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External CMOS Battery on Soyo 4S A2/A5

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First post, by thp

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I have a Soyo 4S A2/A5 486 mainboard, and its CMOS/BIOS battery is dead (everything still works if I reconfigure the BIOS settings every time I disconnect power, but it's tedious). The mainboard has an external battery connector (4-pin), the internal battery shows signs of oxidation(?) -- see attached pictures.

The manual has the following to say about the external battery connector:

J20 - External Battery Connector
J20 is a 4-pin connector to which you can attach an external battery. Pin 1 of J20 is positive (+) and pin 4 is negative (-).

If I wanted to add an external battery:

1. Will I have to desolder/clip off the internal battery when attaching the external battery pack?
2. Where do I get a fitting battery? (I've seen some on ebay, but unsure about the connector/voltage/specs)
3. Should I worry about the green oxidation(?) on the 4-pin connector (J20)? Should I use sandpaper to remove that?

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Top view of old battery and external battery connector
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Side view of old battery and external battery connector
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Reply 2 of 3, by thp

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Ok, I removed the battery from the board - it still boots (yay!). What's recommended to clean the residue corrosion on the board, or should I just leave it as-is, now that the battery is removed?

Also, any suggestions on where to get an external battery pack (eBay search terms would be helpful - only find newer 3-pin ones that don't fit)?

Reply 3 of 3, by alexanrs

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I guess applying vinegar with a cotton swab to remove the residue (and neutralize it), then using isopropyl to clean it would be the best course of action. You should not leave the residue there.

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