Controlling access to data stored on a storage device of a computer system

Apparatus comprising:

• a computer system;
• a partitioned hard drive included in said system and having at least two partitions designated as regular partitions;
• said hard drive having a root partition and a master boot record stored in a first record of said hard drive and having a partition table;
• and
• program instructions stored accessibly to said system and operable on powering on of the system to initiate system operation;
• said program instructions enabling establishment of password protection for computer system functions;
• said program instructions enabling establishment of a first password for a designated user and a second password for a technical support person other than the designated user;
• said program instructions responding to entry of said first password by enabling full access to regular partitions on said hard drive device;
• and
• said program instructions responding to entry of said second password by modifying said partition table in said master boot record and relocating portions thereof to restrict access to certain of the regular partitions on said hard drive.

A method comprising the steps of:

• executing, in a computer system having an accessible partitioned storage device, program instructions effective on powering on of the system to initiate system operation;
• distinguishing by execution of the program instructions between a requirement for entry of at least one password and no requirement for entry of a password;
• prompting an operator of the system to enter a password by the execution of the program instructions in response to a determination that entry of a password is required;
• distinguishing by execution of the program instructions in response to entry of a password between entry of a first password identifying a designated user and a second password identifying a technical support person;
• enabling full access to partitions on the storage device by execution of the program instructions in response to entry of the first password;
• and
• restricting access to a subset of the partitions on the storage device by execution of the program instructions in response to entry of the second password.

A method comprising the steps of:

• executing, in a computer system having an accessible partitioned hard drive, program instructions effective on powering on of the system to initiate system operation;
• distinguishing by execution of the program instructions between a requirement for entry of at least one password and no requirement for entry of a password;
• prompting an operator of the system to enter a password by the execution of the program instructions in response to a determination that entry of a password is required;
• distinguishing by execution of the program instructions in response to entry of a password between entry of a first password identifying a designated user and a second password identifying a technical support person;
• enabling full access to regular partitions on the hard drive by execution of the program instructions in response to entry of the first password;
• modifying a partition table in a master boot record and relocating a portion thereof by execution of the program instructions in response to entry of the second password and restricting access to a subset of the regular partitions on the hard drive;
• and
• setting a marker for maximum storage capability at a boundary between a partition to which access is granted an a partition to which access is restricted.

Apparatus comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• and
• program instructions stored on said medium accessibly to a computer system,
• said program instructions when executing on a computer system:
• distinguishing between a requirement for entry of at least one password and no requirement for entry of a password;
• prompting an operator of the system to enter a password in response to a determination that entry of a password is required;
• distinguishing in response to entry of a password between entry of a first password identifying a designated user and a second password identifying a technical support person;
• enabling full access to partitions on an accessible partitioned storage device component of the system in response to entry of the first password;
• and
• restricting access to a subset of the partitions on the storage device in response to entry of the second password.

A method comprising the steps of:

• configuring a computer system to have an accessible partitioned storage device;
• configuring the system to distinguish:
• (a) between a requirement for entry of at least one password and no requirement for entry of a password and
• (b) in the event that entry of a password is required, between entry of a first password identifying a designated user and a second password identifying a technical support person;
• and
• configuring the system to respond:
• (d) to entry of the first password by enabling full access to partitions on the storage device;
• (e) to entry of the second password by enabling access to a subset of the partitions on the storage device.