At 05:15 PM 12/21/99 -0800, you wrote:
>Hey all, quick question. The time clock on my Win95
>equipped computer consistently loses time, about 1\2
>hr. per day. I replaced the battery on my motherboard
>but this did not help. How do I adjust this? Thanks in
>advance for the assistance!
There are several things to check here and my advice may be redundant
but........
The CMOS battery powers both the PC's internal clock and
a CMOS memory chip that holds all the computer's crucial setup information,
such as hard disk parameters, types of floppy drives, and memory size. CMOS
batteries often die slowly. A dead one usually displays a CMOS Read Error
or CMOS Battery Failure message when you turn on your PC. That means your
system has no idea how to start up because all the crucial parameters have
been lost. Some older PCs make it even harder on you, displaying a
nonspecific error message that can make you think the machine has a major
problem. Please repeat the following steps <:-)>
(1) Backup your ROM BIOS setup information. This is particularly important
for systems that are more than two years old. PCs built in the past couple
of years or so should automatically detect all crucial system parameters
when you install a new battery, although you'll still need to set the date
and time manually. There are two ways to save backup information. One
method is to go through your PC setup screens, write down all the settings,
and keep them with your PC's manuals. The better way is to use a software
package such as Norton Utilities (or similar products) that stores a
backup copy of your computer's CMOS settings on a floppy disk.
(2) If you're lucky, your system manual will tell you where the CMOS
battery is located, what type it is, and how to change it. Turn off your
PC, open the case, and take a look around. There are more than two dozen
types of CMOS batteries on the market; they fall into a few basic
categories. A lithium button cell, the most common type for newer systems,
is a thin battery about the size of a quarter that sits on the motherboard.
Some motherboards have a permanently attached, rechargeable NiCd battery,
which is about the width of an AA battery but only one-third its length.
Two other battery types attach by a two-wire cable to a jumper on the
motherboard and are located elsewhere inside the PC, usually with a Velcro
fastener. One of these is a small, rectangular black box; the other is a
plastic holder that contains four standard AA alkaline batteries.
Make "sure" that you have purchased the "correct battery". Your system
vendor or a local computer dealer or may or may not have the right
replacement battery. If your PC has an old-style holder with four AA
batteries, you should replace it with a newer-style black box like the
Ray-O-Vac 844 (use as example only). If your PC has a permanently attached
NiCd cell that's gone bad, it also likely has a four-pin connector to which
you can attach a standard NiCd battery. In rare situations, you may have to
change a jumper so check your manual.
(4) Remove the old battery( you indicated that you had replaced it). You
may first have to remove some add-in boards or move cables around and put
in the new one. But make sure you don't just toss out the old cell: All
batteries except plain-vanilla AAs may constitute hazardous waste, so check
with your local recycling center. Put a piece of masking tape inside the
case with a note of the date you changed the battery. Turn on the PC and
you'll get an error message. Get into its setup program and enter the date
and time. As explained above, newer setup programs should automatically
detect hard disk parameters and other crucial information. If yours
doesn't, you'll have to type in the information. If you used a software
package to save the CMOS settings, restore them from the floppy disk.
I know and believe that you "may" have already performed the above
procedure, however, in troubleshooting the source of your problems, I don't
want to assume anything <g>.
If this doesn't work, please look at the following M$ kb
article, http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q189/7/06.asp,
which deals with Advanced Power Management (APM) settings that are enabled
in the BIOS. You can also configure your computer to use third-party
anti-virus, system utility, and screen saver programs.
Some workarounds too resolve the issue for the last symptom)s) listed, are
to please try adjusting the APM Settings. Disable APM in the BIOS and
configure Windows to manage APM. For information about how to disable APM
in the BIOS, please contact the manufacturer of your computer. To configure
Windows to manage APM, follow these steps: Click Start, point to Settings,
and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Power Management icon, select the settings you
want for APM, and then click OK. Also, try disabling e third-party
programs and utilities. HTH. :-)
Walter R. Worth
[log in to unmask]
PCBUILD's List Owner's:
Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]>
Drew Dunn<[log in to unmask]>
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