Well it only took about 36 hrs. for the problem to return. Here's a run down: About two weeks ago I could not power up my machine. I went thru the power and battery unplug-wait-replug drill as suggested by Dell. I was then able to power up but got the message "Date/Time Not Set". I went to the BIOS Setup and changed the date from 00.00.00 Sep 13 2001 to the current Date/Time but I never got the save changes option on . Back to Dell, got some one who said it was the CMOS battery. Sounded logical then, silly now, because:
1: Why was the clock at 00.00.00 Sept 13 2001. If it was the CMOS battery would'nt the clock cofiguration have stopped at whatever time it was when the CMOS battery went down? ---
2: What does the CMOS battery have to do with getting the save changes option when I from setup! Im running the F2 Setup routine on main power, right?
Now you know everything I do about the problem. Before I upgrade the BIOS could you give me a little insight on what you mean by a skewed BIOS and how an upgrade will solve the F2 Setup , save change option problem? Is the F2 Setup Routine part of the BIOS? In that case it makes sense to me. I really appreciate your help on this one. I'm a little tentative about upgrading the BIOS, I've read a lot of hair raising stories on this and other forums about POST BIOS UPGRADE PAIN.
Skewed means not exactly correct. Some BIOS versions are buggy or become buggy with age. I have an Inspiron 8100 with A08 at present, which is going to need another M'board; it has galloping Date/Time in BIOS, boots to BIOS setup, but that's as far as it goes. It will not boot any drive-floppy, CD Drive, Harddrive, or Modular Bay Harddrive. I had the same problem with 2 C800 boards with A08 BIOS on them, but on those the BIOS chip was socketed. I popped those out of the boards, and using another board and a trick of mine, was able to put A23 BIOS on them with normal operation after. I can not do that with the 8100 board as the BIOS Chips are soldered on. So can a BIOS Flash cure problems? In some cases, yes. I feel sure if I could find a way to do the flash in DOS, the 8100 board would be OK, but no way is possible.
Use the Floppy method to update your BIOS as it is the safest
leduke30
2 Intern
•
4K Posts
0
December 5th, 2005 03:00
veryharried
8 Posts
0
December 5th, 2005 18:00
That was my next move but yesterday I accidently left the machine on all day.
When I came home and rebooted the Date/Time had set. I failed to mention that
although I was getting no Save Changes? option on , and the message that Date/Time
had not set, the windows2k clock would have the time I had set., but on a reboot the CMOS was always back to Thurs Sep 13 2001.
I'm not going to update the bios unless the problem returns. Let sleeping dogs lie, right?
Thanks for thinking about it, hope I can return the favor sometime.
veryharried
8 Posts
0
December 6th, 2005 02:00
Well it only took about 36 hrs. for the problem to return. Here's a run down: About two weeks ago I could not power up my machine. I went thru the power and battery unplug-wait-replug drill as suggested by Dell. I was then able to power up but got the message "Date/Time Not Set". I went to the BIOS Setup and changed the date from 00.00.00 Sep 13 2001 to the current Date/Time but I never got the save changes option on . Back to Dell, got some one who said it was the CMOS battery. Sounded logical then, silly now, because:
1: Why was the clock at 00.00.00 Sept 13 2001. If it was the CMOS battery would'nt the clock cofiguration have stopped at whatever time it was when the CMOS battery went down? ---
2: What does the CMOS battery have to do with getting the save changes option when I from setup! Im running the F2 Setup routine on main power, right?
Now you know everything I do about the problem. Before I upgrade the BIOS could you give me a little insight on what you mean by a skewed BIOS and how an upgrade will solve the F2 Setup , save change option problem? Is the F2 Setup Routine part of the BIOS? In that case it makes sense to me. I really appreciate your help on this one. I'm a little tentative about upgrading the BIOS, I've read a lot of hair raising stories on this and other forums about POST BIOS UPGRADE PAIN.
leduke30
2 Intern
•
4K Posts
0
December 6th, 2005 04:00
Skewed means not exactly correct. Some BIOS versions are buggy or become buggy with age. I have an Inspiron 8100 with A08 at present, which is going to need another M'board; it has galloping Date/Time in BIOS, boots to BIOS setup, but that's as far as it goes. It will not boot any drive-floppy, CD Drive, Harddrive, or Modular Bay Harddrive. I had the same problem with 2 C800 boards with A08 BIOS on them, but on those the BIOS chip was socketed. I popped those out of the boards, and using another board and a trick of mine, was able to put A23 BIOS on them with normal operation after. I can not do that with the 8100 board as the BIOS Chips are soldered on. So can a BIOS Flash cure problems? In some cases, yes. I feel sure if I could find a way to do the flash in DOS, the 8100 board would be OK, but no way is possible.
Use the Floppy method to update your BIOS as it is the safest