How to Do a Master Reset of the BIOS Defaults on a Desktop Computer

The chip that stores the BIOS settings is the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor.

The basic input/output system setup is a low-level program stored to a flash memory chip on the motherboard. The BIOS provides a graphical user interface that users can navigate to change desktop computer settings, like which hardware device the PC boots from or whether an integrated device is enabled or disabled at startup. Certain BIOS settings can produce errors or cause system instability, but performing a master reset of all startup settings will revert the BIOS to its default state and restore function to the computer. You can select between fail-safe defaults, which runs the computer at its minimum performance level, or optimized defaults, which runs the system at its optimal state.

Instructions

1. Restart or turn on the desktop computer. Press the keyboard combination as shown on the boot screen to go to your computer's BIOS setup.

2. Use the directional pad to scroll to "Load Fail-Safe Defaults" or "Load Optimized Defaults." Press "Enter." If neither option is available on the main menu, press "F6" to load fail-safe defaults or press "F7" to load optimized defaults.

3. Scroll to "Save & Exit Setup," or press "F10." Press "Enter" to reset the BIOS and save your changes.

Tips & Warnings

• The BIOS program varies from computer to computer, so check the legend on the bottom of the setup screen to check which keys reset the BIOS to its default state.

References

• Gigabyte: GA-X58A-OC User's Manual (PDF)