is there any way to test my cmos battery?

Tab · nFHQ Member

i built a pc a short while ago based on an EP-8rda3+, and all was peachy creamy. Then one day, i turned the beast on, and was greeted with a warning message telling me that the cpu clock had been changed.
Sure enough, the motherboard seemed to think i only had an 1100 (when in actually fact its a 2500).

i fixed the problem by restoring to defaults in bios, then tweaked the settings to how it was before and put it out of my mind. but then a few days ago it happened again. this time i just changed the options that needed to be changed and it was back to a 2500.

I spoke to a friend about it, he said 'well it sounds like your cmos battery is flat' or words to that effect. Needless to say im a bit dissapointed since i only just bought the damn thing, and other than that the board has been great.

If possible, i'd like to test the cmos battery, to make sure that is indeed the problem before i get in tough with epox for a new one.

j3pflynn · **Scarhead Supreme** Ultra nForced

Sure - Look in your BIOS under "PC Health" on the bottom left in the main menu(if it's laid out like my 8RGA+). You should see a reading for Vbat there. If it's not at least 2.8V, I'd replace the CMOS battery. If it keeps going bad, then odds are the MB has issues.

Tab · nFHQ Member

thanks for the speedy reply.
i checked and the vbat fluctuates between 3 and about 3.3. so perhaps it isnt that at all. Then when i quit bios the same thing had happened again

(warning! - cpu has been changed or overclock fail)

i realise i dont even have to change anything in bios, i just go in, save and exit and its ok again.

I guess it isnt the battery then. anyone have any ideas of another probable cause?

impar · **PC Gamer** Moderator

Greetings!

Have you flashed the BIOS recently?

Tab · nFHQ Member

hi there

i havent flashed a new bios, but everytime the problem occurs and is subsequently fixed, i get the 'flashing bios - do not turn pc off' message when i restart.

I've tried the magic bios application that came with the motherboard but it tells me the bios is the last version (im sure it should say latest)

j3pflynn · **Scarhead Supreme** Ultra nForced

One thing you might try is to shut down, pull out the CMOS battery and re-insert it, just in case there's a bit of debris, corrosion, etc. causing a connection problem. Of course, you'll have to re-do all your BIOS settings after this.

Fluctuations in the voltage readings are normal, but if it stays continually in a low range(@2.7-2.8V), swap it.

PS. Are you overclocked?

Tab · nFHQ Member

no im not overclocked, i forgot to mention that.

i'll try as you say. The irritating thing is going to be not knowing wether or not it worked, as, like i say, the problem only happens now and again.

maharg · nFHQ Member

i have been having this problem recently too.
its only when i unplug the powercord from the tower, it resets everything back to 1500+ and FSB 100 my system clock has been acting squirrely too.
i am overclocked, but its solid as a rock.

flarkit · nLightened

boris · nFHQ Member

hi

last night i tried to turn my pc on and it just wouldnt start. it pauses at the POST screen and says i have an athlon 1100 and DDR100 ram whe in fact i have a 2500xp and DDR 400.

It says the same message in the original post and also is coming up with random erors occasionally like floppy drive fail.

i dont know why its happening as i havent changed anything at all. i have had the epox2 8RDA since 2003. Im at a loss as i cant get into windows and when i do manage to get into the BIOS it freezes after about 10 seconds. if i reboot straight away it doesnt work but if i leave it for 10 seconds it does at least turn on.

any help is appreciated