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Function of a battery in a computer

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by x_ross

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Why do we have a battery in a computer? What does it do?

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by tbragsda

Your PC has hardware settings independent of any OS that must be stored somewhere. These include information on attached devices (hard drives and the like) the time and a number of other things. They are stored in BIOS (basic input/output system) and stored on a chip. It is really the CMOS you are protecting with the battery. I cant get my brain to recall the acronym, but the point is, when you turn off your PC, or unplug it, the battery simply keeps the basic hardware information about your PC active by powering a chip with a little memory.

by thechas

The battery in your PC is used both to maintain your BIOS settings in the CMOS memory, and keep the real-time-clock running when the power is off on your PC.

CMOS is a low power, low speed semiconductor technology (Complementory Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) used for the BIOS setting memory, and real-time-clock circuits.
It is 'volitle' memory. Meaning, that it needs to have power constantly.

For 'modern' ATX style motherboards, the battery is only used when the power cord is un-plugged. As a low current 5 volt power supply is present even when the PC has been shut down.

Chas

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