Do I Need a Specific CMOS Battery for My Motherboard?
Asked by
PixelPioneer42
I'm new to building PCs and my motherboard didn't come with a CMOS battery. Is it okay to just buy any battery, or do I need a specific one for my motherboard?
Answers
Most modern motherboards use a CR2032 coin cell battery, so you should be fine picking one up. Just out of curiosity, what motherboard are you using? Did you get it used?
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I wouldn't say it's a money-saving tactic. Sometimes lithium batteries can't be included due to shipping regulations—especially if they're going overseas. It’s about safety, not cutting costs!
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It's not a disaster if the battery is missing, but it can be annoying. If your battery is out or missing, unplugging the board will reset the BIOS settings every time, and the clock won't work right. Just a five-dollar CR2032 battery will fix it easily!
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Yeah, it’s pretty common for X99 boards coming from Ali Express to not include a battery. Just something to keep in mind if you're buying one.
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You can definitely grab a battery, but your system will still boot up without one. Just keep in mind that if you turn it off without a battery, you'll have to reset the BIOS settings every time it loses power, which can be a pain.
PixelPioneer42: Thanks for the heads up!
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This happens a lot with motherboard purchases from AliExpress; not all sellers can ship with batteries for safety reasons. It's definitely easier just to buy the battery separately. They’re pretty cheap!
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PixelPioneer42: I traded my broken laptop for it with a friend. He showed me it was working; the model is X99 with SKU DS08626.