Five Year Old PC, Yeah I know, get a new one!

When I started my PC this evening it started up as soon as I turned on
the power strip switch, so I never even pressed the on off button. It
started with a dark screen and ran through some configuration stuff,
and I pressed F1, and then it started normally.

I had to reset the clock, as it was back to November 2003, when it
was first turned on.

The computer is working normally now, and when I shut it down and
started it up again it was OK.

What happened? I know, I know, it is five years old, get a new one.
Aside from that, what happened?

Aaron Hirshberg

wrote in message
...

When I started my PC this evening it started up as soon as I turned on
the power strip switch, so I never even pressed the on off button. It
started with a dark screen and ran through some configuration stuff,
and I pressed F1, and then it started normally.

I had to reset the clock, as it was back to November 2003, when it
was first turned on.

The computer is working normally now, and when I shut it down and
started it up again it was OK.

What happened? I know, I know, it is five years old, get a new one.
Aside from that, what happened?

If it is worth $3 to prevent this recurring, replace the CMOS
battery on the motherboard.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

wrote in message
...
When I started my PC this evening it started up as soon as I turned on
the power strip switch, so I never even pressed the on off button. It
started with a dark screen and ran through some configuration stuff,
and I pressed F1, and then it started normally.

I had to reset the clock, as it was back to November 2003, when it
was first turned on.

The computer is working normally now, and when I shut it down and
started it up again it was OK.

What happened? I know, I know, it is five years old, get a new one.
Aside from that, what happened?

Aaron Hirshberg



You may need to replace the CMOS battery..


--
Mike Hall - MVP

Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

On Tue, 27 Jan 2009 18:04:45 -0800 (PST), "
wrote:


I had to reset the clock, as it was back to November 2003, when it
was first turned on.


Almost certainly, you need a new, inexpensive, motherboard battery.

--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

The type of battery you will need is a 3Volt CR2032. Just be extra careful
when removing the old and replacing it with new one. Should be located near
bottom of motherboard. Also remember to touch metal housing to discharge and
static electricity before you do the battery change. Hope this helps.
--
Computer/Software Novice



"And In The End... The Love You Take, Is Equal To The Love You Make"


" wrote:

When I started my PC this evening it started up as soon as I turned on
the power strip switch, so I never even pressed the on off button. It
started with a dark screen and ran through some configuration stuff,
and I pressed F1, and then it started normally.

I had to reset the clock, as it was back to November 2003, when it
was first turned on.

The computer is working normally now, and when I shut it down and
started it up again it was OK.

What happened? I know, I know, it is five years old, get a new one.
Aside from that, what happened?

Aaron Hirshberg

On Jan 28, 3:38*am, The C.
wrote:
The type of battery you will need is a 3Volt CR2032. Just be extra careful
when removing the old and replacing it with new one. Should be located near
bottom of motherboard. Also remember to touch metal housing to discharge and
static electricity before you do the battery change. Hope this helps.
--
Computer/Software Novice

"And In The End... The Love You Take, Is Equal To The Love You Make"



" wrote:
When I started my PC this evening it started up as soon as I turned on
the power strip switch, so I never even pressed the on off button. It
started with a dark screen and ran through some configuration stuff,
and I pressed F1, and then it started normally.

*I had to reset the clock, as it was back to November 2003, when it
was first turned on.

*The computer is working normally now, and when I shut it down and
started it up again it was OK.

*What happened? I know, I know, it is five years old, get a new one.
Aside from that, what happened?

Aaron Hirshberg
- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks for the advice. I already opened the case and saw the
battery. I assume something like a plastic can on a ball point pen
will be a good tool to pry it CAREFULLY out with? I already copied
down the battery info.

Were my BIOS settings lost? If so, how do I reset them when the PC
has a new battery?

Aaron Hirshberg

Were my BIOS settings already erased? I mean, the ones that are
configurable. If so, what do I do to restore them? I did not write
them down.

I will contact Dell shortly to buy the battery. They already sold me
a good power supply that I installed a few months ago. So I will
trust them to sell me a good battery, too.

Aaron Hirshberg

wrote in message
...
On Jan 28, 3:38 am, The C.
wrote:
The type of battery you will need is a 3Volt CR2032. Just be extra careful
when removing the old and replacing it with new one. Should be located
near
bottom of motherboard. Also remember to touch metal housing to discharge
and
static electricity before you do the battery change. Hope this helps.
--
Computer/Software Novice

"And In The End... The Love You Take, Is Equal To The Love You Make"



" wrote:
When I started my PC this evening it started up as soon as I turned on
the power strip switch, so I never even pressed the on off button. It
started with a dark screen and ran through some configuration stuff,
and I pressed F1, and then it started normally.

I had to reset the clock, as it was back to November 2003, when it
was first turned on.

The computer is working normally now, and when I shut it down and
started it up again it was OK.

What happened? I know, I know, it is five years old, get a new one.
Aside from that, what happened?

Aaron Hirshberg
- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks for the advice. I already opened the case and saw the
battery. I assume something like a plastic can on a ball point pen
will be a good tool to pry it CAREFULLY out with? I already copied
down the battery info.

