In case you might be constructing a pc for the primary time or have one for a few years now, then you should have observed that there’s a small battery or a cell in your motherboard. And whereas desktops are actually not battery powered, it’s possible you’ll marvel in regards to the want of such a battery in your motherboard.
Therefore, we’re right here with an in depth clarification on why motherboards have a battery. You’ll study all the pieces about motherboard CMOS batteries, together with the way to take away them and test them for failure, by going by way of this information till the top.
Motherboard BIOS & BIOS Settings
Earlier than we go forward and check out the significance of a motherboard battery, it’s best to first learn about motherboard features within the first place. Aside from connecting all the assorted laptop elements collectively, your motherboard additionally shops plenty of system settings. And these system settings are impartial of no matter working system you might be utilizing.
Actually, it’s possible you’ll even have heard about them earlier than as they’re named because the BIOS settings. And in layman phrases, your motherboard’s BIOS or BIOS settings retailer data relating to boot settings, safety settings, overclocking settings, and different system settings that must be checked earlier than even booting the working system of your laptop.
What’s CMOS?
Aside from being impartial of the working system, the BIOS settings of your motherboard are additionally impartial of all different {hardware} elements. Because of this even in case you take away all different elements of your laptop, the motherboard will nonetheless test and take into account the BIOS settings.
To make this attainable, all motherboards have a CMOS which stands for Complementary Steel Oxide Semiconductor. And this can be a brief time period storage module which shops your entire BIOS settings so long as its receiving energy. Aside from the BIOS settings, the CMOS can also be accountable for dealing with the Actual Time Clock or RTC of your motherboard.
Why Do Motherboards Have a Battery?
Now that the fundamental functioning of a motherboard and the way it shops your BIOS settings, you could have already discovered the necessity of a motherboard battery. If not, then allow us to clarify. For the reason that CMOS is a brief time period reminiscence module, it’s going to lose all information in case of energy loss. Because of this if there’s a energy outage otherwise you disconnect your laptop from the mains energy, the CMOS will lose energy and reset the BIOS routinely.
To stop this from occurring, all motherboards have a CMOS battery. This battery ensures that the CMOS has energy always whether or not you might be utilizing your laptop or not. That manner, you don’t need to arrange your BIOS settings each time the ability goes out. Equally, it additionally ensures that the Actual Time Clock of your laptop doesn’t change and also you don’t need to set the time once more in case of an influence loss.
The best way to Take away CMOS Battery?
Whereas having a CMOS battery is certainly vital for the BIOS settings, there might be some circumstances the place it’s possible you’ll need to take away a CMOS battery. Aside from having a lifeless CMOS battery, it’s possible you’ll even need to reset your BIOS deliberately. You will have to reset your BIOS if you wish to change the settings to default for system stability. And in such a case, you will have to take away the CMOS battery out of your motherboard.
Fortunately, eradicating a CMOS battery is sort of straightforward. You merely have to take a pointy object like a screwdriver and push down on the latch of the CMOS battery. It would appear to be a small lever popping out on the facet of the CMOS battery. As quickly as you push on this lever, the CMOS battery will come out. You possibly can then insert the identical battery again in or get a brand new 2032 battery if yours has run out of juice. Simply be certain that to place the battery in the identical orientation because it was earlier than.
The best way to Verify Your Motherboard’s Battery?
As talked about earlier, you could have to take away your motherboard’s CMOS battery if it’s not working anymore. Therefore, you may additionally need to test your individual motherboard’s battery and make it possible for it’s working correctly. Fortunately, you possibly can simply test just a few indications for a failing motherboard CMOS battery. You’ll discover just a few indicators like the next ones you probably have a lifeless CMOS battery:
- Incorrect Date & Time: When your motherboard’s CMOS battery dies, your laptop’s Actual Time Clock will cease working. Because of this, you probably have a lifeless motherboard battery, you will notice incorrect date & time each time you boot into the working system.
- Longer Boot Instances: In case your motherboard’s CMOS battery is just not working anymore, your laptop must arrange the BIOS settings each time it activates. And due to this, you’ll face longer boot occasions. Typically, you won’t even be capable of boot into your laptop in any respect.
- BIOS & CMOS Errors: In some circumstances, you probably have a foul CMOS battery and also you boot into the BIOS settings, then you’ll get an error immediately. This could embody BIOS battery error or a variety of different errors. On this case, you possibly can strive switching your BIOS battery.
Motherboards Have a Battery – FAQs
Ans: In case you simply need to use a pc and switch it on, you don’t want a CMOS battery. That is as a result of motive that after your laptop is powered on, it’s going to hold the BIOS settings intact. Nevertheless, if you’d like a sensible laptop the place you possibly can flip it off with out shedding the BIOS settings, then it’s best to positively use a CMOS battery for sooner boot occasions and maintaining your BIOS settings intact.
Ans: If you find yourself speaking in regards to the early indicators that you’ll discover in case of a CMOS battery failure, you will notice that your laptop’s date and time might be incorrect each time you flip it on. Previous that time, it’s possible you’ll even face longer boot occasions as your laptop received’t be capable of retailer the BIOS settings and they’ll get reset on each boot.
Ans: Although laptops have their very own battery, they nonetheless want a CMOS battery. That is as a result of motive that in case you unintentionally exhaust the first battery of your laptop computer below load, the CMOS battery will nonetheless protect your entire BIOS settings and hold the Actual Time Clock working always.
Ans: Whereas the lifespan of a CMOS battery is dependent upon the battery model that you’re utilizing, good ones can simply final for round 10 years with out displaying any points. Nevertheless, cheaper batteries could solely final for a few years after which you will have so as to add a brand new battery.
Conclusion
Your laptop’s motherboard is the important thing part of the entire system since all different laptop elements are related to the motherboard. Nevertheless, you’ll discover extra than simply the elements in your motherboard. A small battery or cell is one such factor on all motherboards. Since this battery can’t energy your laptop, you is perhaps questioning about its use. Thus, we’ve already defined why motherboards have a battery. We have now given all the main points about this motherboard CMOS battery above. And if this has helped you study extra about laptop motherboard batteries, take into account dropping your solutions and ideas within the feedback part under.
