How long should the CMOS CR2032 battery last? My system i...

The cmos or bios battery is never a rechargeable type. However I have 10 year old machines in my closet that still don't need the battery replaced. Mind you I don't use them and they are unpowered but last time I hooked one up it worked fine. The batteries themselfs are designed to last at least 10 years. In the unlikely event that they fail with a low voltage warning or you start loosing bios settings they are about $3 at all Wal-Mart or watch parts store. Just take it in and they can give you the correct one. I wasn't able to find a good picture of it but it is just a watch battery. Right at the top of the first picture in the middle there is a white circle with a black outline. That is were the battery is, and you don't need to remove the motherboard to get at it. Simply opening the case with the system off and unplugged and you should be able to figure out how to get it out

 

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jkibble,

Thanx for the response. I will wait until it is necessary before I replace the battery.