▷ How to reset the bios of the motherboard

Learn how to clear BIOS settings from your motherboard

Clearing the CMOS from your motherboard will reset the BIOS settings to their factory defaults, the settings that the motherboard manufacturer decided were the ones that most people would use. You may also want to clear CMOS to reset a BIOS or system-level password, or if you've been making changes to the BIOS that you suspect have now caused some sort of problem.

We recommend reading our post on the best motherboards on the market

Here are three very different ways to clear CMOS and reset your motherboard's BIOS. Any method is as good as any other, but you can find one of them easier. After clearing the CMOS, you may need to access the BIOS setup utility and reconfigure some of your hardware settings. If you did overclocking related, you will have to make those changes again after resetting the BIOS.

Clear CMOS with “Factory Defaults” option

The easiest way to clear the CMOS is to enter the BIOS setup utility and choose to reset the BIOS settings to their factory default levels. The exact menu option in your particular motherboard's BIOS may differ, but look for phrases like reset to defaults, factory defaults, clean BIOS, load configuration defaults, etc. Each manufacturer seems to have its own way of writing it.

The BIOS setup option is usually located near the bottom of the screen, or at the bottom of the BIOS options, depending on the structure. If you're having trouble finding it, look close to where the Save or Save and Exit options are because they're usually around them.

Finally choose to save the settings and then reboot the PC.

Remove CMOS battery

Another way to clear CMOS is to remove and reattach the CMOS battery. Start by making sure your PC is unplugged. If you are using a laptop, be sure to also remove the main battery. Next, open the chassis of your desktop PC or find and open the small CMOS battery panel if you're using a laptop. Finally, remove the CMOS battery for a few minutes, and then put it back in. Close the chassis or battery panel, and then plug it back into the power.

By disconnecting and then reconnecting the CMOS battery, you remove the power source that saves your PC's BIOS settings, resetting it to the default. The laptop's CMOS battery is wrapped in a special package and connects to the motherboard through the white 2-pin connector. The CMOS battery in most desktops is much easier to find and looks like a large button-type battery like you would find in small toys or traditional watches.

Clear CMOS using the jumper jumper on the motherboard

Another way to remove CMOS is to attach the CLEAR CMOS jumper on your motherboard, assuming you have one. Most desktop motherboards will have a bridge like this, but most laptops won't.

Make sure your PC is unplugged and then open it. Look around the surface of the motherboard to see a jumper labeled CLEAR CMOS, which will be located on the motherboard and near the bridge. These jumpers are usually located near the BIOS chip or next to the CMOS battery. Some other names by which you can see this tagged bridge include CLRPWD, PASSWORD, or just ERASE.

Move the small plastic 2-pin jumper on top of each other, or remove the jumper entirely if it is a 2-pin setup. Any confusion can be cleared up by reviewing the CMOS clearing steps outlined in the motherboard manual.

Turn the PC back on and make sure the BIOS settings have been reset or the system password is now cleared, if that's why you were clearing the CMOS. If all is well, turn off the PC, return the jumper to its original position, and then turn on the computer again.

This ends our article on how to reset the BIOS of the motherboard, remember that you can leave a comment if you have any questions or need clarification.