What does resetting BIOS do?
Resetting BIOS changes the BIOS configuration to the last saved configuration on your computer. It resets things such as boot order, EPROM chips and BIOS password.
- Boot order
- Memory chips
- BIOS password
Table of Contents
Boot order
In case your boot order, that is the sequence of detecting the programs to launch the operating system of your computer, is changed and is causing issues, resetting the BIOS will reset the boot order to its default settings.
Memory chips
If you wish to clear the data stored on EPROM chips or the RAM is causing a blank screen on your computer, resetting the BIOS is a great way to troubleshoot these problems and fix them.
BIOS password
If you forget the BIOS password and are unable to access the main computer screen, you can simply reset the BIOS to reset the password.
What happens if I reset BIOS to factory settings?
If you reset the BIOS to factory settings, it will change the BIOS configuration to what it was when the computer was shipped from the manufacturing unit. The BIOS settings are changed to the original settings in your computer when it was brand new.
When you reset the BIOS to factory settings, it doesn’t erase any data or change the configuration of the Windows operating system. It only resets specifications such as boot order, BIOS password, hardware configuration and so on. So you don’t have to worry about losing your data or Windows while resetting the BIOS.
Is it safe to reset BIOS back to default?
Yes, it’s safe to reset BIOS back to the default settings. Resetting the BIOS back to the default settings improves the working of the motherboard by changing the settings to factory defaults. It helps the motherboard to function more optimally.
When you reset the BIOS, it won’t affect the Windows OS of your computer or mess up with any data stored in your computer hard drives.
As a matter of fact, resetting the BIOS configuration is the best way to troubleshoot most of the computer hardware and software issues such as GPU problems, RAM problems, motherboard and battery issues and so on.
In case you want to eliminate the issue related to BIOS password and computer hardware, reset the BIOS to load optimized defaults.
On the other hand, if you want to diagnose the issue and find its origin, reset the computer BIOS to load fail-safe defaults.
When should you reset your BIOS?
You should reset your BIOS when you forget the BIOS password or encounter computer booting problems or your BIOS is experiencing a failed overclocking setup.
You must also reset the BIOS if you are having hardware issues like RAM not working, CPU and GPU not recognized by the computer and so on.
Resetting BIOS is a great way of diagnosing and addressing the hardware issues and fixing the problem of computers not booting up because of a forgotten BIOS password.
Resetting the BIOS of your computer changes the settings to their last saved configuration. So you can fix the problem and reset the other settings later on.
It is very easy to reset the BIOS. There are two types of settings that you can reset your BIOS to. One is load optimized defaults and the other one is load fail-safe defaults.
The load optimized default settings help to reset the BIOS to its factory settings whereas load fail-safe defaults helps to identify the origin of problems occurring in the computer hardware.
You can reset the BIOS to the default settings in three simple ways (which is discussed in detail later in this article).
What are load Optimized defaults in BIOS?
Load Optimized defaults in BIOS uses many performance parameters in BIOS and resets the BIOS settings to the factory default settings. The default settings are generally optimized according to the system hardware.
When you reset the BIOS to load optimized defaults, it resets the BIOS passwords, boot order and resets the hardware as well. If you have installed new hardware like an upgraded RAM, it is good to reset BIOS to load optimized default settings.
To reset the BIOS of your computer to load optimized defaults, restart your computer and press the “Del” key or the key specified by your manufacturer’s owner’s manual to enter BIOS setup.
Then Select the “Exit” tab in the BIOS menu. Select the “Load Optimized Defaults” option. Press the “Enter” key to load default settings. Click the “Save settings and Exit” button to get out of the BIOS setup.
What are load fail-safe defaults in BIOS?
Load fail-safe defaults setting in BIOS activates the minimum performance parameters in BIOS. It is done to find the origin of problems in the BIOS of your computer.
To set the BIOS to load fail-safe default settings, launch the CMOS setup. Use the arrow keys to navigate to the “Load Fail-Safe Defaults” or “Reset the CMOS value to default settings” option. Click the “Save Changes and Exit” button to exit setup.
Will resetting the BIOS erase data?
No, resetting BIOS only erases the BIOS configurations and things like RAM, EPROM chips and flashes. It doesn’t erase any data stored in HDDs and SSDs. A BIOS reset doesn’t change the BIOS version as well.
Does resetting BIOS erase Windows?
No, resetting BIOS doesn’t erase Windows. It only erases the current BIOS settings and configuration to revert them to their factory default options. Windows can only be erased if you do so intentionally.
How resetting BIOS affects Windows?
Resetting BIOS doesn’t affect Windows. It only changes the BIOS configuration to the factory settings. It doesn’t erase any data stored on the hard drives as well. So you don’t have to worry about losing your Windows and its settings after resetting the BIOS.
Can you reset Windows 10 from BIOS?
You cannot reset Windows 10 from BIOS. Even if you reset BIOS settings to default settings, it will not reset Windows 10. It will only reset the BIOS settings.
You can, however, reset Windows 10 from the main desktop screen. To do this, firstly ensure an uninterrupted power supply. Press the “Windows” key and go to the “Settings” option.
Find the “Update and Security” option and click it. Select “Recovery” from the left panel. Under the “Reset this PC” option, click the “Get Started” option. Follow the prompts and instructions.
Click the “Next” button and wait for some time to reset your computer. When the reset process completes, Windows 10 will restart itself and you will see the login screen.
How to reset BIOS to default
You can reset BIOS to default in three ways, by resetting internally from BIOS setup, replacing the CMOS battery and by clearing the motherboard jumper. Follow the steps given below to reset BIOS to default by each of these ways.
- To reset the BIOS internally from the setup, restart your computer and press and hold the “Shift” key. Keep pressing the key until you see a blue screen showing “Advanced troubleshooting options”.
- Go to “Settings” in the “Start” menu of the setup.
- Click the “Update and Security” option. From the list of options on the left-hand side of the window, click the “Recovery” button.
- Click the “Restart now” button under the “Advanced Setup” heading to restart the computer.
- When the blue screen appears with advanced troubleshooting options, click the “Troubleshoot” button. Click “Advanced options” from the new window.
- Select the “UEFI Firmware Settings” option and click the “Restart” button to continue. Look for options like “Load Default Options” or “Load Setup Defaults” and click on them to reset the BIOS. Save the settings and exit the setup.
To reset the BIOS by replacing the CMOS battery, remove the main power supply of your computer and disconnect all the connections. Ensure proper grounding of your computer to prevent any damage.
Take the computer cover off and find the motherboard. Remove the CMOS battery from the motherboard and wait for five to seven minutes.
Reconnect the battery in the motherboard back and assemble everything as it was before. This will reset the BIOS.
To reset the BIOS settings to default by clearing the motherboard jumpers, shut down your computer and disconnect all the connections and devices including the main power supply. Ensure proper grounding of your computer.
Open your owner’s manual and follow the instructions to clear the motherboard jumper. It is important to follow the right instructions depending upon the specifications of your computer.