Saving Bios settings?

Question

Hello Forum, I have a Dell Dim. 8200 running Win. XP sp2. For awhile now I have been getting a low battery warning when I start up my computer. I would like to change the battery but I would like to know if i would have any problems doing this? I would like to know how to save my bios settings before doing this? Thank you for any help you can give me..  Lee

volcano11 · Answer

There is no easy way to save the BIOS settings. Most of the settings are automatic, but if you have changed anything, you will have to go into the BIOS setup program and write down all settings, then check them after you have replaced the battery.

Steve

Majestic · Answer

As Steve pointed out most of your current settings are probably the default ones the BIOS uses already.  If you have personalized the boot sequence, enabled Fast Boot, enabled BIOS passwords or have played around with any power manage settings then you will have to go back into the BIOS Setup and re-configure them again.  The most important thing to do after replacing the battery is to clear the System Event Log of the error message.  Otherwise you may get a reminder of the battery problem on subsequent reboots even though it has been replaced.

Cornflakes · Answer

Thanks very much for letting me know all that..  By clearing the system event log of errors, do you mean by going into the Event viewer and clicking  Clear All Events in the Event Viewer under the Action tab? I want to make sure I click on the right tabs because I've never done this before. I've been receiving low battery warning ever since I bought my Dim. 8200 in Oct. 2002 but the warning would come and go so I never changed the battery but now I have been receiving it everyday so I think it is time to change the battery and see if that is really the problem.. i know many other people back then were having trouble with low battery warnings but I never found out if changing the battery helped them or not..  Thanks again..  Lee

Majestic · Answer

Yes, go into the System Event Log of the BIOS Setup and choose the option for clearing all events.     As for the low battery warning, hopefully replacing the battery takes care of the problem for you.  As you are aware the battery warning problem is fairly common for your model and there is no simple solution.  From what I recall of previous discussions if the battery replacement doesn't cure it then try plugging the system directly into the wall.

Cornflakes · Answer

Thank you Steve and Majestic, I went out and bought a battery today and am about to put it in. If I have any other problems I will come back to see you...  Lee

Majestic · Answer

Unfortunately I have no idea what the color coding in the System Event Logs mean.  My only reference source to your model is the on-line User Guide which doesn't go into much detail regarding the Event Log.  I am assuming from your description that when you use the term 'entry or entries' you are referring to choices or menu options on the screen and not a actual entry in the log that would indicate a problem such as a battery failure.

Cornflakes · Answer

Hello again, As I wrote in my last reply that I was going to change the battery last night but when I started to do it I decided first to go into the BIOS and check the setting in the Event log. When I pressed enter on the  Systen Event Log there were 4 other entries there and 2 of the entries one of which was just marked event log and 3 others which i don't remember what was marked. There was the entry you mentioned marked clear event log, each had the word (enter) written beside it. To get to what I found in the event log was that 2 of the entries were written in blue one was Event Log line itself which had ( unread) marked in blue beside it and the other entry was Clear Event Log... (enter) written in blue. So I decided to press the enter tab on clear event log and the blue color disappeared so then I pressed enter on the Event Log line but the blue didn't go away. By pressing on the (enter) feature I thought it would take me to another screen so I could see if there were any errors in there but when I pressed enter it didn't show me anything and the whole box just disappeared and it just brought me back to the main Bios screen. What I would like to know is: Why would these 2 entries in the System Events be marked in blue? Does this mean that there is an error in those entries? Right now there is Event log entry itself which is written in blue and beside it it's marked (unread). Could you tell me what this might mean. If my reply is confusing, please ask me and I will explain it again. Thanks for any help you can give me on this... Lee

Majestic · Answer

What you are encountering could also mean there is nothing in the log to view and that is why it is kicking you back to the main page. Not being familiar with the particulars of your system's BIOS Setup, that would be my best guess.

As long as you are going to change the battery then clear the NVRAM using the procedure I have listed below. During the NVRAM clearing the System Event Log will also be cleared of all error reports in case there are some recorded. If after the NVRAM clearing you still encounter the same behavior when accessing the menu items of the System Event Log then I would suspect there are no errors logged and that is why you are getting kick back.

Here is how..........

With the machine unplugged from the wall remove the battery from the motherboard. Then with the machine still unplugged press the On button for several seconds to dissipate any remaining electrical charge on the motherboard. Then re-install the battery, plug the machine back into the wall and boot up the system.

Cornflakes · Answer

Good morning Majestic,

Yes, when I said entry I mean the menu options on the bios screen. It seems that from what I have read that when the menu option is blued out, it means the option isn't available. But when I was in the system event log I and pressed the key to enter the error log, suddenly the blued out option went away and returned to the normal black. The only option that is still blued out is the first option entitled Event Log (UnRead) So when I press the enter key for this option the whole box disappear and returns me to the main bios page and to me that means I am unable to get into the Event log to see what is going on. As far as I know I should be able to get into the event log error entries so I don't know why the options in the event log are unavailable The Event Log option should be Event Log (Read). Don't you think so. Do you think I should try Clearing the NVRAM and resetting the Bios to it's defaults before I try changing the battery? Lee

Majestic · Answer

What you received from tech support sounds good.  I would take it one step further and when installing the new battery I would pop it in and take it out several times.  By repeating the battery insertion a few times will clean off any light corrosion on the socket's contacts and insure a good connection between the new battery and socket. Just take your time doing it and don't force anything.

Cornflakes · Answer

Thanks again Majestic,

I'll do what you are telling me. I have been searching for an email I received 2 years ago from Dell tech support and I just found so I think with your help and the email I found I'm ready to do what I have to do. As I guess you can tell from my question I'm no computer wiz and really don't know what I'm doing so I need all the help I can get. :) Here is the respnse from the the Dell Tech support.. Thanks again.. Lee

Discussion: This error is normally only displayed when the CMOS
battery voltage truly is low, however instances have occurred
in the field where the error is displayed when the battery condition
is fine. In each of these cases the problem has been caused by
an intermittent contact in the battery socket located on the
motherboard.

Solution: If the above error is seen the following steps should
be taken.
- When the error is displayed press the F2 key to enter the system
setup
- Check the system event log for anyone of the following entries
CMOS Battery Failure
CMOS Checksum Error
CMOS Time Not Set
- Power down the system, open the chassis and remove / re-install
the coin cell battery
- Power the system back up. Most likely you will see additional
on-screen errors. Either the "System battery voltage is low"
messaging will reappear, the "Time and Date not set" message
may been seen, or both messages may be displayed. In any case,
press F2 to re-enter the system setup, set the Time and Date,
and clear the system's event log. Once this is complete, save
the new settings, exit the setup and reboot the machine.
- If the "System battery voltage is low" error reappears, then
we need to replace the battery.
You don't need to write down settings because you can set all
the settings to default value just by giving a single command,
which you will learn in above mensioned link

Cornflakes · Answer

Hello Majestic, I'll give it a try. I'll let you know how it goes. With all the info you have given me, I'm sure it will go OK.. Thanks again.. Lee

Cornflakes · Answer

Hi Majestic, Just wanted to let you know that i got up the nerve to change this battery today and all went pretty good. When I turned the computer back on there was a message saying the IDE configuration needed to be re   set and that I had to restart the computer, when it came back on it configured itself which was great news for me.. Then all I had to do was reset the time and clear the error log. So far so good, the computer seems peppier but it could be my imagination. Thanks again for all your help and see you on the boards..  Lee

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Saving Bios settings?

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