Method and apparatus for preventing personal computer from being illegally used

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for preventing a personal computer from being illegally used are provided. A personal computer includes a RAM for storing a plurality of programs having application programs and an operation system, a flash memory of a BIOS ROM for storing a BIOS including a POST module for checking the state of a computer and booting the computer when power is applied and an interrupt processing module for managing peripheral equipments, a microprocessor for executing the plurality of programs and the BIOS, and a CMOS RAM for storing system information which must be maintained though power is intercepted. Both the CMOS RAM and the flash memory of the BIOS ROM respectively include areas for storing passwords. If A password input by a user is identical to a first password stored in CMOS RAM, booting the computer is processed when the first password is set in the CMOS RAM. If the first password is not set and not stored in the CMOS RAM, the password input by a user is compared with the second password stored in flash memory. When the input password is identical to the second password stored in the flash memory, booting the computer is processed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.