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Thread ID: 34140 2003-06-05 07:20:00 Laptop clock loses setting rumpty (2863) Press F1
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149956 2003-06-05 07:20:00 After putting an oldish laptop back into service, I notice that the clock loses its setting entirely when the machine is switched off and unplugged from the mains. It is a Compac Armada 7710T, W98 installed. The main battery that would normally be running the laptop has had it, and I don't want to get a new one.
My question is, does this machine have a normal CMOS coin cell to keep the clock going when no external power is applied, or does it rely on the main (now flat) battery?
rumpty (2863)
149957 2003-06-05 09:09:00 I would have thought that there was a cmos battery in there somewhere, but I have a Toshiba Libretto that drops its clock when the battery goes flat, so perhaps laptops don't all have that feature included.

I'll be interested to see what the experts say.

Cheers

Billy 8-{)
Billy T (70)
149958 2003-06-05 09:16:00 Earlier Compaq's than that certainly had separate bios batteries.
They ranged from permanently soldered in lithium to plug-in units, so until you pull it apart you will not find out easily on an older unit.

Chances are low on it being a simple clip-in lithium cell though as it would not be a reliable option in a mobile PC.

My Toshiba 1710 XCDT does not appear to lose anything in bios when it has a flat battery, so it must have something in it.
godfather (25)
149959 2003-06-06 02:25:00 My old Toshiba 100CS has two NiMH batteries inside, as well as the main battery. One is for the BIOS backup, and the other maintains memory for the "Resume" mode.

A very old Tandy 3800 had a lithium battery soldered in for BIOS.
Graham L (2)
149960 2003-06-06 02:46:00 Rumpty,

On the Compaq Armada 7700 series you may have to replace the auxillary battery... full information for the 7700-series is available Compaq_Armada_7700 (h18000.www1.hp.com) other information for the 7700 is available from Here (www3.compaq.com)


Cheers, Babe
Babe Ruth (416)
149961 2003-06-06 07:35:00 Babe, thanks for the site that has the info for the 7700 series, that's invaluable. I opened the 7710 this morning and found a 7.2V Ni-Mh battery in poor shape, and with a corroded plug/socket on its lead. Cleaned up the corrosion, which may help, and the battery may be good enough to keep the clock going, if that is what it is for.
No sign of any coin style lithium battery, but I didn't dismantle the thing entirely!
Thanks to all for your help.

PS. Anyone have any EDO 144 pin Ram to upgrade it?

Rumpty
rumpty (2863)
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