Dimension 8400, system battery voltage is low

You can, if you're veeeeerrrry careful, open the computer case, power up the computer, wait until the battery error message comes up, and then change the battery while the computer is on.  This will prevent the loss of all power to the motherboard and eliminate the need to restore any settings that would be have been lost if 100% of power was gone.   Just be sure not to drop the battery on any electronic components when you do it.  Otherwise, you could short-out the component you dropped the battery on.  Just did our 8400 with the power was on; no problems whatsoever,

ronray43

That does not seem to be a very smart method of replacing the motherboard battery.   :emotion-3:

Personally, I always take picture of the setup settings prior to replacing battery, with a digital camera without the flash.

Bev.

:emotion-2:I suggest you shut down your computer but do not unplug the power cord. lay the 8400 on its side and open from the back.  Toward the bottom of the motherboard near the center there is a flat battery that in mine is a cr2032 , 3vdc. This battery keeps power to the cmos chip.  There is a metal tab holding on the top edge of the battery. Get a new battery ready and push the metal tab back from the battery until the battery pops out. It may have to be helped a little. Then install the new battery in by sticking in the + side of battery edge under edge of holder then pressing the othe edge down to under the metal tab and that should do it. Then try turning the computer back on and see what it says.  Dave Hall

mine still wont work after doing this still says alert! system voltage is low 

mine still wont work after doing this still says alert! system voltage is low

hi yes changed it to a duracell cr2023 restarted pc check everything changed the date in the settings every think tryed the cmos reset pins still saying voltage low and its a dell xps 600 and its windows xp 

kelvin21

To get the motherboard to recognise this new battery properly, power cycle the computer 3 times [switch it on, get it to POST then switch it off again].

After the third power cycle the low voltage alert message should disappear.

If the alert message still displays, double check the output voltage of the replacement battery.

It should read anywhere from 3V to 3.2V.

If it does then the sensing circuit on the motherboard it faulty.

You could also, try clearing the event log in System Setup [BIOS].

Bev.

I presume that's just a typo in the number for the fresh battery you installed. :emotion-5:

Did you install the new battery right-side-up?

put in the right way 

what do you mean by get it to POST ? sorry new to this 

its a 3v battery 

got nothing to check voltage with and it says system battery thing again and previous attemps at booting this system have failed checkpoint [bye ].

kelvin21

Boot [Start] the system and post into windows.

Try checking the ouput voltage with a meter.

Bev.

anyone know how to fix please

when I log on I get an Alert! which says "System battery voltage is low. F1 to continue or F2 to run setup utility." I am a retired guy and I have no idea what that means. Can anyone help? I found some info on a thread which makes me realize I should supply more detail. I have a Dimension 8400 purchased in December 2004. I read suggestions that the problem may be that I need a new battery on the Mother Board. I read that it is a round battery similar to a watch battery, possibly a CR 2032. I am not very comfortable messing around with the insides of the computer but I should be able to handle pulling out a battery and replacing it. Does this seem to make sense?

laymanh

Yes, that makes sense.

A 3-V CR2032 lithium coin cell is required, this can be purchased from any Radio Shack, WalMart and most pharmacies.

The procedures for replacing the Dimension 8400 battery are in the Owner's Manual.