Could it be because the A500 that was given to me was too long in the box without use?
Possibly. Though, more likely, it's just that the battery is too old.
And if so, is it usually rechargeable?
The Amiga will attempt to recharge the battery... But the battery might not take it very well. (In other words, the battery might only work for a few hours of having the Amiga turned off before it forgets the time again....)
Will it recharge if I keep the Amiga on for a couple of hours?
It'll try....
Is it easy to replace if not?
Pretty simple to replace. Remove old battery. Desolder/clean card. install new battery. done. :-) I'd recommend doing this, anyhow. Especially if you see any white "fuzz" growing on or near the battery. That fuzz is corrosive, and will eventually damage the card, unless you remove the battery and clean the card.
Why are we on earth? What is the meaning of life? Is the answer really 42?
I always said there was something fundamentally wrong with the universe.......
