How to solve press F2 to load default values?

[Mark_Lawrence]

This happened to me for a while now when i start my computer a black screen shows me to "press F1 to enter setup or press F2 to load default values" It only happens when i start my computer but not when i restart it. I guess this is happening because my CMOS battery has already run out? Am I correct? In addition, I also noticed that my system time sometimes is not correct but not at all times. When i start my computer it follows the correct time, as I remembered it only happens not to follow the correct time during start-up once or twice . So what really causes it?

P.S.
I bought this computer back in 2011 and i'm still using this now (2017).

 

[Math Geek]

does sound like the cmos battery.

during a reboot, the motherboard is able to maintain power to the bios so it does not reset itself. but when powered off for a while, the bios has no power so it resets to defaults. the time and date setting back is a big indicator of that battery being dead or dying. it's cheap and simple to replace and the place i'd start first to fix the problem

 

[Mark_Lawrence]

does sound like the cmos battery.

during a reboot, the motherboard is able to maintain power to the bios so it does not reset itself. but when powered off for a while, the bios has no power so it resets to defaults. the time and date setting back is a big indicator of that battery being dead or dying. it's cheap and simple to replace and the place i'd start first to fix the problem

So my guess is correct. But like this time i start my computer but the date and time is correct after a long shutdown which makes me think twice if its really the CMOS battery. So why is this?

 

[Mark_Lawrence]

Someone please knows why is this like this?

 

[Math Geek]

possible the battery is not totally dead but rather very close to it. might keep the bios powered during one shut down, but the next time ti may not be able to put out the power. i'm old enough to remember actually replaceable battery powered things and this was not an unusual thing to happen. my cd walkman would play fine , then stop working but 3 hours later you could play it for another hour before it died again. could do it for days until batteries were finally completely drained.


if it is not that, then it's possible the bios itself is partially corrupted. check if there is a bios upgrade for your pc. sometimes a quick bios flash is enough to set things right again.

 

[Mark_Lawrence]

possible the battery is not totally dead but rather very close to it. might keep the bios powered during one shut down, but the next time ti may not be able to put out the power. i'm old enough to remember actually replaceable battery powered things and this was not an unusual thing to happen. my cd walkman would play fine , then stop working but 3 hours later you could play it for another hour before it died again. could do it for days until batteries were finally completely drained.


if it is not that, then it's possible the bios itself is partially corrupted. check if there is a bios upgrade for your pc. sometimes a quick bios flash is enough to set things right again.

I have proven it to be the CMOS battery because time reset is happening again and it is now frequent than the last time. I guess you are right about it not being fully empty. Gotta change this battery out this weekend. Thanks

 

[Math Geek]

glad i could help. takes a long time for that battery to die but when it does it can cause some strange issues

saw a old server refuse to let any workstations log onto it when it's battery died. security certificates were useless when the date reset to like 2001 or something like that. clients had certificates that were valid between 2010 and 2020 if i recall right. since server thought it was 2001, it would not accept them and locked everyone out!!

 

[BFG-9000]

It does take the battery a long time to die because normally when the computer is plugged in the CMOS is powered by the 5vSB. It only runs off of the battery when unplugged, though some PSUs shut off and take a second or two to power the 5vSB back up. Many laptops also only run from the little battery after the main battery has fully discharged enough to trip its protection circuit and disconnect.

 

[Mark_Lawrence]

glad i could help. takes a long time for that battery to die but when it does it can cause some strange issues

saw a old server refuse to let any workstations log onto it when it's battery died. security certificates were useless when the date reset to like 2001 or something like that. clients had certificates that were valid between 2010 and 2020 if i recall right. since server thought it was 2001, it would not accept them and locked everyone out!!

Wow! That must have caused alot of problems just because of a died out battery.

 

[Mark_Lawrence]

It does take the battery a long time to die because normally when the computer is plugged in the CMOS is powered by the 5vSB. It only runs off of the battery when unplugged, though some PSUs shut off and take a second or two to power the 5vSB back up. Many laptops also only run from the little battery after the main battery has fully discharged enough to trip its protection circuit and disconnect.

Well, my pc is about 6 yrs old too and its about the right time i guess for its battery to run out. Im just glad that it lasted a long time and still is serving me well. 6 yrs is already a long time for CMOS battery right?

 

[BFG-9000]

Well back in the very olden days before Facebook when dinosaurs roamed the earth, the battery was non-replaceable and sealed in a box soldered onto the motherboard called a Dallas Realtime Clock. All of mine are still good after 25 years but apparently they do eventually run out and some people retrofit coin cells.

 

[Math Geek]

6 years is not bad. i've seen them last 10 yrs plus depending on the pc.

at least they are easy to replace and only cost a couple $. i keep a few on hand since it is a common enough problem in older pc's. most are amazed that such a simple thing causes so many issues when i replace it and all goes back to normal right away

 

[Mark_Lawrence]

Well back in the very olden days before Facebook when dinosaurs roamed the earth, the battery was non-replaceable and sealed in a box soldered onto the motherboard called a Dallas Realtime Clock. All of mine are still good after 25 years but apparently they do eventually run out and some people retrofit coin cells.

Whoah. 25 years is so long! what is that computer supposed to do in that age.

 

[Mark_Lawrence]

6 years is not bad. i've seen them last 10 yrs plus depending on the pc.

at least they are easy to replace and only cost a couple $. i keep a few on hand since it is a common enough problem in older pc's. most are amazed that such a simple thing causes so many issues when i replace it and all goes back to normal right away

Wonder why my CMOS battery just lasted for 6 yrs. I'm still going to buy a battery later and insert it tonight. I hope i wont see that pesky f2 black screen anymore. Thanks for the help