Can a Power on password be bypassed/removed in ProDesk600

[macscotia]

We have a user who is very computer savvy and gives us a lot of problems and headaches.  We want to stop him from  playing around with his computer.  We recently locked down his Windows security but he is familiar with images and Acronis and made an image of his hard drive before the changes.  With the Prodesk600, the bios gives us the abiltiy to have both a power-on password as well as a bios admin password and I would like to set both of them on his computer.  However  I've done some research and it used to be possible to bypass these simply by pulling the CMOS battery.  Is that still true for even new models like the Prodesk 600(manufacture date 2015 approx)?  If pulling the battery removes these passwords, is there anything else we can do to lock down his PC? 

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

In the BIOS's security menu, there should be an option to enable stringent security.

That prevents anyone from being able to clear any BIOS passwords.

BTW, there is a green jumper to clear the password on all HP business desktops for a long time...certainly at least for 12 years.  Stringent security came to be on the dc7900 models (an ancestor of the Prodesk 600).

Removing the CMOS battery does not clear a BIOS password, even if stringent security is not enabled.

Make sure you record the BIOS password, because if you ever forget it and stringent security is enabled, you will need to replace the motherboard in order to access the PC's BIOS.

Removing the green BIOS Pswd jumper with stringent security enabled does nothing.

[macscotia]

Thank you for the reply and the information.  I was not aware of the stringent security parameter but I think it may be our best answer in this case.   Much appreciated!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

If you don't want that person tinkering with the BIOS settings, that will definitely take care of that, and he will be absolutely powerless to circumvent the P/W.

Of course you will need to set different passwords for the power on, and BIOS settings.