Q I took a tip off the PC World cover CD and tried to set up a CMOS password. I have an AI5TH motherboard. I have installed a password to access the Setup feature on startup, and also have a password for "Supervisor" and "User". I have used the same password in all three instances and they appear to have been accepted. My machine, however, continues to boot merrily away and only prompts me for the Windows password (which really does not stop anyone from accessing my files).

A Many systems have separate Setup and System passwords. Other systems let you choose whether to create a Setup or System password. This is true of my own computer which has an Award Modular BIOS. Of course they do not place this setting in the same location where you set the password! On my computer this was found in the BIOS Features Setup. A Setup password means the computer boots as normal and you only enter the password when you access the BIOS (CMOS) setup. If you set it to System you will be prompted for a password on system boot up.

Some computers have jumper switches which enable or disable the password. Certainly this was true of older model Compaq computers. So check your motherboard's documentation and look through all your BIOS screens for a setting that may be disabling the System password.