BIOS LOOSES SETUP

[Tunji Oke]

Hello: I am not really sure what is wrong with my motherboard. It looses system setup when I turn of the computer for longer than about 30 minutes. It started about mMarch 98 so I just leave the PC on. BIOS is Award-Modular version 4.51G. I changed the battery but that does not seem to help wither. The CPU speed is AMD 133. I don't want to throw it away yet because it works great other wise. Any help will be greatly appreciated. You may email me directly.
Thanks

[lec169]

Make sure you have the right size battery for that Computer. It may take a 3 volt battery or higher. Have you checked the volts on that battery?

Lec

[MASTOURA]

I'm sorry to reopen this VERY old thread, but I have a similar problem, and I tried to find an answer through previous posts with no luck....

I have a very old 486 computer, and the motherboard's battery just went flat, so I said that I'm going to buy a new one. However, stupid as I am, I lost the original battery!!! So I am now faced with a situation where I know that I have to buy a new battery, but I don't know WHICH ONE!!!!

Can anyone PLEASE help me with this, cause I'm really desperate...

Is there a place on the mobo that says what model of battery I should use? It has to be a rounded and flat one (that I remember) but there are millions of different batteries that look just the same!!!!

How can I find which one applies to a very old 486??????

Please help...thanks.

M.

PS: I don't even have the mobo manual nomore...

[Axel]

Steve's right - you'll have to identify the motherboard so that you even really have a prayer of finding a manual on-line to look up the battery requirements - I started writing a response about finding the manufacturer through the BIOS post - but that wouldn't do much good without a battery......

Why not just buy a used board and replace the beast - there are enough used 486 mobos out there in junk shops to cover the state of Texas - just make sure you can A) - identify it b) - the manufacture is still alive & kicking c) has a manual on-line d) uses most if not all your other parts like memory - etc. etc... and lastly that it will fit into the existing case.

Otherwise I'd say it really wasn't worth your time - buy a used Pentium Pro 200 for about $300 with everything in it and go on with life..... that 486 really isn't worth the grief you're going through....

[nilknarf]

I've found that many of the modern boards use a CR2032 type lithium coin cell. If it's an older board, which may not have a replaceable battery, look for an external battery connector near the BIOS.

Tunji Oke, check with the motherboard and BIOS vendor to see if there are any known issues or updates/workarounds which might alleviate this problem. Your BIOS chip or motherboard might also have gone bad.

Tim

[This message has been edited by nilknarf (edited 12-28-2000).]

[hallam2003]

Axel - lol, look at the BIOS post, hehe, oh sorry, just gave me a little laugh.
uuuuhhhh..I'd say take out all the little things, like screws and other stuff that you might have a use for, then put stuff it all back in the case, then take a sledge hammer and a shotgun and have some fun. Take pictures though, we want to join in too.

Hallam

[steve_k]

I'd look over the motherboard very carefully for some identification of manufacturer. Might even have to take it out and look on the bottom. Once you know that, an Internet search will probably do the trick. If not, if the mobo is too old, find someone with an older MicroHouse CD-ROM.

This is my first posting of advice. Am still a newbie, so you might want to wait for "more better" advice before taking out the motherboard.