BIOS chip replacement

[Amigaz]

I own an ASUS 486 board which I've got a new BIOS chip for with the latest BIOS version with 5x86 CPU support...my question is do I need to remove the CMOS battery before switching BIOS chips?
My thought is that it's a bad idea if there's current going to the chip when it's removed and replaced

 

[IBMMuseum]

I own an ASUS 486 board which I've got a new BIOS chip for with the latest BIOS version with 5x86 CPU support...my question is do I need to remove the CMOS battery before switching BIOS chips?
My thought is that it's a bad idea if there's current going to the chip when it's removed and replaced

The battery just powers the CMOS config (most likely in the chipset on a 486 motherboard) and RTC (Real Time Clock), not the BIOS. But actually what you are asking is relevant in it's own way, as different BIOS vendors and versions could use the CMOS settings slightly differently. You would pull the battery so that it wipes the config, in preparation to reconfigure with the newer BIOS chip.