CMOS - Battery Failed

[ShIzO]

hey,

i was just trying to boot up my OLD 486 machine, it wasn't used for about 4 years, and i get this message when it's trying to boot-up:

CMOS Battery Failed.

heh, i tried to locate battery on motherboard but can't find it...
right now BIOS will not save information due tue battery problem.


please help....

[parksie]

If it's a 486 board the battery's probably hardwired onto the board. It'll most likely be cylindrical rather than a flat disc lithium one (as in modern boards).

Once they go you can't really replace them yourself Although it's possible if you have the model number of the board.

[ShIzO]

so, you're saying that there is no way that i could leave the comp sitting in BIOS and let it recharge?

those batteries will not recharge? do i have to get a new one?
should it be removable?

thanks parskie for your help!

[parksie]

It may be removable, but I severely doubt it'll be rechargeable - it's not a car battery (nice idea, leave your PC on and recharge the BIOS battery).

[ShIzO]

i found it!

it was under the cover attached to the BIOS chip. fok
i gotta have to get the new chip w/ battery thou.

damn

[Guv]

Some (most) of those old motherboards had jumpers to control the CMOS battery.

There was often a jumper setting that allowed bypassing the builtin battery and there were connections to allow use of another battery. I have seen usch batteries attached to the case with Velcro.

Do you still have the motherboard manual? If not, try the manufacturere's web site for details.

[Sastraxi]

Tho the people that made 'em might be dead by now

[scoutt]

you really don't need the cmos battery as it is only for remembering the settings when you turn it off, you could just leave it on and it should run fine. you will have to re-enter all the bios settings everytime you turn it off, as it doesn't remember. I have a old 286 that does the same thing so when I turn it on I have to re-enter the HD specs and then just leave it on, runs good too.