How to Fix the System Battery Voltage is Low Error on Windows?
By Kevin Arrows August 3, 2020
4 minutes read
Kevin is a certified Network Engineer
The “System battery voltage is low” error is a problem which affects many different Windows versions and it often appears randomly on users’ computers. The problem appears during the BIOS boot screen and it prevents your computer from loading the operating system at all.
System Battery Voltage is Low
The “System battery voltage is low” error can usually be resolved easily enough but it certainly involves some advanced troubleshooting since everything needs to be done without the help of your operating system. This is yet another reason to follow the instructions carefully in order to keep your PC safe from triggering other problems. We have gathered several methods which have helped other people in the past so make sure you check them out below!
There aren’t many unique causes of this error and they are pretty much related to BIOS or the CMOS battery. Still, two distinct causes can be identified and all the methods below are based upon them:
- Your CMOS battery needs to be reinserted or replaced –If the batter has fallen out of its socket a bit, it may weaken the voltage supplied and the error will appear. Also, a CMOS battery won’t last a lifetime and after several years, they are unable to provide the sufficient voltage needed to start BIOS and this problem appears. Considering reinserting or replacing it for a new one.
- BIOS settings are faulty – The problem can also be caused by wrong BIOS settings which may be related to new devices you might have added. Anyway, clearing the System Event Log or updating BIOS should be enough to resolve the problem.
Solution 1: Reinsert or Replace Your CMOS Battery
One of the major causes of this problem is the CMOS battery. If the battery has been moved even slightly from its socket, the error might appear and prevent your PC from booting.
If the battery is a couple of years old, it won’t be able to provide sufficient voltage to CMOS and this error is bound to occur. This is a clear sign that it’s time to replace the battery with a new one. These batteries are not expensive and you can’t boot your computer without them so make sure you follow the instructions below!
- Open the computer case and find the CMOS battery attached to the computer’s motherboard. If you are unable to find your CMOS battery, refer to your motherboard or computer documentation. You can also look it up on the Internet or contact your computer’s manufacturer for additional help.
Note: With some computers, you may need to disconnect cables, remove drives, or remove other parts of the computer to get physical access to the CMOS battery.
Locating the CMOS battery
- If your computer is using a coin cell battery, removing the battery is relatively simple. Use your fingers to grab on the edge of the battery and pull it up and out of the socket holding it in place.
Some motherboards have a clip holding the battery down and you may need to lift it up to pull the battery out. - Let it stay removed for 10 minutes, so either reinsert the same one or use a different CMOS battery, input it in a similar manner, and try to boot your computer. Check to see if the “System battery voltage is low” error pops up!
Solution 2: Clear the System Event Log
Another major cause of this problem is faulty BIOS settings. BIOS settings don’t get corrupt too often and it’s always a problem when they do. It may have been caused by an incorrect BIOS update or it can even be caused by a malicious program. Either way, if you can access BIOS, resetting it to default should definitely resolve the problem!
- Turn your PC on and try to enter BIOS settings by pressing the BIOS key as the system is about to start. The BIOS key is typically displayed on the boot screen, saying “Press ___ to enter Setup.” or something similar.
There are other keys as well. The usual BIOS keys are F1, F2, Del, etc.
Press __ to run Setup
- The option to clear the system event log can be present under several different places in the BIOS screen depending on the version of the BIOS on your computer.
- At the initial screen of BIOS settings, you should navigate to the Advanced tab and look for the System Event Log, Clear Event Log or the Clear System Event Log If it’s not located in the Advanced tab, make sure you search for it further Use the arrow keys to navigate
Clear the System Event Log in BIOS
- Click the Clear System Event Log option using the Enter Click the Enter key once again when prompted to confirm your choice and wait for your computer to boot. Check to see if the problem is gone now.
Solution 3: Update BIOS on Your Computer
Updating BIOS may be a difficult way of resolving the problem but users have reported that it has helped them.
Note that the process differs from one manufacturer to another so make sure you take that into account. Follow the instructions below in order to install the latest version of BIOS on your computer and, hopefully, resolve the “System battery voltage is low” error!
- Find out the current version of BIOS utility you have installed on your computer by typing “msinfo” in the search bar or the Start menu.
