cmos password

Go to / start / settings / control panel / date and time , set both the date and time, hopefully that will clear your problem.


I don't think you need to go into the bios, however, I'm puzzled about the cmos password request, the password should have flushed away when you disconnected to old battery. Repost with results after trying suggested fix.

Best regards

Roger

i cannot even get past the POST. it stops after keyboard and mouse checks and gives me a 0271 error.

I cannot get past the POST. It starts and then stops after sensing the keyboard and mouse then gives the 0271 error. I have tried putting dos boot disk in and turning it on, but it won't even get far enough to read it.

Hi,

There are a couple of ways to clear the BIOs so that you can get in and make changes. Both are outlined HERE.

Steve

Steve,

As I stated in my original post with regard to my puzzlement as to the password request calee mentioned, I think calee has probably already unintentionally done the "assault on the battery" trick while changing the battery. All the bios information will probably need to be re-entered at this point. But to reiterate your quary, were the bios settings saved or backed up?....not a high likelyhood, I fear.

regards

Roger

Message Edited on 08/03/01 01:11PM by Steve Anderson

Hi Roger,

I see your point. Probably the only way to correct this is to flash the BIOS by downloading them from Dell Downloads and creating the boot floppy.

Steve

thanks for all your help. i moved the jumpers and it brought me into maintenance mode so i could clear the passwords.