicks. Or you can even create a short cut and put it on your taskbar.

If he has a limited account, he can even have his own password. You cannot see his password, but you can always change it (effectively locking him out), or delete his account. You can limit what sites he visits. In companies, it is called administrative control. In the home environment, it is called parental control.

Assigning a BIOS password can help - but not really. Pull the battery for 30 seconds and the BIOS, along with the password, is reset.

But wasn't this about protecting your computer while you went out on the deck to flip the burgers? Suggesting that you are just a few feet away? I mean if he is such that he will make a concerted effort to crack your system, time for him or you to move out.

Another alternative is for you to give him that computer and you buy a notebook, which you lock in the safe every time you leave the room.

 

[catilley1092]

Actually, I have an install of Mint on my aged notebook, that was put there for guest usage. But IE doesn't install on Mint (except though WINE, a PITA to work with), and some refuses to use an alternate browser. I mean really, just how hard is it to use a browser, even an unfamiliar one? Bing & Google are installed onto FF, that's plenty for most anyone.

I believe that I came up with a better solution. It came to mind, when I recalled where my former next door neighbor had to lock her own bedroom off from her very own son. I went to Lowes Home Improvement, bought a Master replacement interior door lock w/deadbolt combo, this will solve things. Also, I've already arranged for the install, he put up a new entrance door for us (our landlord done this) last year, and does good work.

A solid strip of steel will be placed both on the side of the door where the locks are to be installed, and another on the door jam itself, along with the brass plate that came with the kit, so more or less, it'll take brute force to get in here.

As to my desktop, I'm not creating an account for anyone, it's a PC, meaning that it's personally mine. I don't want anyone else on here, that's my rightful decision to make.

This way, I should no longer have to be concerned about this issue. And if someone does break into here, that person will have to face the consequences of the judicial system. If someone cannot respect me in my own home, then I don't feel bad for whatever happens as the result of it, and am prepared to "bite the bullet" if necessary.

Thanks to all who had contributed to this thread, all advice that was given was taken into consideration.

This thread is considered Solved, and marked as such.

Cat

 

[Digerati]

As to my desktop, I'm not creating an account for anyone, it's a PC, meaning that it's personally mine. I don't want anyone else on here, that's my rightful decision to make.

That's how I feel about mine.