- Locate the BIOS version data just under your Processor model and copy or rewrite anything to a text file on your computer or a piece of paper.
Locate the BIOS version in MSINFO
- Find out whether your computer was bundled, pre-built or assembled manually. This is very important because you don’t want to use BIOS made for just one component of your PC when it won’t apply to your other devices and you will overwrite BIOS with a wrong one, leading to major errors and system problems.
- Prepare your computer for the BIOS update.
If you are updating your laptop, make sure its battery is fully charged and plug it in the wall just in case. If you are updating a computer, it’s advisable to use an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) to make sure your computer doesn’t shut down during the update because of a power outage. - Follow the instructions we prepared for various desktop and laptop manufacturers such as Lenovo, Gateway, HP, Dell, and MSI.
Fix Alert, System battery voltage is low message
There appears to be no single solution for ‘Alert, System battery voltage is low’ error message which you may see during boot. It flashes on your computer screen, prompting a user to strike the F1 key to continue, F2 to run the setup utility or F5 to run onboard diagnostics. Let us find the cause of this issue and see how to fix it.
Primarily, there are two reasons which cause the battery voltage low alert to pop up. These are,
- The sensing circuit on the motherboard
- The Battery
To fix Alert, System battery voltage is low during boot, follow these steps:
- Replace CMOS Battery
- Set up Date and Time in BIOS
- Reset/Update CMOS/BIOS
- Removing surge suppressors
To know more about these steps solutions, continue reading.
1] Replace CMOS Battery
The sensing circuit on the motherboard has a minimum voltage threshold of 2.7V to 2.9V (this figure varies depending on the age of board). Anything below the specified value will invariably give you low battery voltage alert, every time you power on your computer.
In most cases (99%), the problem is easily resolved by replacing the CMOS coin cell battery. One should ensure the battery replaced is a 3-V CR2032 lithium battery. Start your system. In order to get the motherboard to recognize this new battery without any hassles, you have to power cycle the computer three times.
Replacing the battery and restarting your system constitutes the first cycle.
During the second cycle, when you still see the error, restart your PC and go to the BIOS setting. There, go to ‘Maintenance’, expand its menu and select ‘Defaults’ from the list of options displayed. Save the setting and exit,
2] Set up Date and Time in BIOS
If the wrong date and time have set, you may need to change your time zone. For this, right-click on the date and time in the Windows Notification Area seen at the bottom right corner of the screen and select Adjust date/time. At this point, make sure that the Time Zone set is correct.
To manually change the time, turn off the Set time automatically option and then click the Change button. Set the correct time.
3] Reset/Update CMOS/BIOS
It may happen that the information stored in the BIOS as ESCD (Extended System Configuration Data) can get corrupt due to reasons, unknown. Under such circumstances, it becomes necessary to reset the BIOS or CMOS (Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) to “Factory Defaults”, or in other circumstances, clear the NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory).
Here’s how to do it.
- Turn off the computer and disconnect the power cable from its electrical outlet. Now, it’s safe to remove the computer cover.
- Uncover and locate the 2-pin password connector (PSWD) on the system board.
- Disassemble the 2-pin jumper plug.
- Now, find the 2-pin CMOS jumper (RTCRST) on the system board and move the 2-pin jumper plug from the password jumper to pins into the CMOS jumper.
- When done, plug in the AC power to the system and pause for a few seconds for the CMOS to clear.
- Move the 2-pin jumper plug back to the password jumper and replace the computer cover.
- Finally, connect your computer and devices to electrical outlets, and turn them on.
Please note that you run a significant risk of permanently damaging your computer if you resort to this method. So, if you fail to access your BIOS, it is advisable to take the computer to an expert and seek his help instead of doing it yourself.
For more options, see this.
4] Removing surge suppressors
Some computer manufacturers also claim the problem is caused by some surge suppressors. As such, you can eliminate this problem by simply removing the surge suppressor and plugging the PC directly into the wall outlet.
How do I fix the Alert System battery voltage is low?
To troubleshoot the Alert System battery voltage is low error message while booting your computer, you need to replace the CMOS battery, set up date and time in BIOS, etc. Apart from that, you can also try updating your BIOS to get rid of this problem. Although it is pretty unusual, you might get this message on an old computer at times.
