What Happens When Your PC's CMOS Battery Dies?
You might not even have known about this little battery, but you'll notice the effects when it stops working.
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Look closely at a desktop computer's motherboard, and you'll notice a small disc-shaped battery that was installed from the factory. This coin-sized battery powers your computer's real-time clock and helps preserve basic hardware-related settings when the machine is turned off.
Like any cell, the CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) battery has a limited lifespan and eventually requires replacement. The good news is that the process is fairly easy and inexpensive. In most cases, you can go many years without needing to replace a CMOS battery since they only drain when your PC isn't connected to power.
What does a CMOS battery do and why do computers need it?
You can think of a CMOS battery as a backup power supply for a computer's motherboard, allowing it to keep track of the date...
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