Re: local security workaround through IE

[sarnold () WILLAMETTE EDU (Seth R Arnold)]

* Andrew Bennieston <andrew () BENNIESTON FREESERVE CO UK> [000331 18:21]:
> Unless, of course the boot keys have been disabled. Even then you can use a
> DOS boot floppy.
> Also - How can I get into Safe Mode if I have a boot floppy, and the boot
> keys have been disabled on a PC? Is it some parameter on win.com??

Remember this well: if someone has physical access to your machine, they
can do as they please with it. So, if you want the machine to be more
secure but you still need a floppy, ensure the BIOS settings do not
allow floppy boots, the BIOS is password protected, and the case is
locked. (Every BIOS password I have seen is easily defeated with one
jumper on the motherboard. So make the motherboard tough to reach. :)

As for the "boot keys" (<F8> menu, etc) that is a line set in the
c:\msdos.sys file (nowadays a text file) -- but I don't run windows any
more, so I can't tell you exactly what it is. Look for "GUI". :)

Oh wait. That isn't your question.

If your boot floppy won't boot because the BIOS is set to boot to the
hard drive before the floppy, the only place to change that behavior is
in the BIOS. (Or, using a new MBR program, similar to the 'mbr' package
in Debian and other Linux distributions.)

Hope this helps.

--
Seth Arnold | http://www.willamette.edu/~sarnold/
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