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CMOS battery problems?


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#1
xannax

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My boyfriend's processor broke about a year ago and he hasn't replaced it until now, so the computer's been sitting around for a while.
Last week, he bought a new processor (same specs as his last one, just a different brand) and installed it. When he tries to boot up his computer, he can hear the fans starting but the computer doesn't start all the way. He thinks it's something wrong with the BIOS or the battery that powers the BIOS, but he really doesn't want to take it in and pay $30 for the diagnostics.
I talked to someone else and he said it might be the wrong processor frequency.
So, granted that I don't know the kind of computer or whatever, what sounds like it would make sense? Do you think it'd be worth it to replace the CMOS battery or get a new processor, or should he just give up the $30 and get someone who knows what they're talking about to tell him what's up?
Thanks!
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#2
dsenette

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he can hear the fans starting but the computer doesn't start all the way

what does that mean? where does it get to in startup?

replacing the CMOS battery can't hurt...and it's cheaper than $30 bucks...but...$30 bucks isn't exactly a high price for checking the system out...

how does he know that it's just his proc that died and not the motherboard?
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#3
xannax

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When he turns on the computer, the cooling fan and fan for his graphics card start up but that's as far as it goes. He said the monitor turns on and then says "no signal," but he checked the monitor on a different computer and a different monitor on HIS computer, so it's not that.

I'm not sure how he knows it's the processor and not the motherboard. I think he's just assuming, since there was never any issues with his computer until the processor broke (he was doing something and had to take the processor out, then dropped it and it shattered). The computer hasn't been used for almost a year and the only thing that's been changed is the processor.

But is there something that could happen to the motherboard even without any use at all?
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#4
dsenette

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(he was doing something and had to take the processor out, then dropped it and it shattered

well...that's a good way to know that the processor is dead...(by broke...didn't know you meant...destroyed)

there's a possibility that reseting the CMOS will work...just pull the CMOS battery out of the computer while the power is unplugged from the wall...and hold the power button in...then put the battery back in and try to start it up...
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