hi all.
I have a laptop with the following characteristics.
Brand / Model : Dell Alienware M14XR2
Processor / RAM : Intel Core i7-3630QM, 8GB
OS : Win 7 Pro SP1 (64-bit)
Drive : SSD, 256GB
I have not used it too heavily or often, so it is hardly worn-out, pretty much as good as new. Furthermore, I have never had any issues with this PC, it is stable and behaves very well.
Since I bought it (Feb 2013), I set it up so that it requires a BIOS password to start up, and also a Windows logon password, which happens only after the BIOS password is correctly entered.
It all has been working fine, always requiring first the BIOs password, and then the Windows password. All fine.
Until yesterday.
Yesterday, I pressed the turn-on button, and expected to be prompted - as usual - for the BIOS start-up password. But - to my surprise - the computer did not prompt for it, it was not required! It went on directly to request the Windows logon password. After entering that Win password, the system went on to work as it has usually done from that point onwards.
I performed several times a start-up, and in all cases, the BIOS password was not required. It consistently loads Win directly, without requiring the BIOS pw.
After seeing this, I went onto the BIOS to review it.
The time and date are correct, so apparently the BIOS has not been set to default.
Furthermore, when I attempted to make changes, it did require the password, the same one that is (or used to be!) requested at start-up.
Nobody else than me touches that laptop. I'm sure about that.
My BIG question is:
Why - all of a SUDDEN! - is the system not requiring the BIOS start-up password anymore, when nothing has been changed???
Any help is greatly appreciated.
For that, thanks in advance.
Yamil
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
PS. Please note that this request has been posted from a computer different from the subject of this thread.
I have a laptop with the following characteristics.
Brand / Model : Dell Alienware M14XR2
Processor / RAM : Intel Core i7-3630QM, 8GB
OS : Win 7 Pro SP1 (64-bit)
Drive : SSD, 256GB
I have not used it too heavily or often, so it is hardly worn-out, pretty much as good as new. Furthermore, I have never had any issues with this PC, it is stable and behaves very well.
Since I bought it (Feb 2013), I set it up so that it requires a BIOS password to start up, and also a Windows logon password, which happens only after the BIOS password is correctly entered.
It all has been working fine, always requiring first the BIOs password, and then the Windows password. All fine.
Until yesterday.
Yesterday, I pressed the turn-on button, and expected to be prompted - as usual - for the BIOS start-up password. But - to my surprise - the computer did not prompt for it, it was not required! It went on directly to request the Windows logon password. After entering that Win password, the system went on to work as it has usually done from that point onwards.
I performed several times a start-up, and in all cases, the BIOS password was not required. It consistently loads Win directly, without requiring the BIOS pw.
After seeing this, I went onto the BIOS to review it.
The time and date are correct, so apparently the BIOS has not been set to default.
Furthermore, when I attempted to make changes, it did require the password, the same one that is (or used to be!) requested at start-up.
Nobody else than me touches that laptop. I'm sure about that.
My BIG question is:
Why - all of a SUDDEN! - is the system not requiring the BIOS start-up password anymore, when nothing has been changed???
Any help is greatly appreciated.
For that, thanks in advance.
Yamil
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
PS. Please note that this request has been posted from a computer different from the subject of this thread.