[js1138]

Capacitors are like batteries...but they hold a different kind of charge...

The capacitors in a computer will discharge within a few second after you unplug it. This is because parts of the system are always on. The switches on recent computers are really just telling the motherboard to activate a relay. Parts of the motherboard are always active, and will drain the capacitors.

[Zavien Doombringer]

The only thing that should be running on the board is the system clock. The battery on board is providing a charge to the CMOS/BIO CHIP. Todays motherboards are batteryless, I would have to agree with you if this computer were newer.