Were my BIOS settings lost? If so, how do I reset them when the PC
has a new battery?

Aaron Hirshberg


Your BIOS settings other than time and date would most like have been the
default settings UNLESS you personally changed anything..


--
Mike Hall - MVP

Mike's Window - My Blog..
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/default.aspx

Were my BIOS settings already erased? I mean,
the ones
that are configurable. If so, what do I do to
restore
them? I did not write them down.

I will contact Dell shortly to buy the battery.
They
already sold me a good power supply that I
installed a
few months ago. So I will trust them to sell me
a good
battery, too.

Aaron Hirshberg

Probably not, if it's keeping the clock half way
working but it won't be long before it does
scramble them, which might cause the computer to
be unbootable under the right conditions.
You can buy the battery at Radio Shack, most
any hardware/grocery store that sells batteries,
even most watch stores. All you need is the
number off the battery; it's a round, coin-sized,
possibly a large coin, located on the mother
board.
With an older computer you usually just use a
small screwdriver to pry them up out of their
holder. Put the new one in the same way the old
one was (+ side up, or whatever).
If your BIOS seems to be trashed, usually there
will be a setting to "restore defaults" as a sure
way to get the machine running again IFF you need
to.

Instructions to access the BIOS should appear
briefly on the boot screen as soon as the POST
completes and windows starts to load; just watch
the screen carefully from turn-on to the point
where windows starts loading.

HTH

Twayne

On Jan 28, 3:38 am, The C.
wrote:
The type of battery you will need is a 3Volt
CR2032.
Just be extra careful when removing the old and
replacing it with new one. Should be located
near bottom
of motherboard. Also remember to touch metal
housing to
discharge and static electricity before you do
the
battery change. Hope this helps. --
Computer/Software Novice

"And In The End... The Love You Take, Is Equal
To The
Love You Make"



" wrote:
When I started my PC this evening it started
up as soon
as I turned on the power strip switch, so I
never even
pressed the on off button. It started with a
dark
screen and ran through some configuration
stuff, and I
pressed F1, and then it started normally.

I had to reset the clock, as it was back to
November
2003, when it was first turned on.

The computer is working normally now, and when
I shut
it down and started it up again it was OK.

What happened? I know, I know, it is five
years old,
get a new one. Aside from that, what happened?

Aaron Hirshberg
- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks for the advice. I already opened the
case and saw
the battery. I assume something like a plastic
can on a
ball point pen will be a good tool to pry it
CAREFULLY
out with? I already copied down the battery
info.

Were my BIOS settings lost? If so, how do I
reset them
when the PC has a new battery?

Yes, if they were customized. Probably not if they
were defaults; hard to guess.
Worst case, if things don't work when you put
the new battery in, open the BIOS and look for a
"Restore Defaults" choice. That will get the
compuiter going and you can check out what might
need to be set that's special at your leisure, if
there is anything else to set. Often the defaults
are all you need unless a printer or other
peripheral needs something changed for the
parallel or serial ports.

Twayne



Aaron Hirshberg

The type of battery you will need is a 3Volt
CR2032. Just
be extra careful when removing the old and
replacing it
with new one. Should be located near bottom of
motherboard. Also remember to touch metal
housing to
discharge and static electricity before you do
the
battery change. Hope this helps.

When I started my PC this evening it started up
as soon
as I turned on the power strip switch, so I
never even
pressed the on off button. It started with a
dark screen
and ran through some configuration stuff, and I
pressed
F1, and then it started normally.

I had to reset the clock, as it was back to
November
2003, when it was first turned on.

The computer is working normally now, and when
I shut
it down and started it up again it was OK.

What happened? I know, I know, it is five
years old,
get a new one. Aside from that, what happened?

Aaron Hirshberg


I agree that's true of most, but not all,
machines. Please refrain from giving part numbers
unless you know they are for the specific
brand/model motherboard. I have a mobo here that
specs a CR2016. They are not all the same.

Twayne

Thanks for your help. I got the battery at RS today. I will install
it soon.

Aaron Hirshberg

wrote in message
...
Were my BIOS settings already erased? I mean, the ones that are
configurable. If so, what do I do to restore them? I did not write
them down.

There is usually no need to pay any attention to them. These days, BIOS
settings are almost automatic. At most, you'll need to change the date and
the boot sequence. The date can be set from within Windows as well.


I will contact Dell shortly to buy the battery.

No need to do that. These batteries are sold at many stores, hardware
stores, camera, electronics, even drugstores or grocers. They look like a
quarter and cost a few dollars. They're also used in calculators and
watches.

Power down, unplug the power, open the case and look for the battery. Read
the model number off it (for example, CR2032) and go get a replacement. Pop
the old one out and put the new one in.

Close the case, power up, set the date, you're done with it for another few
years.

HTH
-pk

They already sold me
a good power supply that I installed a few months ago. So I will
trust them to sell me a good battery, too.

Aaron Hirshberg

Thanks for your advice.

Aaron Hirshberg

wrote in message
...
Thanks for your advice.

Aaron Hirshberg

Good news!