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Alternative to the ThinkPad's Proprietary CMOS Battery

First published Feb 28, 2022 at 7:14 PM

I was getting some new parts for my ThinkPad T420s, and I thought it would be worth replacing the 10-year-old CMOS battery. I took out the old battery and I decided to have a closer look at it.

CR2032? Is this just a coin-cell battery with wires?

It is! Tearing it apart reveals a coin-cell battery that is the same size, shape, and voltage as a coin-cell battery you can find at your local grocery store.

I disconnected the connector from the battery, and I will solder it to one of these battery holders. This should allow me to use off-the-shelf batteries which are much less expensive than the proprietary ones. That is, if it will fit.