CMOS problem

D

dazzazzad

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Hope someone can help me out. Earlier my pc went into sleep mode and couldn't recover from it. Mouse and keyboard wouldn't wake its ass up. This has happened 3 or 4 times before.

What was new was manual rebooting to see a message saying bios checksum bad and I need to reset the time and date or simply continue. I continued and got into my windows session that had been sleeping. All seemed fine. Bit later I shutdown and went out. When I booted up later I got an express gateway error code, then a Marvell controller message saying no boot disk found. I checked bios and it can see the hd's. I put in an Ubuntu DVD and booted from it. Ran the hd diagnostic and all seems fine. Went in and both hard drives appear intact.

So I take it something has gone wrong with my board? Any ideas?
 
Tomorrow, open the case and remove the CMOS battery VERY CAREFULLY from its housing on the motherboard.

It will resemble a very large watch battery and there should be a 'clip' on the side of the battery housing which holds the battery in place. Be careful you don't break the clip because that will be the end of your motherboard.

Get a replacement battery and re-insert onto motherboard. Here is a link with pictures to help. http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/81

As you do not specify where you are located, try the technical department of computer suppliers/ wholesalers in your area. Alternatively find an old stuffed motherboard and use that battery as a temporary fix.

Once you have the replacement battery inserted, power on the machine and enter the CMOS/BIOS setup and re-configure your options. Don't forget to save the settings.
 
I'm in cape town. Southern suburbs. Are these batteries universal? Doesn't matter what mobo it is?
 
dazzazzad said:
I'm in cape town. Southern suburbs. Are these batteries universal? Doesn't matter what mobo it is?
Click to expand...

There's a number on the battery like CR2032, just replace with the same one. Should be able to get it from the a chemist or camera shop etc.
 
Mostly yes. Thats why you need to take the old battery with you when you source a replacement. Try Yebo Electronics in Gabriel Road in Plumstead just past the corner of Main Road & Gabriel Road. Great little shop for all kinds of stuff.
 
Just opened up and it's the same lateral clip kts cr2032 from that website link. Will phone around tomorrow.
 
Thanks will head down tomorrow. Just got the battery out.

So the bios will then be back to its out of the box state? Flash update gone etc.
 
Flash updates will remain. Options just need to be reselected.

Flashed update are non-volatile, options/settings are volatile.
 
Last edited:
Thanks, picked up the battery from Yebo and I'm back online. I still got the Express Gate error followed by the Marvell controller no boot partition found error, but after those it went straight into windows and everything looks fine...
 
No, Marvell is the network controller.

A quick Google search for 'Marvell' would already point you towards: "Manufactures semiconductors. Especially Ethernet, Cable, and DSL related communications devices."
 
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