What component is required to save system settings when the computer is powered off?

To save system settings when the computer is powered off, the CMOS battery plays a crucial role. CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) is a technology used for constructing integrated circuits. The CMOS battery provides power to a small memory chip that holds BIOS settings, including system time and hardware configuration settings. This allows the settings to persist even when the computer is turned off, ensuring that the system can boot correctly with the configured parameters once powered back on.

While the hard drive stores files and data, it does not directly manage system settings. The power supply provides electrical power to the computer but does not store settings. The motherboard hosts various components, including the battery and CMOS chip, but is not responsible for storing settings on its own without the CMOS battery. Therefore, the CMOS battery is essential for maintaining these critical system settings during power loss.