PC date resets itself. Why?

I'm refurbishing an older PC that I took in part-exchange.
Every time I start it, the date has reset itself to January 1st, 2012.
Any suggestions why it does this? Maybe the CMOS battery needs replacing?

Have you reset / set the BIOS settings? I have seen PCs where unless the clock has been set in the BIOS, each time the machine starts the clock resets. However, I agree with you. Change the CMOS battery.

Iain

[mdyde]

[Topic moved here.]

Change the battery

Agree, I had one recently doing exactly the same thing. New CMOS battery and all fine.
Peter