PC CMOS Cleaner is a specialized bootable utility designed to reset BIOS/UEFI passwords and restore motherboard settings to factory defaults when you are locked out .
The following guide explains how to prepare and use the PC CMOS Cleaner 2.0 USB boot version to regain access to your system. Phase 1: Preparing the Bootable USB
Since this is a bootable tool, you must create the media on a working computer before using it on the locked PC.
Download the ISO: Obtain the PCCMOSCleaner.iso (Version 2.0). It is often bundled in repair toolkits like the Ultimate Boot CD .
Create the USB: Use a tool like Rufus or RMPrepUSB to "burn" the ISO to a USB drive . Select your USB drive. Choose the ISO file.
Ensure the partition scheme matches your target PC (use MBR for older BIOS or GPT for newer UEFI) .
Verify: Ensure the files are successfully written to the drive before proceeding. Phase 2: Booting the Locked PC
Insert the USB: Plug the drive into a USB 2.0 port if possible, as some boot tools have better compatibility with older ports .
Access Boot Menu: Turn on the PC and immediately tap the Boot Menu Key (commonly F12, F11, F8, or Esc depending on the manufacturer) .
Select USB: Choose your USB drive from the list to start the PC CMOS Cleaner environment . Phase 3: Using PC CMOS Cleaner 2.0 Once the Linux-based interface loads, follow these steps:
Step 1: The program will scan for compatible BIOS/CMOS chips. Step 2: You will usually see two primary options:
Choice 1: Reset Password: Attempts to clear only the supervisor/user password while keeping other settings. pc cmos cleaner 20 usb boot verified
Choice 2: Reset BIOS to Factory Defaults: This wipes all custom settings, including the password, effectively "cleaning" the CMOS .
Step 3: Confirm the action and wait for the "Success" message. Step 4: Reboot the system and remove the USB drive. Troubleshooting & Alternatives
If the USB fails to boot or cannot clear the password, you may need to use hardware methods: How To Reset Bios (CMOS)
The tool reads bytes from 0x00 to 0x7F (or extended to 0xFF on newer chips). It calculates a CRC32 or Adler-32 checksum.
Who should buy: IT technicians, motherboard reviewers, used PC refurbishers, and advanced users who frequently encounter forgotten BIOS passwords.
Who should avoid: Casual users (just remove the CMOS battery instead) or anyone with a mission-critical BitLocker system without recovery keys.
Rating: 4.2/5
Deducted points for inconsistent laptop support and Secure Boot friction. However, for desktop motherboards and older laptops, it’s a time-saving gem—provided you verify the checksum yourself before writing to USB.
Tip: Always back up existing BIOS settings using a tool like
UEFI ShellorAFUWinbefore running CMOS cleaner 2.0, especially on OEM systems (HP, Dell, Lenovo).
PC CMOS Cleaner 2.0 is a free Linux-based recovery tool designed to recover, delete, or decode BIOS passwords and reset the BIOS to its factory state. It is particularly useful when hardware-based reset methods like jumpers or battery removal are inconvenient or when you need to recover a lost password without losing other settings. Guide to Using PC CMOS Cleaner 2.0
Since this tool is an ISO-based utility, you must create a bootable USB drive to use it. 1. Preparation & Tool Gathering
Download the ISO: Obtain the PC CMOS Cleaner 2.0 ISO file from a reputable source like SourceForge. PC CMOS Cleaner is a specialized bootable utility
Bootable USB Creator: Use a tool like Rufus or the BalenaEtcher to burn the ISO to a USB flash drive.
USB Drive: A standard USB 2.0 or 3.0 drive with at least 512MB of space is sufficient. 2. Creating the Bootable USB Insert your USB drive into a working PC. Open Rufus and select your USB drive under "Device." Click "Select" and choose the pccmoscleaner.iso file.
Ensure the "Partition scheme" is set to MBR (most compatible with older BIOS) and the "File system" is FAT32. Click "Start" to create the drive. 3. Booting the Target PC Plug the bootable USB into the locked or problematic PC.
Power on the PC and immediately tap the Boot Menu key (commonly F12, F11, F10, or ESC).
Select your USB Flash Drive from the list to boot into the Linux environment. 4. Clearing the CMOS/BIOS Password Once the PC CMOS Cleaner interface loads:
Click Next: The tool will automatically detect the BIOS type (Award, AMI, Phoenix, etc.). Select Action:
Choice 1 (Password Recovery): Attempts to decrypt and display the existing BIOS password.
Choice 2 (Full Reset): Clears the CMOS entirely, resetting all BIOS settings to factory defaults (this effectively removes any password).
Confirm and Restart: After the process completes, shut down the PC, remove the USB, and restart. You should now be able to enter the BIOS without a password. Alternative Hardware Methods
If the USB boot method fails or you cannot access the boot menu, use these manual methods:
CMOS Jumper: Locate the 2 or 3-pin jumper labeled CLR_CMOS or JBAT1. Move the jumper or short the pins with a screwdriver for 10 seconds while the PC is off. Tip: Always back up existing BIOS settings using
CMOS Battery: Remove the silver CR2032 coin-cell battery for 5 minutes, then reinstall it to drain the CMOS memory.
PC CMOS Cleaner 2.0 is a bootable recovery tool used primarily to reset, recover, or remove BIOS/CMOS passwords
and restore motherboard settings to factory defaults. It is designed for situations where you are locked out of the BIOS or cannot boot due to misconfigured hardware settings. Key Features Password Recovery:
Can remove "Power on" or "Setup" passwords for most BIOS brands (Award, AMI, Phoenix, etc.). Reset Settings:
Clears corrupted or unstable CMOS settings like aggressive overclocks that prevent the system from passing the POST (Power-On Self-Test). Non-Destructive:
Resets configuration settings without affecting the data on your hard drive or the BIOS firmware version. How to Use PC CMOS Cleaner 2.0 (USB Boot) Prepare the Bootable USB: Use a tool like Rufus or the Microsoft Media Creation Tool to burn the PC CMOS Cleaner ISO onto a USB drive. Configure Boot Order: Insert the USB and restart your computer. key (e.g., F9 for
, or F11/F8 for others) to select the USB drive as the primary boot device. If your system uses UEFI, you may need to disable Secure Boot in the BIOS first to allow the USB to boot. Run the Cleaner:
Once the environment loads, follow the on-screen prompts to "Clean CMOS" or "Reset BIOS Password." Alternatives for Manual Reset
If the bootable USB method is unavailable, you can manually clear the CMOS using hardware methods:
Since "PC CMOS Cleaner" is a legacy utility (popular in the late 2000s/early 2010s) and typically runs as a bootable ISO, the "USB Boot Verified" aspect refers to the process of creating the boot media and confirming it loads on modern hardware.
Below is a technical brief/paper structured around the verification and usage of this specific tool.