One of the differences between a personal computer (PC) and a laptop is the presence of some additional features for customizing the operation of all hardware components. Manufacturers of laptop computers are doing everything possible to reduce the percentage of user calls to their service centers, but in the field of stationary technology the situation is completely opposite. The reason for this injustice is historical. The first PCs were quite expensive devices, and their users, for the most part, were real enthusiasts. This is now a call to a support service for help has become commonplace, and at the dawn of computing, such a service was available only to units. The desire to independently understand the work of the PC and gain access to the settings was the reason for the appearance in the computer BIOS of the ability to configure the operation of components. Here, the possibility of overclocking (unofficial increase in productivity) was later realized. On many motherboards, special copper pins-conclusions were soldered, which, being closed by jumpers in a certain order, made it possible to set the desired frequencies and multipliers, and also made it possible to reset the BIOS with a jumper.
The Basic Input / Output System (BIOS) is a small microprogram located in one of the motherboard microcircuits. Each time you turn on the PC, this program starts, tests the components, performs their configuration and gives control to the bootloader. The user can make his own adjustments to this process, for example, set frequencies, adjust voltages, boot priority, set a password, etc. In the PC, to enter the settings, press DEL immediately after turning it on. Errors in the settings, for example, an overestimated frequency, can lead to the inability to boot the computer (and even the black screen after turning it on). In this case, you need to reset the BIOS. Now it is gradually being superseded by a newer solution - UEFI, but this is a completely different story.
On modern motherboards, there are still such pins, however, with each new generation of the socket (processor socket), they are becoming less and less. This is quite natural: manufacturers of central processors are increasingly blocking the possibility of overclocking, and the operation of other components is automatically regulated (or with minimal adjustments from the BIOS). But one thing remains, as before, these are the pins that are used to reset the BIOS. They are installed on most boards, although there are options with a small button.
Why do I need to reset the BIOS? There are two main reasons: the need to reset the password and return to the factory settings. When making changes to the BIOS, you should understand what is being done and why. Otherwise, it is very easy to get an inoperative system and you have to completely reset the BIOS. All settings data are saved in the BIOS chip thanks to the tablet battery on the board. Shorting these pins with a jumper (or any other metal object) should be short-lived. In this case, the chip loses all the settings made by the user, returning the BIOS to its original state. If you want to reset the BIOS, then you can safely do this, because the opportunity itself is provided by the manufacturer of the motherboard.
In addition to resetting the settings, an update may be required after flashing the BIOS with a newer version. Despite the fact that after such an operation, changes made to the settings can be reset in the BIOS itself, hardware resetting with a jumper is more preferable. In some cases, this is the only way to ensure the stable operation of the computer after updating the BIOS.
The procedure for zeroing is as follows: turn off the computer - we find the necessary pins on the board (they are signed, for example, Clear CMOS) - close the jumper or with a metal object for 1-5 seconds - return the jumper to its original place - turn on the computer. What exactly needs to be closed can be found in the instructions for the motherboard.