Intel Motherboards - Z170 MB - Clear CMOS to Switch to OnBoard Graphics

Z170 MB - Clear CMOS to Switch to OnBoard Graphics

Printed From: ASRock.com
Category: Technical Support
Forum Name: Intel Motherboards
Forum Description: Question about ASRock Intel Motherboards
URL: https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8040
Printed Date: 31 Jul 2025 at 7:34am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Z170 MB - Clear CMOS to Switch to OnBoard Graphics

Posted By: neil_h
Subject: Z170 MB - Clear CMOS to Switch to OnBoard Graphics
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2018 at 4:02am

" rel="nofollow - Hi,

My graphics card has crashed. I've tried to reset my CMOS so that I can use my onboard graphics card but nothing seems to work. I don't have another PCIE graphics card and I continuously get a "99" error after I reset bios. (99 = PCIe slot issue).

How do I get my PC to boot up without PCIe graphics if the clear CMOS won't work?

I've cleared by removing the battery, using the clear CMOS jumper and the clear CMOS button at the back of the MB.

Thanks in advance!

Replies:

Posted By: ASRock_TSD
Date Posted: 13 Mar 2018 at 2:45pm

" rel="nofollow -

Dear Neil_h,

Thank you for choosing ASRock.

Regarding your case, BIOS default setting is display from PCIe graphics card.

If you want to display from onboard graphics, please remove the graphics card or set the primary graphics adapter from PCI Express to Onboard.

BIOS Path: Advanced > Chipset Configuration > Primary Graphics Adapter

Thank you!

Yours truly,

ASRock TSD

Posted By: QWIKAG
Date Posted: 18 Dec 2020 at 5:44am

@ASRock_TSD
Hi ASRock Support,

This does not solve a problem where the user does not have a dedicated GPU.
if some clears the BIOS CMOS, and they don't have a dedicated GPU, they are in a BRICKED STATE.

My Motherboard (extreme 4 Z270) resets the BIOS setting to dGPU and iGPU does not work, after a Clear of the BIOS CMOS. Hence I cannot even get back into the BIOS to change it, because I do not have a screen.

Do the BIOS defaults need to be stored somewhere so that when the BIOS CMOS is cleared, it reverts to a more simple default setup using iGPU?

Or do I always have to have a dGPU lying around ready for this situation. In which case I might as well just install the dGPU and never use the iGPU, making the iGPU completely redundant.

There are so many questions out there asking why they have a blank screen, and not one forum answers the question.

Maybe you guys could go through and update these forums with some more detail.

-------------
Fatal1ty z370 Gaming-itx/ac

Posted By: ASRock_TSD
Date Posted: 18 Dec 2020 at 3:34pm

Dear QWIKAG,

Thanks for posting!

Once clear CMOS and if the system does not detect the dGPU, the system will boot from the iGPU.

When a dGPU is installed on the system.
The system will detect a graphics card is installed, which will automatically turn the monitor from the dGPU.

If you would like to change to iGPU while dGPU is installed, kindly go to the following path to change the Primary Graphics Adapter settings.
BIOS\Advanced\Chipset Configuration\Primary Graphics Adapter\Onboard.

If you are not able to see the monitor from the dGPU and unable to change the settings, please remove the graphics card to check if the system can boot without the dGPU.

If the system can boot from iGPU without the dGPU, please check what can be the cause of unable to boot from dGPU by the following steps:
1. Please install the graphics card to different slots to see if it is PCIe slots related.
2. Please check the graphics card on a different system to see if the graphics card is working.

With thanks,
ASRock TSD