How vital is the CMOS battery?

[gmatov]

Will,
Now that IS a tipoff leaning towards the battery, BUT, a battery by itself won't cause a reboot.

As per before, your machine is always powered unless you unplug or click off whatever powerstrip/UPS you use. That is the only time the battery is required on an ATX board.

Now it sounds as though your battery is dead, AND you are having some kind of intermittent power loss from the PSU.

When it shuts down, does it reboot, or do you have to hit the start button?

Was this the first time you saw those messages, one of which should have been "CMOS Check Sum Error" or something like it? All those other times, did it tell you to press F1 or F2 to continue or Del or F8 or something to go to Setup?

You may actually have an intermittent short that is tripping the protection in the PSU in the 3.3, 5, or 12 volt sections.

Do you still have the old machine, and if you have and it is an ATX, can you switch it out? You don't have to remove the PSU from the new machine, just disconnect ALL the wires and plug in the wires from the other PSU. Lay the machine on its side, the replacement PSU laying on the case so it doesn't fall in and break something.

Did you replace the battery yet? That won't solve the reboot, but should solve the CMOS error, unless there's actually a break in the board somewhere near the BIOS socket.

I'd say keep plugging away, but I think you're getting pissed enough with the problem to not be amused.

George

[Will Hay]

Will,
Now that IS a tipoff leaning towards the battery, BUT, a battery by itself won't cause a reboot.

As per before, your machine is always powered unless you unplug or click off whatever powerstrip/UPS you use. That is the only time the battery is required on an ATX board.

Now it sounds as though your battery is dead, AND you are having some kind of intermittent power loss from the PSU.

When it shuts down, does it reboot, or do you have to hit the start button?

It's a reset. powers up again then I get a message about a major fault from XP and then, normally, it's fine.

Was this the first time you saw those messages, one of which should have been "CMOS Check Sum Error" or something like it? All those other times, did it tell you to press F1 or F2 to continue or Del or F8 or something to go to Setup?

Yep

[quote]Do you still have the old machine[quote]

No

I'd say keep plugging away, but I think you're getting pissed enough with the problem to not be amused.

My worry is I can't return the faulty item as I don't know what it is, and then the warranty period is up
Will

[Will Hay]

Bit of an update here
Will