Information processing apparatus

An information processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory configured to store restriction information for imposing an access restriction on devices or functions of a device, the device(s) connected to the apparatus;
• a BIOS, stored in a BIOS-ROM and executed by the apparatus, said BIOS being configured to impose a first restriction on the devices or functions of the device when the BIOS is activated, the first restriction imposing the access restriction collectively on use of all the devices or on all of the functions of the device;
• and
• an OS that can be installed into and uninstalled from the apparatus, the OS including a restriction setting utility and a restriction controlling utility, and the restriction setting utility setting a second restriction imposing the access restriction separately on the use of each of the devices or on each of the functions of the device,
• wherein said BIOS cooperates with the OS such that:
• said BIOS imposes the first restriction on the device when the apparatus is activated,
• said restriction controlling utility of the OS receive the restriction information from the BIOS after the first restriction is imposed by the BIOS, the restriction information corresponding to the second restriction and having been stored by the BIOS in a non-volatile memory,
• said restriction controlling utility of the OS verifies whether the second restriction is currently set in an OS environment,
• said restriction controlling utility of the OS sends an instruction to remove the first restriction to said BIOS when it is verified that the second restriction has been set, and does not send the instruction to said BIOS when it is not verified that the second restriction has been set, and
• said BIOS removes the first restriction when receiving the instruction from said restriction controlling utility of the OS, and keeps imposing the first restriction when not receiving the instruction.