Skip to main content

Unsolved

This post is more than 5 years old

Closed

psane

1 Message

2027

November 3rd, 2005 18:00

problems with RTC (I think)

I have a L400 latitude laptop and it works great except that the time of the day gets skewed while working. Whenever I start it up, I normally reset the clock (I'm running windows 2000 BTW) to the wall clock. After couple of hours of work, I lose the time. The clock on the laptop runs slowly than the wall clock. Once I noticed that the time actually went back.

Normally when I start/resume the laptop, the clock shows approximately the time when I shut it off last.

Is is the CMOS back battery that needs replacing?

I generally suspend the laptop instead of restarting win2000 everytime.

thehumble1

1 Message

November 16th, 2005 13:00

I think you are right. This problem may be fixed in the L400 by resetting the machine. To do this, unplug the AC and remove the battery, then take a paper clip and find the small hole above the battery compartment on the back, right side (if you flip the computer over with the front facing you). Push the paper clip in this hole (you may feel the button push down) hold for 5 seconds. This should reset the CMOS and supposidly fixes some problems. I think if you are still working with the original reserve battery, it is due to be replaced. I believe the battery number is 3D278 and is a 7.2v 20mah battery with 3 cells. Ebay may have one for about $15 and some battery sites have them for around $30. I don't know the price from dell. The service guide for the L400 on the dell website walks you through removing the battery and replacing it. I believe it is hot glued or otherwise afixed to the motherboard, so you may want to do something similar with the new one, though I don't recommend anything and should warn you about pouring hot glue into a laptop.

You may also find that your suspend to RAM option (standby or sleep function) is also not working properly. This wouldn't happen consistently, but the computer may not recover from standby after several hours of sitting around. The reserve battery is a NiCad, so it is recharged and may still be holding a slight charge, so it takes a while for it to run down. You may notice that if you shut down the computer and turn it back on a few mintues later, it is fine, but if you let it sit 3 hours or so, the time will not have progressed. I hope this helps.

Was this post helpful?

View All

0 events found

No Events found!

Top