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To reset motherboard BIOS or UEFI settings, use Load Optimized Defaults from setup if you can enter it. If you cannot, clear CMOS using the exact button, jumper, or battery procedure in your motherboard manual. A reset restores configuration values; it is not a guaranteed fix for every startup problem, and it may not remove a password.
BIOS defaults and clearing CMOS: what is the difference?
Loading defaults from BIOS/UEFI setup changes configuration values through the firmware interface. Clearing CMOS or RTC settings is a hardware-level method that prompts the board to restore its setup values. Both can help undo problematic settings, such as unstable CPU or memory configuration, but neither is a universal repair for a no-boot or no-display fault.
The right hardware procedure depends on the motherboard’s exact model and revision. Manufacturers use different controls, pin locations, and wait times, so do not assume one board’s instructions apply to another.
Which reset method should you use?
| Method | Use it when | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| Load defaults in setup | The computer can enter BIOS/UEFI setup. | Select the setup’s defaults option, save, and restart. This avoids opening the case. |
| Clear CMOS button or jumper/header | Setup is inaccessible and the manual documents a button or reset pins. | Power down and disconnect AC power, then follow the board-specific control and timing instructions. |
| Remove and reinstall the battery | The manual specifies battery removal, or its documented CMOS-clear method requires it. | Disconnect AC power, remove the battery as instructed, wait for the specified period, then reinstall it with the correct polarity. |
How to reset settings from BIOS/UEFI setup
- Restart the computer and enter BIOS/UEFI setup using the key or method specified for your motherboard or computer.
- Choose Load Optimized Defaults or the equivalent option. ASUS’s guide uses F5 to load defaults; the label and shortcut vary by model.
- Save the changes and restart. ASUS describes F10 for saving; check your screen or manual for the correct command on your board.
How do I clear CMOS?
If setup cannot be reached, first identify the motherboard’s exact model and revision, then use its manual to locate the documented CMOS reset method. Intel’s general guidance explains that jumper position, location, and wait time vary by board; ASUS also describes a button, CLRTC pins, and battery removal. Its 5–10 second interval applies to the button/header examples in that guide, not to every motherboard. Intel: How to Clear CMOS · ASUS: How to Clear CMOS
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Use a Clear CMOS button or jumper/header
- Shut down the computer and disconnect its AC power cord.
- Find the Clear CMOS button or the labeled jumper/header in the board manual. Follow its exact position, sequence, and timing; do not short pins based on a different model’s instructions.
- Reconnect power and start the computer. If the manual specifies additional steps, follow those before powering on.
Remove the battery only if the manual supports that method
- Shut down and disconnect AC power before opening the system.
- Check whether the board has a removable coin cell or a wired battery, and follow the manual’s removal and wait instructions. Intel’s general article says to remove the battery for 1–5 minutes; that interval is not a universal instruction. ASUS notes that its documented battery method may also require using the Clear CMOS control.
- Reinstall the battery as directed, preserving polarity where applicable, then reconnect power and start the computer.
Some boards use a wired battery or a different arrangement rather than a removable coin cell. ASUS identifies a CR2032 3V CMOS battery for the holder replacement procedure it documents; use that type only if your board’s existing battery and manual call for it.
What to do after the reset
Clearing CMOS can reset the clock/date and setup parameters. Enter setup after startup, restore the date and time, load optimized defaults if prompted, then save. Intel likewise notes that date and time should be reset after clearing CMOS. Intel: BIOS recovery and CMOS guidance
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Will clearing CMOS remove a BIOS password?
Not necessarily. Password behavior depends on the board and, on some models, on an option selected when the password was configured. MSI says clearing CMOS restores defaults only under the specified password-configuration condition; if the password remains, contact MSI service rather than assuming another reset will remove it. A model-specific manual may state a different result: for example, the Supermicro X14SAE/X14SAE-F manual says its documented pad procedure also clears passwords. MSI: BIOS password guidance · Supermicro X14SAE/X14SAE-F manual
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If the computer still will not boot
A CMOS clear resets setup values; it does not reinstall or recover BIOS firmware. If the problem began after a BIOS update and clearing CMOS does not restore startup, consult the manufacturer’s BIOS recovery instructions for the exact board. Intel specifically points to BIOS recovery for a no-boot condition that remains after clearing CMOS. For persistent password or recovery problems, use the manufacturer’s support guidance rather than repeating an unsupported procedure.
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