On May 4, 10:12 pm, Barry Watzman <WatzmanNOS...@neo.rr.com> wrote:
> Some laptops will not POST without a CMOS battery; this not as common
> now as it used to be, but this is an older laptop.
>
> Check and see in the BIOS (if you can get into it) if the laptop is set
> to take some action ("resume") on power up OTHER THAN "boot".
>
> 2 volts is a very low voltage for a lithium battery. I don't conclude
> that the existing CMOS battery is good.
>
>
>
> beltrixx wrote:
>
> > I'm starting to think the problem has nothing to do with the
> > batteries. I tested the voltage of the Lithium VL3032 battery and it
> > was about 2V (the battery holds a charge and seems able to be
> > charged); I also left the computer without any battery and the error
> > displayed was the same.
>
> > The laptop was unable to power on and I thought it was a problem
> > related to the resume function but maybe the problem is related to the
> > motherboard. Neither the power button nor the sleep button (the one
> > that is clicked by the screen when you close it) work, so to start the
> > laptop, I must click the reset hole and after a few seconds is when
> > the CMOS Timer Error displays. This can be a clue for some motherboard
> > related error, isn't it?
>
> > I'll put back all the batteries but there's little more I can do with
> > my hardware knowledge ...
>
> > Anyway, thanks everybody for helping me with this old computer.
>
> > Kind Regards,
>
> > Manel (beltrixx).- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Hi,
I know is a very low voltage but when the computer is powered through
the AC adaptor, the Lithium battery voltage is about 3 V. It should
power up, isn't it? there is no way to get into the BIOS although I
have tried all possible key combinations (Fn+F1, Fn+F2, Fn+Esc, Ctr+Alt
+Del, Ctr+Alt+F1 and so on) and the fact that neither the power button
nor the sleep button is working makes me think of a motherboard
failure.
Assuming you are right about the fact that this laptop maybe refusing
to power up due to a defective CMOS battery, how long would it last a
brand new replacement? I have read that VL3032 batteries can be
recharged 1000 times aproximately and probably I cannot rely on the
main battery of the laptop (Ni-Mh) due to its age, so it would become
necessary to have the laptop always plugged using the AC Adaptor and
this would imply using one recharge cycle of the Lithium battery every
time the Ac adaptor is used.
A workmate has been testing and recharging the batteries and these are
the results :
1) 7.2 V 60 mAh battery pack : can be charged but if the laptop is not
plugged, charge is lost very fast.
2) 3V VL3032 Lithium battery : is dead. Voltage is about 2 V (end of
service life according to its leaflet) although it shows 3V if
measured while connected to the mobo. My friend has not been able to
charge it because this type of battery is not compatible with his
charger.
I'll look if I can simulate #2 using two standard 1,5V rechargeable AA
batteries for a while. The recharge current (from the board to the
batteries) would be so low that it would make it impossible to damage
the batteries but I first would need to check whether the current
originated from the batteries would damage any chip on the mobo.
In my opinion this laptop isn't well designed at all and is far from
being flawless. The mere presence of three batteries inside it make it
a matter of science fiction powering it up but this won't make me give
up so fast, I need it to power it up and boot into the OS !
Thanks everybody for your help
Regards,
Manel (beltrixx).