External CMOS Reset Key Switch

Jolly-Swagman · Feb 28, 2008

Jolly Swagman's Mods

This Mod was performed on my CM-690 Case
NOTE - this mod pertains to a 2 pin clear CMOS jumper on some newer motherboards and other have 3 pin reset jumper

First obtain a Key switch, the one I am using for this Mod is a barrel type as shown in pic #1 # pic#2 below,

I have attached 2 wires 450mm in length soldered and shrink tubed to switch terminals and the other end has pin socket terminals to fit jumper pins.

Now find a suitable position for your switch, at the back of case see pic#3.
now seeing as I am going for the no drill hole in case method, I will be utilising the blank com port located just below the exhaust fan grill, see pic #4.

Now I have made a custom retainer for my switch using 3mm PVC material and drilled mounting hole for switch and mounting screws to coincide with the com port see pic #5

Now remove the Blank for com port (pic #4) and install mounting retainer to the inside of case and screw down.

Continued Post 2

Jolly-Swagman · Feb 28, 2008

Now pop wires from switch through the hole replace retaining nut on switch and tighten firmly and secure wiring. see pic #6

Now we will test the switch using your trusty multimeter before connecting to the motherboard, so as that we have the Switch in the OFF or Normally Open position. see pic #7 & pics # 8-9
( The Sanwa Multimeter that I am using I have had for the past 32 years got for my 16th birthday )

Now I have placed a RED DOT below Switch to show position when switched to Normally Closed to Clear CMOS the you would swith back to Normally Open and remove Key. See pic #10

Continued Post 3

Jolly-Swagman · Feb 28, 2008

Now we connect the switch leads to the the pins on the CLR CMOS jumper as indicated in pic #11 below.

And now we can put the case side on and hopefully when a need to reset the CMOS the case side wont have to be taken off just use of the CLR CMOS Key Switch as seen in pic #12 and swith to the RED DOT for a few seconds and the CMOS will be RESET.

And the finished Project Pic #13

Hope this will be Useful to you as it has for me.

Jolly SWagman

Crazy Jayhawk · Feb 28, 2008

This is a really cool mod. Where did you get the switch?

OldSkool · Feb 28, 2008

I'll be doing this to my first build computer as i will be OC'ing it and i'm sure i'll make many mistakes. Is there anything about this process that a Noob Oc'er should know?

Ben333 · Feb 28, 2008

That looks like a keyboard lock

I might try this, I've done it inline with my power button before.

Jolly-Swagman · Feb 28, 2008

Crazy Jayhawk said:
This is a really cool mod. Where did you get the switch?

This particular key switch I recycled from an old 486 had laying around stashed in the wardrobe, but I think you should be able to get one from any electronics store.

Jolly-Swagman · Feb 28, 2008

OldSkool said:
I'll be doing this to my first build computer as i will be OC'ing it and i'm sure i'll make many mistakes. Is there anything about this process that a Noob Oc'er should know?

Its fairly Straight forward just one Important note is to make sure you have tested the key switch to check N/O N/C positions and have the switch in the Normally OPEN state before you connect to motherboard , as you close the switch to reset the CMOS

OldSkool · Feb 28, 2008

Sweet, the easier the better.

ian2000gsxr · Mar 12, 2008

wow that must be really handy. good writeup thx

Niku-Sama · Mar 13, 2008

i rember some one doing something similar with a Turbo Button off an old computer, the locks a good idea so som doofus doesent clear it while they are dicking arround with your computer

gigabit · Nov 2, 2008

Volleyballcoach made me one of these last year and it worked great

petteyg359 · Nov 2, 2008

For those with 3-pin CMOS clear jumper blocks, connecting the key wires to the outer pins and grounding the middle pin to the key casing should work. And that's assuming that the third pin is even connected to anything (or if it's just a holder for the jumper when you're not clearing CMOS, in which case you could just ignore it).

BTW, nice revival, gigabit. Seven months is nothing, though... the seven YEAR revivals take serious skill

gigabit · Nov 2, 2008

lol i saw a reference link to this in another post..lol And i posted in the wrong thread..lol

air00 · Nov 2, 2008

man that is a good idea i will be doing that too, wow i wish i chould think of stuff like that

air00 · Nov 2, 2008

i'm thinking about useing this .... what yall think about this switch???

http://www.wiringproducts.com/index...get=d35.html&gclid=CIzQ9NuH2JYCFRLoxgodm1AFyA

burningcpu · Nov 2, 2008

That looks too appealing to press.

Jolly-Swagman · Nov 3, 2008

Here is another Type of toggle switch called a latching lock-type that cannot be accidentally switched.

You have to pull switch slightly outward in order to get over the latch (up and over so to say) in order to change switch position

And also can be used for 2pin or 3pin CMOS reset

j0rd · Aug 13, 2010

This is a great idea, I think i might adapt it in the future for the power switch on my file server, stop people turning it off when i'm not around. Thank you for the write-up.

Jolly-Swagman · Aug 20, 2010

j0rd said:
This is a great idea, I think i might adapt it in the future for the power switch on my file server, stop people turning it off when i'm not around. Thank you for the write-up.

You're Welcome j0rd, glad it was of some help to you for ideas!

External CMOS Reset Key Switch

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