PC CMOS Cleaner Professional BIOS and CMOS Recovery App

3.54/5 (26 Reviews)

PC CMOS Cleaner is an easy-to-use tool to recover, delete, decode and display the superior passwords stored in BIOS whatever the brand is.

System Utilities System Optimization Open Source / Freeware
FREE DOWNLOAD (v2.0)
File Size: 59MB | Safe & Verified

Key Features of PC CMOS Cleaner

  • PC CMOS Cleaner is a vital utility for system administrators and users who have lost access to their computer BIOS due to forgotten passwords.
  • This open-source tool functions by booting from a specialized Linux-based environment, allowing it to bypass the operating system and interact directly with the hardware.
  • It is compatible with almost all x86 and x86_64 motherboards, supporting major BIOS manufacturers like Award, AMI, Phoenix, and Compaq.
  • In 2026, it remains a top choice for hardware maintenance and recovery.
  • The software offers two primary functions: displaying the stored BIOS passwords or completely wiping the CMOS RAM to reset settings to a factory-fresh state.
  • This is particularly useful for clearing \"Power-On\" passwords that prevent a system from starting up.
  • Because it operates outside of Windows, it is a safe and verified method for hardware recovery that does not risk your personal data.
  • It is an essential part of any technician digital toolkit, providing a reliable way to regain control over hardware configurations without requiring a CMOS battery removal.

How to Reset BIOS Passwords with PC CMOS Cleaner

PC CMOS Cleaner is a powerful utility designed to recover, decode, or wipe BIOS passwords and reset CMOS settings to factory defaults. Follow these steps to deploy it via a bootable USB:

  1. Prepare Your Bootable USB
    Use RMPrepUSB to format your USB drive as MSDOS+FAT32. Install Grub4Dos to ensure the drive is bootable, and copy the Parted Magic ISO and the pccmoscleaner.txz module to the appropriate folders.
  2. Boot from the USB Drive
    Insert the USB into the target computer and restart. Enter your Boot Menu (usually F12, F11, or Esc) and select the USB drive. Choose PC CMOS Cleaner and Parted Magic from the Grub4Dos menu.
  3. Launch PC CMOS Cleaner
    Once the Parted Magic desktop loads, click on the Disk (Start) icon, navigate to System Tools, and select PC CMOS Cleaner to initialize the utility.
  4. Scan and Clear Passwords
    Follow the on-screen prompts. The tool will scan for existing BIOS passwords. You can then choose to display the "backdoor" passwords found or click Next to completely wipe the CMOS settings and remove the password restriction.
Pro Tip: After clearing the CMOS, your system clock will reset. Be sure to enter the BIOS and set the correct Date and Time immediately, otherwise Windows may experience activation errors or SSL certificate issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the hardware. PC CMOS Cleaner works best on older systems and desktop PCs. Many modern laptops store passwords in an EEPROM chip rather than the volatile CMOS memory, making them resistant to software-based clearing tools.

Settings will return to factory defaults. This includes your boot order, SATA mode (IDE/AHCI), and system time. If your computer fails to boot into Windows after a reset, you may need to re-configure the SATA controller mode in the BIOS.

No. PC CMOS Cleaner runs in a Linux-based "Live" environment (Parted Magic) outside of your Windows OS. This allows it to access hardware-level CMOS data regardless of your Windows user permissions or password status.

Ensure your USB is formatted correctly using RMPrepUSB and that Grub4Dos is installed. Additionally, modern "Secure Boot" settings in UEFI BIOS may prevent the tool from booting; you may need to enable "Legacy Boot" or "CSM" in your BIOS settings first.

Technical Specifications

PC CMOS Cleaner Screenshot

Screenshot of PC CMOS Cleaner - Recover and Reset BIOS Passwords