I engaged "Dave's Computer" to build a new custom build Windows 11 computer as replacement for the Windows 10 machine. I presented my thoughts and needs to Dave about the new unit and he asked some basic questions as to my needs and want for the new unit. We touched on cost for the unit and I left...
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CMOS Battery Replacement · Dave's Computers, Somerville NJ
CMOS Battery Replacement in New Jersey
A desktop whose clock keeps going back to the wrong year, a CMOS checksum error or system battery voltage is low message at startup, or settings that reset every time the tower loses power means the coin-cell battery on the motherboard has run down. I replace it and restore the settings in Dell, HP, Lenovo and custom-built desktops at my Somerville, NJ shop. It's part of my desktop computer repair service for New Jersey, and the shop is drop-off, no appointment needed.
⭐ 4.8 Stars · 430+ Google Reviews
🏆 On the Bench Since 2011
📍 Somerville, NJ · Drop-Off Shop
🔧 $75 / $149 Diagnostic, Credited Toward Repair
📞 Call (908) 428-9558
🚗 Directions to the Shop
Signs the CMOS Battery Has Run Down
A tiny battery with a long list of symptoms.
Every desktop motherboard carries a coin-size battery that keeps the clock ticking and the startup settings saved while the computer is off. It lasts several years, and when it runs down the computer forgets things. The first sign most New Jersey customers notice is the clock: the tower comes on showing a date from years ago, or the time is hours off every morning.
Then the knock-on problems start. Secure websites warn that the connection isn't private. Email won't sign in. Windows Update stalls and Office or Windows says it isn't activated. The tower stops at a black screen before Windows and asks for a key press every time, or a Dell, HP or Lenovo desktop shows a message about the battery, the clock or a checksum error at startup. A gaming PC loses its memory settings and runs slower than it should.
Setting the clock isn't the fix. It comes back wrong the next time the tower is unplugged, moved or loses power in a storm. The battery is the repair; the clock is the symptom.
A tower that won't start at all is a different problem, covered on my desktop won't turn on page. A tower that beeps or blinks a code at startup is on my beep codes and diagnostic lights page.
How the Service Works
Drop off, diagnose, one flat quote, replace and test.
1
Drop off the tower
Bring the desktop and its power cord to 75 N Bridge St in Somerville, NJ. No appointment. Drop-off takes a few minutes and you leave with a ticket and a phone number.
2
Diagnostic
I confirm what has failed and check the parts around it. The diagnostic is $75 for a Dell, HP, Lenovo or other major-brand desktop and $149 for a custom-built or boutique PC, credited toward the work when you approve it.
3
One flat quote
You get one number for the battery replacement, parts and labor together, before any work starts. Parts are supplied by the shop with a manufacturer warranty. Nothing beyond the diagnostic is charged until you say yes.
Restoring your startup settings, including boot order and drive mode, is part of the job, so the tower starts and runs the way it did before.
4
Repair and test
The work is done to the manufacturer's service documentation for your model, then the tower is tested on the bench before you're called for pickup.
What CMOS Battery Replacement Costs
One diagnostic fee, one flat quote, and you approve it before anything else is charged.
| Item | What you pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic, standard desktop | $75 | Dell, HP, Lenovo, office and family towers. Credited toward the repair when you approve the work. |
| Diagnostic, custom-built or boutique PC | $149 | Custom builds, boutique prebuilts and gaming towers. Credited the same way. |
| The repair | Quoted flat after the diagnostic | Parts and labor in one number, no hourly billing. Parts supplied by the shop with a manufacturer warranty. |
| Turnaround | Most repairs 24-48 hours | Same-day rush available. A part that has to be ordered adds a day or two; I'll give you the date up front. |
| Warranty | 30-90 days on labor | On most repairs. |
$75 diagnostic for a Dell, HP, Lenovo or other major-brand desktop, $149 for a custom-built or boutique PC, credited toward the work when you approve it. Figures as of this writing. A CMOS battery replacement is among the least expensive desktop repairs, and it often rides along with another repair at no extra labor. How the quote step works: quote after diagnosis.
Why NJ Customers Bring Their Towers to Somerville
A local shop, one technician, flat pricing.
Dave's Computers is a one-technician shop in downtown Somerville, New Jersey, on the bench since 2011. I do the work myself, in the shop, and nothing is shipped out. Customers come from Bridgewater, Hillsborough, Bound Brook, Piscataway, Flemington, Princeton and across Somerset, Hunterdon, Middlesex and Mercer counties for CMOS battery replacement because the pricing is flat, the diagnostic is credited toward the repair, and the tower comes back tested.
✓ Your files aren't touched. This repair doesn't involve your drive. The tower goes home with everything on it exactly as it came in.
