cmos battery

[philo]

i was testing a machine that would run ok for about ten minutes...
then just plain shut down.

the cpu was running cool, so it was not an over-temp situation

after trying the mobo with all different components (ram, video etc)
and confirming the cpu was good (in another machine)

i finally concluded the mobo was just plain bad

but with nothing else left to check...i found the cmos battery at about 1.7
volts...

replaced it with a good one...and much to my surprise it's been running fine
for over an hour
now...


seems weird to me...
but that's what happend


philo

 

[user]

i was testing a machine that would run ok for about ten minutes...
then just plain shut down.

the cpu was running cool, so it was not an over-temp situation

after trying the mobo with all different components (ram, video etc)
and confirming the cpu was good (in another machine)

i finally concluded the mobo was just plain bad

but with nothing else left to check...i found the cmos battery at about 1.7
volts...

replaced it with a good one...and much to my surprise it's been running fine
for over an hour
now...


seems weird to me...
but that's what happend


philo

There are a few computers (PBell comes to mind) that will not boot if
the CMOS battery is too low. Most will simply lose their settings or
time on the RTC if too low. You might have been on the ragged edge of a
computer that is similar to the Packard Bell I cited.

 

[philo]

There are a few computers (PBell comes to mind) that will not boot if
the CMOS battery is too low. Most will simply lose their settings or
time on the RTC if too low. You might have been on the ragged edge of a
computer that is similar to the Packard Bell I cited.

it's an odd one...
i don't know if the cmos could have been put in some non-logical state...
but so far the thing is still running...
guess i'll let it sit overnight and see what happens

 

[Trent©]

i was testing a machine that would run ok for about ten minutes...
then just plain shut down.

Interesting. That's the exact same specs of the machine on MY work
bench! lol Same age, BIOS, everything!! lol

the cpu was running cool, so it was not an over-temp situation

after trying the mobo with all different components (ram, video etc)
and confirming the cpu was good (in another machine)

i finally concluded the mobo was just plain bad

but with nothing else left to check...i found the cmos battery at about 1.7
volts...

replaced it with a good one...and much to my surprise it's been running fine
for over an hour
now...


seems weird to me...
but that's what happend

You may have had a BIOS conflict of sorts. When you pulled the
battery, you reset the BIOS to the default...which resolved the
conflict problem.

Just guessing, of course.

P.S. Its been my experience that a battery's voltage doesn't change
that much as it gets weaker. Was it a standard battery?


Have a nice week...

Trent©

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

 

[Trent©]

There are a few computers (PBell comes to mind) that will not boot if
the CMOS battery is too low.

Do you have any model numbers?

I've worked on a lot of PB's...but never ran across what you said
above.


Have a nice week...

Trent©

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

 

[philo]

You may have had a BIOS conflict of sorts. When you pulled the
battery, you reset the BIOS to the default...which resolved the
conflict problem.

Just guessing, of course.

sounds like a possibility

P.S. Its been my experience that a battery's voltage doesn't change
that much as it gets weaker. Was it a standard battery?

yes, it was a standard "button" type , 3 volt battery

but it was down to 1.7 volts which was probably right on the edge of

beging able to hold the settings...

at any rate the board is working ok now

and i have another board that was in my junk pile for the same symptoms

which also had a cmos battery at about 1.7 volts...

so as soon as i can find a cpu for it...will put in a new battery and give
it
another try

 

[user]

Do you have any model numbers?

I've worked on a lot of PB's...but never ran across what you said
above.


Have a nice week...

Trent©

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

Sorry, I do not have the model numbers, but I think it was a 386 or 486
vintage. I recall from the literature that this was the case, and in
fact it WAS the case on the one I was installing. Although the first
new computer I owned was a PB, they were not conducive to upgrade or
repair. I tried to stay away from them except when the problems were
very minor.