How well do modern MBs reset their BIOSs?

D

djsb

Limp Gawd
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Dec 22, 2009
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The last motherboard I bought, and still use, is an Abit IP-35 Pro, which has a handy CLR_CMOS switch on the back IO panel. Whenever I shop around for motherboards I always try to keep an eye out for similar features, but only a few boards have them (at reasonable prices, that is---notably ASRock boards).

I feel like I may have been spoiled, because external buttons or switches seem to be pretty rare. But the absolute last thing I want to do is have to open up my case to set the jumper manually. I've looked through a few motherboard spec sheets searching for an easy BIOS reset feature, but those sorts of features are usually given stupid marketing names that don't even hint at what they actually do.

A way to reset my BIOS without resorting to needle nosed pliers is a required feature for me. So should I assume that all boards marketed to gamers or enthusiasts have a built-in BIOS reset feature, even if no physical button is present, or should I keep looking for IO panel switches for my next board?
 
No idea as to the general availability of boards with external CMOS reset switches, but it's a trivial task to make one that would mount in an unused case slot and work with any board you buy. All it takes is 2 pieces of wire (of the desired length with the female part of the header connector attached to each), a momentary switch, a slot cover, a drill and a soldering iron. Or a friend that has these things... :)
 
The switch should be a SPDT mom-off-on type switch since 1-2 need to be normally "on" and must be disconnected and 2-3 need to be engaged momentarily to reset the BIOS. These will be rocker switches; I haven't come across any push button switches in that style.
 
I don't know about other boards, but all my Gigabyte boards have built in resets. If I put in overclock settings that are so unstable it wont boot properly, the BIOS resets back to stock. It also has a BIOS back up, in case flashing goes wrong when updating the BIOS
 
jseko said:
The switch should be a SPDT mom-off-on type switch since 1-2 need to be normally "on" and must be disconnected and 2-3 need to be engaged momentarily to reset the BIOS. These will be rocker switches; I haven't come across any push button switches in that style.
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And on boards that require this, add a third wire. Not all boards have the three pin header, but this type switch would work even on the boards with two pins only - you would just have a spare wire.

This type switch (SPDT) is available in a rocker, toggle, slide or push button package.

Push button:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062541&CAWELAID=107594925
 
EGOvoruhk said:
I don't know about other boards, but all my Gigabyte boards have built in resets. If I put in overclock settings that are so unstable it wont boot properly, the BIOS resets back to stock. It also has a BIOS back up, in case flashing goes wrong when updating the BIOS
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This.

I've had two Gigabyte X58 based boards now and both of them have the CMOS reset on the I/O panel, which is the main reason why I bought the second board instead of the Asus boards that I was looking at recently. ;)
 
One way to be sure is to download the manual for any motherboard you are considering. It will detail every button and jumper on the board. My EVGA X58 FTW3 for example has onboard push button power, reset, and CMOS clear button. It also has a second CMOS clear button on the backpanel.
 
Yeah, I don't remember the last time I had to clear the BIOS config. Even O/C as other folks noted, if the O/C fails, most BIOSes revert to stock speed. But to each his own.
 
A little trick that is commonly used if the board has the 2 pin reset jumper.

Hook up the reset button on the front of your P.C. box to the cmos pins instead of the motherboard header.

To reset a bad bios setting, first turn off the power supply and push the reset switch for 30 seconds and then turn the power supply back on. That should work just like boards with a bios reset button on the back panel.
 
djsb said:
The last motherboard I bought, and still use, is an Abit IP-35 Pro, which has a handy CLR_CMOS switch on the back IO panel. Whenever I shop around for motherboards I always try to keep an eye out for similar features, but only a few boards have them (at reasonable prices, that is---notably ASRock boards).

I feel like I may have been spoiled, because external buttons or switches seem to be pretty rare. But the absolute last thing I want to do is have to open up my case to set the jumper manually. I've looked through a few motherboard spec sheets searching for an easy BIOS reset feature, but those sorts of features are usually given stupid marketing names that don't even hint at what they actually do.

A way to reset my BIOS without resorting to needle nosed pliers is a required feature for me. So should I assume that all boards marketed to gamers or enthusiasts have a built-in BIOS reset feature, even if no physical button is present, or should I keep looking for IO panel switches for my next board?
Click to expand...

Many of the Gigabyte motherboards (except for those models that end in an "L") have such a CMOS reset button mounted near the rear ports on the back panel. (My GA-X58A-UD3R has it, but my GA-EP43-UD3L does not.)
 
The last motherboard I bought, and still use, is an Abit IP-35 Pro, which has a handy CLR_CMOS switch on the back IO panel.
Click to expand...
I know exactly what ya mean....I miss mine. :(
 
Most higher end boards have a push button clear CMOS onboard...especially ones designed for OCing. It's a little less convenient than one on the back, but it's not all that convenient. In fact, I think it's better since you don't have to worry about someone accidentally hitting it.
 
On my Asus P6t there is a button for reset bios on the board it self.
 
Michaelius said:
My asus resets itself if you turn it off and on the power supply.
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Your CMOS battery is dead. This shouldn't happen.

Most boards I've seen these days will reset their configuration data if they can't start up. It's not always good enough if the machine is stable enough to start POST, but not get into the BIOS menus or something, but most of the time it's good enough.
 
keenan said:
Your CMOS battery is dead. This shouldn't happen.

Most boards I've seen these days will reset their configuration data if they can't start up. It's not always good enough if the machine is stable enough to start POST, but not get into the BIOS menus or something, but most of the time it's good enough.
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I know what he's talking about. Sometimes it will not post, but if you cycle the power supply it will tell the board it's a failed OC when it wouldn't otherwise, so the bios resets. I've had it happen on some Asus boards.
 
I have all these old SOYO eleventybillion-in-one card readers sitting around and all of them have a reset switch on the front that plugs into the motherboard. I am surprised I never seen anything else like that.
 
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