If your desktop forgets the date, warns about the battery at startup, or loses its settings every time it's unplugged, bring the tower to Somerville. $75 diagnostic for a Dell, HP, Lenovo or other major-brand desktop, $149 for a custom-built or boutique PC, credited toward the repair when you approve it.
📞 Call (908) 428-9558Drop-off shop at 75 N Bridge St, Somerville NJ · Mon-Fri 10-5, Sat 9-2
Directions to Dave's Computers in Somerville, NJ
Downtown Somerville, one block off Main Street, behind Bank of America.
Dave's Computers, 75 N Bridge St, Somerville, NJ 08876Drop-off shop, Mon-Fri 10-5 and Sat 9-2. Street and municipal-lot parking around Main Street.
Directions to the ShopFrom Bridgewater
3 miles · about 10 minutes
Route 22 or Route 202/206 to the Somerville Circle, then Route 28 east (West Main Street) into downtown. Left onto N Bridge St.
Open in Google MapsFrom Hillsborough
5 miles · about 12 minutes
Route 206 north into Somerville, right onto West Main Street, then left onto N Bridge St.
Open in Google MapsFrom Bound Brook
4 miles · about 12 minutes
Route 28 west straight into downtown Somerville. Right onto N Bridge St.
Open in Google MapsFrom Piscataway
10 miles · about 20 minutes
I-287 north to Exit 17 (Route 202/206 south), then Route 28 east into downtown Somerville.
Open in Google MapsFrom Flemington
15 miles · about 25 minutes
Route 202 north to the Somerville Circle, then Route 28 east into downtown. Left onto N Bridge St.
Open in Google MapsFrom Princeton
18 miles · about 30 minutes
Route 206 north through Montgomery and Hillsborough into Somerville. Right onto West Main Street, then left onto N Bridge St.
Open in Google MapsTimes are typical drives outside rush hour. Call 908-428-9558 before a long drive if you want to confirm I'm at the counter.
Google Reviews
What Customers Say on Google
Live from the Dave's Computers Google listing. Tap any review to read it on Google Maps.
4.8
★★★★★★★★★★Based on 438 Google reviews
I dropped off my laptop, and Dave gave me a clear overview of the problem (he had experienced similar issues on 3 others of the same model) and the cost. Communication was clear and helpful. Once he started the repairs, he kept me updated. I would absolutely use Dave again!!
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I have been going to Dave's Computers for years because he always fixes my problems. I also use his anti-virus and it is as good as any, if not better, than others that I would have to pay much more for. If you're having problems, go to Dave's. He doesn't break the bank and he solves the problems.
View on Google
Over the last decade or so, whenever I had a computer problem, I went to Dave. I recently had a very worrisome crash; the system failed to boot up. (I hadn't needed to use him for about 3 years.) I paid the "rush fee" on Saturday when dropping the machine off with the weekend agent. By Monday...
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I had previously tried to build my own PC to no success. Even though right now it is really tough to get a PC built due to the price increases with RAM’s, GPU’s and other parts because of AI, I still really wanted to get one for myself. I came across Dave’s Computers online and went in for a...
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CMOS Battery Replacement: Questions From NJ Customers
What people ask at the counter before handing over the tower.
What does the CMOS battery do?
It's a coin-size cell on the motherboard that keeps the clock running and the startup settings saved while the computer is unplugged. When it runs down after several years, the clock resets, the settings go back to defaults, and the computer starts complaining before Windows loads.
How much does CMOS battery replacement cost in NJ?
The diagnostic is $75 for a Dell, HP, Lenovo or other major-brand desktop and $149 for a custom-built or boutique PC, credited toward the repair when you approve it. The replacement itself is one of the least expensive repairs I do, quoted flat with the settings restored and a test boot included.
My clock is wrong and websites say my connection isn't private. Is that the same problem?
Very often, yes. Secure websites check your computer's date, so a clock that has reset to a date years ago makes browsers throw security warnings, breaks email sign-in and can stop Windows Update and activation. Fixing the cause fixes all of it.
Why not just set the clock again?
Because it resets again the next time the tower is unplugged or loses power. Setting the clock treats the symptom. Replacing the battery and restoring the settings is the repair.
Will replacing the battery erase my files or Windows?
No. The battery only backs up the clock and the startup settings. Your files, programs and Windows live on the drive and aren't affected.
Is it always the battery?
Usually, but not always. A clock that keeps resetting can also mean a fault on the board, so I test both before quoting.
Bring the Tower With the Wandering Clock to Somerville, New Jersey
Bring the tower and its cord to 75 N Bridge St. The diagnostic is $75 for a Dell, HP, Lenovo or other major-brand desktop or $149 for a custom-built or boutique PC, credited toward the repair when you approve it, and it's the first step of my desktop computer repair service for New Jersey.
📞 (908) 428-9558Mon-Fri 10am-5pm · Sat 9am-2pm · 75 N Bridge St, Somerville NJ · Drop-Offs Welcome