FYI for testing purposes and I guess being able to play if you find out the NVRAM is bad - if you have a bunch of resistors or diodes cut the wires off and solder them onto the old chips legs and insert into the socket and see if she fires.

I would test continuity from topside to bottom side before removing it. If you have continuity and no solder bridges there's no point of removing the socket. You're potentially taking more risk at damaging traces otherwise