What does it mean when battery voltage is low?
System battery voltage is low denotes that the CMOS battery doesn’t have enough power to run your computer. It occasionally happens when the corresponding sensor stops working due to some reason. However, if the CMOS battery is no longer working, you might get the same problem.
The fix is quite simple as you need to replace the CMOS battery to eliminate the issue.
If you find these suggestions a bit difficult to carry out, perhaps you want to take your PC to a technician.
Date: Tags: Battery, BIOS
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Anand Khanse is the Admin of TheWindowsClub.com, a 10-year Microsoft MVP (2006-16) & a Windows Insider MVP. Please read the entire post & the comments first, create a System Restore Point before making any changes to your system & be careful about any 3rd-party offers while installing freeware.
On the case of your computer, the voltage is 110 volts Don’t know what’s the matter?
When for the tenth time I heard a dispute about the causes of this phenomenon among programmers with macbooks, it became clear that it was time to write an article.
Sometimes this effect manifests itself as a slight vibration when the skin and metal parts of the laptop come into contact, sometimes as a tingling sensation.
Short answer: your computer case is energized at ~110V (half the mains voltage), but because of the small current, you are not hit too hard.
For electrical engineers, this is commonplace: for the same reasons, in houses with old wiring, a washing machine can be shocked when you touch a bathtub, a desktop computer case, etc. This topic has been raised many times on the Internet, but until now, most people do not know about the causes of this phenomenon. The situation is complicated by the fact that the design of the power supply in European MacBooks does not allow you to get rid of this phenomenon !
Why is this happening?
Typically, an uncomfortable tingling sensation occurs when a person touches some kind of grounded metal surface, such as a battery heatsink under a desk, while holding their hands on a metal part of the computer.
In my case, it was the grounded metal edge of the countertop. If you touch the edges of the tabletop and the MacBook at the same time, a tangible tingling appeared in your hands.
And this is quite a normal situation. The fact is that in the computer power supply circuit there is a noise filter, the filter input is made on two capacitors connected on one side to each of the wires of the 220 volt network, and on the other, their common point is connected to the case. The result is a voltage divider of 220 volts in half. From here, 110 volts appear on the case.
Simplified computer power supply noise filter circuit
The picture above shows a simplified computer power supply noise filter circuit. As you can see, both capacitors are connected to the protective earth (yellow wire E), which in turn is connected to the device case. If the power supply is connected to a socket without grounding, then half the voltage from the mains voltage appears on the case.
At the same time, the current in this circuit flows small, but it is quite enough to cause discomfort or a small spark if it is touched by another device with the correct grounding. So you can observe small sparks when trying to connect two devices with a cable in cases where one of them is connected to a socket with grounding, and the other without.
Apple power supplies
As we have already found out, the voltage on the case appears only if the devices are connected to a socket without grounding. There are many such sockets in houses with old wiring, where there is simply no grounding in sockets.
However, even in buildings with modern wiring, where the sockets have a properly connected ground, for some reason the MacBooks continue to be shocked. It’s all about the features of Apple power supplies.
Ground contact on the power supply from the macbook. This pin is connected to the laptop case.
All MacBook power supplies have detachable plugs for different countries.
You can only carry a small adapter with you on trips and change it if necessary. Included with the MacBook is always a short plug, which is inserted directly into the case and a long plug on the wire. So in European, American and Chinese short plugs there is no ground contact. It is only available in the UK plug.
Apple short European plug does not have a ground pin
UPD: British short plug also does not have a ground pin inside, although there is a ground plug. Proof.
And only the long plug with cable has a grounding contact. This can be checked by looking at the attachment point of the plug-nozzle to the power supply, there should be contacts inside that clamp the ground washer. If they are not there, the laptop is guaranteed to be shocked. This is often found on fake Chinese power supplies, even on an elongated socket with a cable.
Ground contact inside detachable plug
Conclusion
Despite the banality of this problem, I constantly hear new theories of its origin, even among IT people.
If you google, there are dozens of topics where people complain about the MacBook under power. This same problem is also true for iPhones connected to the charger.
