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Poweredge 860 Losing BIOS Settings
Hi,
I've got 2 Poweredge 860s that were unplugged for a couple of months. After powering them back on, they've lost the BIOS settings. (getting error messages saying (i) time-of-day not set and (ii) Invalid configuration information - please run SETUP). Also SATA channel 1 is set to unknown (although it has previously been set to hard-drive). As I would expect, when I set the time-of-day and set SATA channel 1 to automatic in the BIOS, the Poweredge works fine through multiple reboots when still plugged in but loses all of these settings when plugged out (i.e. physically disconnected from mains).
So, the obvious fix (I think) is change the system / BIOS battery. I've done this, put a new BIOS battery in each of the servers but this didn't fix the problem. Checked the seating of the BIOS battery connector etc etc, no joy. Both of the servers are at BIOS A05, which is the latest BIOS release for these servers.
What I find surprising is that both of the servers are showing exactly the same problem but searching on the web doesn't really yield any instances of a similar issue (apart from change the BIOS battery recommendations) The original BIOS batteries are 3V CR2032 batteries, the new ones are DL2032 batteries but the change in prefix from CR to DL is just due to a different manufacturer so pretty sure I'm not using the wrong battery.
Any ideas on the above or ideas on diagnostics tools that I can use to fix the issue?
Thanks,
get_useful_info.
pcmeiners
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May 31st, 2011 11:00
You are right, nothing similar comes up.
Odds of two machines having a CMOS circuit issue at the same time are quite low. I would try a new pack of batteries, Radio Shack has them. Any chance someone moved and left the berg pins on the incorrect pins months ago?
get_useful_info
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May 31st, 2011 15:00
Hi,
Thanks for the post. I've already tried replacing the batteries with batteries from a new pack so don't think the batteries are the issue. I also changed the jumper to reset the nvram (then changed it back:emotion-1:), again no improvement.
As well as both servers having been powered off for approximately 6 weeks, they also both had their hard-drives removed, with these being replace by different hard-drives so it's possible that this could have unseated something. Unlikely though that this would have occurred in exactly the same way on both systems... so no closer to getting this solved I think?
get_useful_info.
pcmeiners
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June 1st, 2011 07:00
"I've already tried replacing the batteries with batteries from a new pack ", as in a second purchase of "new" batteries?, some stores purchase batteries, at a cheap price from warehouses which have had them stored for a few years or under adverse conditions. If you did not replace the batteries a second time, I would get a another couple from a different supplier.
Unseated something", there is nothing which would cause such a problem, especially on two machines, at the same time.
Six weeks unpowered, is not a lot of time. If the machines were off for a year or two, then I would suspect a mobo component. If it was just one server I would suspect a componet, bui two machines at the same time, almost impossible.
I googled CMOS circuit test , but it appears testing is very difficult. If you have a VOHM, I would check the voltage of the batteries out of the battery holder and when the batteries are in the holder.
Have you run the Dell diags?
googled dell cmos battery test Did run into a few people with battery replacements not solving issue.... still two machines at the same time, very strange.
theflash1932
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June 1st, 2011 08:00
Agreed ... I had over 100 machines that had been powered off for over 2 years, and not a single one of them needed a replacement CMOS battery.
Also agreed that for this to have happened to two machines is extremely unusual, unless they, when they were "put away", had the same thing happen to them ... something physical - dropped, experimented with, etc., or environmental - radiation, moisture, dust, etc.
fierceent
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December 5th, 2012 10:00
Did you find a fix for that ... I just came across the same problem ... we have an poweredge 860 which was turned off for several weeks ... now has the same symptoms as yours ... also changed the CMOS battery without any improvement ... system is still displaying low critical voltage on CMOS even though i put in a new one ...
samraby
3 Posts
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April 19th, 2017 04:00
Hi ,
Ive got the same problem. Changed batteries, don't think the jumper is in the wrong place,
did notice a bit of corrosion on the battery. possible dodgy contacts?
Going to the stoning
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November 22nd, 2019 21:00
Sadly, these old boxes are starting to drop like flies. I’ve got a dozen and 4 of them are doing the same thing, even with new batteries. I know it’s not the new batteries because they are delivering 3.3V in the holder. I’m thinking it’s time for me to do some tracing and hit it somewhere with the soldering iron. Whatever the problem might be, it is highly likely to be the same for all of them. Might be a dry joint, or maybe a little regulator chip or similar. Not having a schematic does not help.
JonD_G4
1 Message
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August 13th, 2021 01:00
Almost 2 years on - did this one ever get solved? I have hit exactly the same thing over the last few days and so far, I can't solve it...
DELL-Erman O
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August 13th, 2021 03:00
Hello,
Frankly, this 860 model is a bit old for me. But my first thought was that it might be due to the BIOS battery, which you probably checked. Maybe doing a hard reset with an NVRAM clear might work if it's not a hardware issue.
NVRAM Reset Jumper
NVRAM_CLR — Clears NVRAM. The NVRAM will be cleared when the jumper is closed (use the jumper from the password bridge). To properly clear, AC power must be applied (not necessarily turned on) to the system for about 10 seconds while the jumper is closed.
Pins 1-2 shorted clears NVRAM
Apart from that, I believe that if anyone from previous users can solve it and share their experiences, it will contribute to our community.
Hope this will help!