As the computer starts, a message appears on screen saying ‘CMOS settings wrong. Press F2 to load default values and continue’. Pressing F2 allows the computer to continue to boot, and work normally. However, I would like to get rid of this message on startup. The computer is running Windows Me.

All computers have an onboard hardware configuration called the CMOS or BIOS. This hardware system performs the absolute basic boot-up procedure for the computer (such as recognising hard drives and CD drives) before handing over control to the operating system to continue the boot process. In order to keep these settings when the computer is turned-off (or even unplugged from electricity) a small amount of power is needed. This small amount of power is provided through a battery on the motherboard (aptly named, the CMOS battery). While CMOS batteries do last for a fair while, they do not last forever. When you see a message appearing regarding the CMOS settings being wrong, this generally indicates the battery has gone flat and the settings have been lost. As the settings have been lost, you need to agree to load the default settings to continue booting the computer. To resolve this issue, and stop the message appearing, you will need to replace the battery on the motherboard. Be aware, there are different types of batteries available and this procedure will involve opening the computer case and operating on the motherboard. If you are not confident in this procedure, I suggest you take the computer to a proper technician to have the battery replaced. Battery replacement is a relatively simple job and should take only 10 minutes and not cost very much. However, if you are confident in doing the job yourself, I suggest you remove the current battery from the motherboard and take it to a computer shop to ensure you purchase the correct battery. As always, whenever working inside a computer make sure the computer is off and disconnected (unplugged) from mains power. You should also be aware there are electrostatic-sensitive components inside the computer, which can be destroyed by a static electricity shock. So, make sure you ground yourself to the case chassis and wear an antistatic wrist strap whenever working inside the computer and touching components.