[Jim45]

I just put a brand new battery in. It's a Duracell DL2032, but on the package it says DL2032/CR2032. The guy at Staples said it was fine. I put it in, started up the computer, the screen says "CMOS battery low" and "CMOS date/time not set." Why would it say "CMOS battery low"?

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The batteries are one and the same so no worries there, reset the time and date, save and exit and leave the PC running for a while, you will know if the battery is bad next time you boot up as the RTC will be incorrect, any luck with the other issue?

I will be going off line shortly until around 1900hrs UK time - work commitments I`m afraid.

[phillpower2]

The batteries are one and the same so no worries there, reset the time and date, save and exit and leave the PC running for a while, you will know if the battery is bad next time you boot up as the RTC will be incorrect, any luck with the other issue?

I will be going off line shortly until around 1900hrs UK time - work commitments I`m afraid.

[Jim45]

Why would it say a brand new battery is low? It's also not detecting either CD/DVD drive. I tried to exit and let it boot up without setting the clock and it said "Boot Failure" so I shut it down.

Edited by Jim45, 22 January 2012 - 05:57 PM.

[phillpower2]

That battery may be bad try replacing the original, the message that is normally displayed is "checksum error" when there is an issue with the BIOS settings.

[Jim45]

I pulled that same battery back out, put it back, same thing......this time zi set the time and date, exited out, and tried to boot up......said Boot Failure;system halted. I'll try another battery.

[Jim45]

Still says battery low with the original.Still doesn't detect the CD/DVD drives either. The first time I changed the battery, and plugged everything back in, it was booting up while I was still plugging things in in the back of the computer, and I accidentally unplugged the power cable at one point. That couldn't have hurt anything, right? I mean, if that happens, you just plug it back in, and it boots up again, correct? Just throwing that out there.

Edited by Jim45, 22 January 2012 - 06:05 PM.

[Jim45]

O.k........tried it again, but this time I set it to defaults, then set time and date, saved cahnges and exited out,and it booted right up. CD/DVD drives still act no differently, but right away the time was off on the clock, so what does that tell you? I'm going to put the new battery back again, since it says CMOS battery low with either one.

[Jim45]

Well, I put the new battery back in, it still said CMOS battery low, but I went into setup, did the same thing......set it to defaults, reset my AGP aperture, set the date and time, and it booted right up. The CD/DVD drive issue is no different. Apparently, for whatever reason, my computer isn't happy with just setting the date and time, it wants it to be set to defaults, but I thought changing the battery did that. Then there is the issue with it saying the CMOS battery is low. If it "thinks" it's low, then maybe that is the entire issue. Maybe my motherboard just has issues. If that's the case, it's not being replaced. My wife and I both have 10 year old Dell computers, and the only reason we still have them is the state of the economy......not spending money on anything we don't absolutely need right now. We are definitely in need of up to date computers.

Any other ideas on the CMOS battery low issue? I appreciate all your help, by the way.

[phillpower2]

See System Messages and System Setup Program @ http://support.dell....m4400/codes.htm
You may be correct in that the BIOS chip itself may be failing, if you dot not have the Dell diagnostic tools they are available @ http://www.dell.com/...rivers/us/en/04

[Jim45]

See System Messages and System Setup Program @ http://support.dell....m4400/codes.htm
You may be correct in that the BIOS chip itself may be failing, if you dot not have the Dell diagnostic tools they are available @ http://www.dell.com/...rivers/us/en/04

Well, right now it's booting up o.k., so correct me if I'm wrong, but the 4 lights won't tell me anything unless it doesn't boot up, yes?

Also, we just did our taxes, and were unexpectedly surprised, in a good way, so we might buy(or building) two new computers.My wife is skeptical about building one, but she may get a laptop anyway, but I want to try it. I've heard the general rule of thumb is that you simply get more(and better quality)for the same money. I'm not a gamer or anything, I just want a fast computer with a good graphics card for HD video and Blu Ray. I don't think it's worth doing too much to this computer, unless of course we weren't going to buy new ones. Not 100% sure, but it's looking good right now.

[phillpower2]

I never mentioned the diagnostic lights!
I said "See System Messages and System Setup Program" see .jpeg below;

As to purchasing or building a new PC I would suggest build as you get the specs you want, the cost is less expensive and you have the satisfaction of knowing that you built your own system.

[Jim45]

I never mentioned the diagnostic lights!
I said "See System Messages and System Setup Program" see .jpeg below;

You sure didn't......my mistake! According to the picture, it may have said CMOS battery low simply because it wasn't configured at that point??

As to purchasing or building a new PC I would suggest build as you get the specs you want, the cost is less expensive and you have the satisfaction of knowing that you built your own system.

Yeah, I definitely would like building it, and knowing that I did,

[Jim45]

Obviously.....these instructions don't apply if you're never assigned a password in the first place, correct?

Clearing Forgotten Passwords
CAUTION: Before you begin any of the procedures in this section, follow the safety instructions in "Safety Instructions."

If you forget your supervisor or setup password, you cannot operate your computer or change settings in the system setup program until you clear the forgotten password(s).
NOTICE: The following procedure resets all standard settings for your computer. Before proceeding, record all current settings so that you can restore them when you finish this procedure.

Shut down the computer.

Turn off any attached devices and disconnect them from their electrical outlets.

NOTICE: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then unplug it from the network wall jack.

Disconnect the power cable from your computer, and then press the power button to ground the system board.

Open the computer cover.

Locate the configuration jumper on the system board, and move the jumper plug so that pins 2 and 3 are jumpered (to "clear" the password when you turn on the computer).

Close the computer cover, connect your computer to an electrical outlet, and turn on the computer.

Access the system setup program and assign a new supervisor or setup password in the Maintenance menu.

Exit and save the system setup program settings.

After the computer boots, turn it off, and unplug it from the electrical outlet.

Open the computer cover again.

Move the configuration jumper plug so that pins 1 and 2 are jumpered (the "normal" setting).


Mine never asked me for a password.

[phillpower2]

Obviously.....these instructions don't apply if you're never assigned a password in the first place, correct?

That is correct.

A build tutorial courtesy of Troy and Artellos respectively http://www.geekstogo...r-own-computer/

[Jim45]

Obviously.....these instructions don't apply if you're never assigned a password in the first place, correct?

That is correct.

A build tutorial courtesy of Troy and Artellos respectively http://www.geekstogo...r-own-computer/

Thanks! I'm on the fence about building one, but leaning towards doing it.

A couple posts back, I took that as it could have said CMOS battery low simply because it wasn't figured yet, or the time and date set? That's how I read it anyway.