System and method for secure O.S. boot from password-protected HDD

• US 20070005951A1
• Filed: 06/29/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Davis, Mark, Challener, David, Springfield, Randall, Waltermann, Rod
• Granted Patent: US 7,624,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/80 in storage media based on magnetic or optical technology, e.g. disks with sectors preventing unauthorised reproduction or copying of disc-type recordable media G11B20/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2131 Lost password, e.g. recovery of lost or forgotten passwords

Abstract

If a user forgets the power-on password of his computer, he can depress the “enter” key or “access” key once to cause the BIOS to locate the power-on password in memory and attempt to unlock the HDD using the power-on password to boot a secure O.S. The HDD password either can be the same as the power-on password or the HDD can recognize the power-on password for the limited purpose of allowing access to the secure O.S. In any case, the secure O.S. is booted for password reset.

Claims

1. A method for booting a computer with a secure O.S., comprising:

in lieu of an power-on password, receiving a key signal from an input device operatively connected to the computer;

in response to the key signal and without further user interaction, executing a BIOS in the computer to retrieve from a memory associated with the computer the power-on password;

if a hard disk drive (HDD) associated with the computer is locked with a HDD password, sending the power-on password to the HDD to attempt to at least conditionally unlock the HDD; and

booting a secure O.S. from the HDD if the power-on password at least conditionally unlocks the HDD.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the key signal is generated by one and only one press of a single input element on the input device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the HDD password is different from the power-on password, and the HDD recognizes the power-on password only for the purpose of granting access to the secure O.S.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the HDD password is the same as the power-on password, with access to the HDD being granted upon reception of the power-on password.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the input element is an “

enter”

key on a computer keyboard.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the input element is an “

access”

key on a computer keyboard.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein if the HDD is not at least conditionally unlocked by the power-on password, at least one of:

an optical disk associated with the computer, or a network associated with the computer, is accessed to obtain a boot copy of the secure O.S.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the secure O.S. is located on the HDD using at least a logical block address (LBA) in a master boot record (MBR) sector.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the key signal is generated upon initial use of the computer as indication of the user agreeing to register the computer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer is registered to the user at a vendor facility and the power-on password is set to a random value at the vendor facility, the key signal being generated by the user to reset the power-on password to a user-defined value.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the power-on password is set to a random value at a vendor facility and a supervisor password associated with the BIOS is set to a registration value at the vendor facility, an attempt to reset the power-on password by generating the key signal and booting the secure O.S. failing, the method then entering a registration mode.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the power-on password is set to a random value at a vendor facility and a supervisor password associated with the BIOS is cleared at the vendor facility, a registration bit being set to “

register”

to cause booting of the secure O.S. in a registration mode in response to an initial generation of the key signal by the user.

13. A computer bootable with a secure O.S., comprising:

a key signal generating element on an input device of the computer, the key signal generating element generating a key signal when a user manipulates the key signal generating element once and only once during a BIOS boot sequence;

logic implemented in the computer for, in response to the key signal and without further user interaction, retrieving from a memory associated in the computer an power-on password;

logic implemented in the computer for sending the power-on password to the HDD; and

logic for booting a secure O.S. from the HDD if the power-on password at least conditionally unlocks the HDD.

14. The computer of claim 13, wherein the HDD password is different from the power-on password, and the HDD recognizes the power-on password only for the purpose of granting access to the secure O.S.

15. The computer of claim 13, wherein the HDD password is the same as the power-on password, with access to the HDD being granted upon reception of the power-on password.

16. The computer of claim 13, wherein the input element is an “

enter”

key on a computer keyboard or an “

access”

key on a computer keyboard.

17. The computer of claim 13, wherein if the HDD is not at least conditionally unlocked by the power-on password, logic is executed such that at least one of:

an optical disk associated with the computer, or a network associated with the computer, is accessed to obtain a boot copy of the secure O.S.

18. The computer of claim 13, wherein the secure O.S. is located on the HDD using at least a logical block address (LBA) in a master boot record (MBR) sector.

19. The computer of claim 13, wherein the key signal is generated upon initial use of the computer as indication of the user agreeing to register the computer.

20. The computer of claim 13, wherein the computer is registered to the user at a vendor facility and the power-on password is set to a random value at the vendor facility, the key signal being generated by the user to reset the power-on password to a user-defined value.

21. The computer of claim 13, wherein the power-on password is set to a random value at a vendor facility and a supervisor password associated with the BIOS is set to a registration value at the vendor facility, an attempt to reset the power-on password by generating the key signal and booting the secure O.S. failing, the method then entering a registration mode.

22. The computer of claim 13, wherein the power-on password is set to a random value at a vendor facility and a supervisor password associated with the BIOS is cleared at the vendor facility, a registration bit being set to “

register”

to cause booting of the secure O.S. in a registration mode in response to an initial generation of the key signal by the user.

23. A computer booting system, comprising:

means for generating a signal by manipulating an input element;

means for, in response to the signal, automatically retrieving an power-on password from memory of a computer, the signal being a different value than the power-on password;

means for sending the power-on password to a HDD to permit access to a secure O.S. on the HDD; and

means for booting the secure O.S. from the HDD.