Alert! System battery voltage is low. Strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility.

The battery is very simple to change.  See here in your manual:

 <ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

The tech specs say it's a 3V CR2032 lithium coin cell.  You can find one for a few dollars most anywhere that sells watch batteries.

I am having the same problem with the Alert! System battery...  I also understand to get the battery.  Now, where do I find the old one to take out??? :)

I am having the same problem with the Alert! System battery...  I also understand to get the battery.  Now, where do I find the old one to take out??? :)

Rebee

It's a silver 'quarter' size battery located on the motherboard, but to give you a better answer we need to know your computer model. 

Bev.

squirl49

A 3-V CR2032 lithium coin cell is required, this can be purchased from a Radio Shack, WalMart, or most pharmacies.

Bev.

I have a same problem. I changed the battery, but still the same error every time when I turn on my computer. Every time I must press the F1 key to continued.

What I to do?

My computer is Dell Optilex GX620. Thanks!

Hi Amastodell,

What happens if you hit F2 and update your BIOS settings?

 Amastodell

Try using the following hack,

To get the motherboard to recognise this new battery properly, power cycle the computer 3 times [switch it on, get it to POST then switch it off again].

After the third power cycle the low voltage alert message should disappear.

If the alert message still displays, double check the output voltage of the replacement battery.

It should read anywhere from 3V to 3.2V.

If it does then the sensing circuit on the motherboard it faulty.

You could also, try clearing the event log in System Setup [BIOS].

Bev.

shesagordie

I dont understand how will I do this "power cycle the computer 3 times [switch it on, get it to POST then switch it off again]" can you explain me please?

osprey4

what will I do in my BIOS? which settings I must to update?

PS: my english is not very well,because I am from Bosnia :)

 Amastodell

As I've already said, it's a 'Hack'.

Computers can be finicky at times. A device that was working fine ten minutes ago may begin acting strangely or may not be responding at all.

Often the low-tech solution of simply turning off the device and turning it back on again will fix the problem.

This is because information stored in the device's RAM may have gotten corrupted and caused the device to hang up or stall on a certain instruction.

Power cycling the device erases the RAM and allows it to boot up with fresh information.

Bev.

I only have a problems on my pc. This is just one more problem, which I don't know, were is the problem :(

help please. I see this  when I restart my computer, and I must turn of and turn on, couple times, sometimes just one more.

Hi Amastodell,

My suggestion is to reset the CMOS. The instructions are in your manual. DO NOT just reset BIOS defaults. You need to find the password jumper on the motherboard and use it to jump the RTC_RST pins.

I have replaced the battery and cleared up a lot of the problems but I still get the F1 and F2 message and I must hit F1 to get into my desktop.

What should I do?

Thanks for your help.

Hi Loppy7,

Boot to the BIOS and make sure your drive and boot settings are correct for your hardware. Have you tried clearing the NVRAM? After a hardware change it is not uncommon for the hardware information stored in the NVRAM to not be updated properly. This can cause an F1 - F2 boot up problem such as you are experiencing. To clear the NVRAM, just do this:

1. Reboot system and enter the BIOS Setup by pressing F2.

2. Turn on Caps Lock, Scroll Lock and Num Lock.

3. Press ALT + E then ALT + F (should hear beep) then ALT + B