CMOS checksum error

Do you have the Dell diagnostic disk or systems disk that came with it? Can you enter setup at all? The booklet that comes with the Dells have a section on how to correct this problem. If you can get in to setup make sure that you have the bios setup to boot to floppy drive first. Then you should be able to boot with the boot disk.
Dave

Checksum errors occur when you have a bad battery(weak) on the motherboard. Try replacing the battery then check again.

I can enter setup (indeed it was the setup log which had the error message - the F8 key just held the see setup log message) and the boot is set for the floppy - but the windows startup disk won't boot. I,ll see if I can find the Dell disk and also I'll look at the battery.
Thanks
Outfitter

If replacing the battery doesn't work you're motherboard is probably shot! Good ludk!!!

netac

engtered setup to be certain 1st boot wasa from floppy (it was) and attempted to boot from Dell Diagnostics disk, windows startup and fro good measure thre Dell handbook - no go. Will get fresh battery and hope (a low level of reality but when you have 3 years of work and program tweeks tha's all you have left).
Outfitter

I am going back later today and look at my Dell manual. Could be that I have your error message confused with a similar one. Maybe the battery will correct the problem. If not, see if there is a jumper on your mb that will allow you to short it and clear cmos. Might not be a jumper but a place that looks like soldered spots on the board that allows you to short them to clear it.
Dave

You can get the battery at your local Walmart or Radio Shack most likely. Just remove it and take it with you and match the voltage and size. That is if it is a button type battery. (Like a large watch battery) I really have not heard that replacing the battery would correct this, but there are many things I have not heard before. :) It still may take clearing the cmos. Seems to me that Dell's boards has a way to clear cmos with a command. You may want to do some research on this. I have seen one of the Dell people here post a way to do this. I can look for it also when I get back home.
Dave

By any chance, did this message start after you did the bios upgrade?
Dave

I haven't opened the box yet because I note Dell is out of stock on the battery (are these commonly available elsewhere?). The whole cmos message may be a red herring - when I marked the Setup message log as read the message never reappeared. All that I know for certain is that after going through the pre-tests and finding the cd players and removable disk players the darn thing wont boot the OS (nor the startup disk nor the DEll disk).
Thanks
Oufitter

It is possible that the checksum message has gone unread since I flashed the BIOS and that it has no connection with my current woes. Do you hace any idea how the battery clip works - don't want to break it off prying the battery out
Thanks
Outfitter

change of battery has not helped - any other idea?

Outfitter

I think you have to short the jumper on the MB and clear cmos. Then see if this corrects the problem. If that doesn't work you might have had a bad bios flash. Did you make a backup of the old bios where you can go back to it? Have you searched Dell or the MB maker's site for a fix for this after a bios flash?
Dave

Thanks Dave but I flash the Bios over a year ago and I assume changing the battery cleared the CMOS.
Outfitter

Ok. I didn't know how long ago you flashed the bios. But changing the battery would not have cleared the eprom on the bios.
I have had too much to do today, but I have read articles on this error and if I can locate them again from Microsoft I will get back with you.
Dave

If replacing the battery and reseting system to original configuration does not work I am sad to say that it is probably a motherboard failure!! It happened to me and my system was under warranty! Dell sent someone out to fix it within 2 days. The new MoBo was replaced. It took 25 Minutes. Everything on my drive was saved.
When the Motherboard fails your hard drive still has everthing intact.
I wish you the best of luck!!! I remember how I felt when it happened to me!!

netac