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Real Time Clock Not Working

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7 replies

by dacman40

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I have a Pentium 166 with 128Mb RAM, onboard video and sound that I use as a lab computer to boot WIN ME, 2000 Server, and Linux. I recently replaced the CMOS battery after the system stopped booting any OS and didn't even perform a POST. Now I'venoticed that the clock doesn't advance when the computer is off. It always boots to the time that was last set in the CMOS (or time utility). WIN ME and Linux boots just fine and the system time advances. WIN 2000 server won't boot; just freezes. I can change the clock date and time, but when I boot the next day it shows the same exact date and time. I'm just curious if this is a CMOS issue or a battery issue.

7 replies

by dmiles

If the problem did not exist before changing the battery ,then check to make sure that the battery is setting in the socket correctly and that the flange is making good cotact with the back of the battery.

Then you may want to switch the battery,and make sure that it is the correct voltage to use.

by mmerritt

The CMOS/BIOS settings may have become corrupt or reverted to default settings when the battery was replaced. If all three operating systems previously worked on this PC I would almost bet one or more of the settings in the BIOS has changed after the CMOS lost power. If the other two O/S's keep time I doubt it's the new battery. Many of the socket7 motherboard BIOS's include settings for installed O/S and boot order, I would look at this. I don't think any multi-boot system would work without making a few changes to the default BIOS settings.

by thechas

Sometimes when you replace the battery, the CMOS memory gets corrupted.

I recommend that you go through the CMOS reset proceedure for the motherboard.
(usually you set a jumper, boot, shut down, and reset the jumper.)

It is also a possabilitythat the motherboard was damaged when you changed the battery.
(You did use a wrist strap?)

It wouldn't hurt to remove and re-seat the memory modules, and plug-in cards.

Chas

by dacman40

I used a boot disk utility to restore my CMOS settings, so I didn't use the jumper method. I didn't use a wrist strap; just left the computer plugged in. I probably damaged the mother board. Oh well, I can just change the time on reboot.

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