1. How to properly ground a MacBook Pro
2. Electric shock coming from the edges of my macbook
3. MacBook Pro at 220 volts, could feel current through aluminum case
If this problem bothers you, here are a couple of tips: Sometimes extension cords may not have a ground connection, although the wall outlet has one.
UPDATE: Video demonstration
Several dozen people wrote to me in the comments and in a personal message, assuring me that what is shown in the picture above is impossible and the potential difference cannot be greater than the voltage supplied by the MacBook power supply (20V).
I am posting a video demonstrating the SAME macbook with the same multimeter, lying on the same kitchen table on which the photo was taken.
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
Choosing a power supply — Hardwareluxx guide (2022)
In collaboration with Seasonic
Many users know that power supplies play an important role in modern computers. But still, they pay much less attention to the choice of power supply than the same video card or CPU. After all, the «performance» of a power supply cannot be measured in fps. A good power supply should just work in the background without drawing too much attention to itself. In our guide, we will talk about the key characteristics of power supplies, as well as help you choose the best model for your tasks.
The high voltage in the electrical network is due to the reduction of losses in the transmission of energy to end consumers. But PC components operate at much lower voltages due to their semiconductor nature.
Therefore, the main task of the power supply is to convert the mains voltage (230 V) into the corresponding low voltages required to power the PC components.
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General Power Supply Requirements
For many, the power supply is a small box with a fan at the bottom rear of the computer, but it must meet a number of requirements.
Stable output voltages. If the output voltages are not precisely controlled by the power supply electronics, then you will have to put up with frequent crashes or even component damage due to too high voltages. The power supply must be able to handle load changes that can cause voltage fluctuations in milliseconds.
Efficient work. Losses inevitably occur when the mains voltage is converted to much lower PC voltages.
The lower these losses, the higher the efficiency of the power supply. The less heat the power supply generates, the lower your electricity bill will be.
Protection against external influences. The electrical network is not ideal, it can experience both low and high voltage in various forms, which the power supply must reliably «filter» so that fluctuations do not reach the sensitive electronics of the computer. Otherwise, again, you may encounter system crashes or even damage to PC components.
Quiet operation. In the process of voltage conversion, losses are inevitable, so a certain amount of heat is generated. It needs to be removed from the power supply. The cooling system must be quiet enough so that the user is not distracted by it. But at the same time, the electronics of the power supply must be cooled properly.
High performance in a small space. Whether it’s ATX systems or even smaller options, the power supply must deliver high levels of power from a few hundred watts to a kilowatt or more in a tight space.
If the user does not notice the operation of the power supply in everyday use, the computer always works stably and quietly, then this power supply meets the basic requirements.
The evolution of PC power supplies
Even the «conservative» PC component, the power supply, has evolved over the years. In the 90s, power supplies were often gray steel boxes that came with the case. As a rule, users did not pay attention to them. Even the power was not so important. 3D accelerators were still in their infancy, and at that time they were mainly overclocking only the CPU. Only in the zero years, powerful video cards began to be installed in the systems, power consumption became very relevant, since power supplies had to provide the appropriate power cables.
Power supplies from 2005
Sometime in the middle of the 2000s, computer power consumption reached a new level thanks to Intel Pentium 4 class processors and powerful graphics cards such as the NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra.
But even then, there were branded power supplies from well-known brands today on the market: Seasonic, be quiet!, Super Flower, Enermax or SilverStone. In terms of power, the most popular level was from 400 to 600 watts. In those years, many power supplies focused on external design. For example, the Tagan TG420-U02 i-Xeye was equipped with internal lighting and a window, the HIPER Type-R 580W featured a glossy blue case and illuminated fan, and in the case of the Enermax Coolergiant 600W, we got a golden aluminum case. Of course, appearance is a matter of taste, but this trend lasted only a few years.
Power supply 2005 — Hiper Type-R 770W
Manufacturers quickly began to focus on the internal qualities of the power supply, about then efficiency did not come to the fore. In 2005, the 80 PLUS initiative led to the introduction of the 80 PLUS label in the US. Power supplies were tested according to a specific procedure, and if they met the criteria, manufacturers could add the 80 PLUS marking.