Password on Boot can not get past - System password disabled

Hello,

I am new to Dell and Dell Servers. Normally I have been an HP Server guy.

I thought I should start to learn a bit about the Dell Servers and purchased a Dell 2950iii on E-Bay to work with and use as a firewall appliance.

I am not able to boot the system up and get past a password. The system runs, able to get to BIOS and everything just fine, just can't seem to get past the password prompt.

1. I did perform the lost system password recovery. - It worked.

2. I also cleared the NVram and set the bios to factory defaults.

3. I was able to set the setup and system password, and it works.

4. I was able to disable the system password by putting in the password and pressing ctrl + enter and it accepted and disabled the system password.

yet I am still asked for a password before it will boot the system up.

What password is it looking for?

I am not using the TPM and even in setup bios I cleared the TPM. I believe I still have the TPM off or disabled. I have the raid card and also the remote management card installed as well.

Can I pull the TPM chip / module off the 2950 motherboard if it is like that assuming the password prompt is coming from the TPM?

I set the setup and system passwords to "password"  and was able to turn off the system password by entering in the first time is asked for the password - password ( thin press ctrl + enter)  and it said accepted and disabled.

It continues to boot a little further and then I get a prompt for a password again.  I try entering in the password "password" that I had set in the security settings on the bios. I even tried Calvin and calvin, also just pressing enter does not work. I just can not get past that password and have no idea what is triggering the password and what I need to enter or how to disable this password prompt.

I was able to install three SSD drives in the  RAID 1 configuration on the RAID controller and was able to boot off the install media and install Sophos XG to the RAID volume / disk just fine, the OS / software installed without issues. I just can't get the server to get past this password to boot up.

Any ideas to try?

Chad