Does anyone have a problem when they start you switch on your pc it asks you to go into bios set up where i have to change various things in the storage config and in tools to disable express gateway And reseting the time. It whem ok for first couple of days now it seems to be everytime.
Desktop problems please help!!!
- Thread starter raven1979
- Start date
pengipete
Rising Star
If I've understood your post correctly and the system clock is wrong each time you switch the PC on - that usually means that the CMOS battery needs to be replaced.
The CMOS battery is a small, silver cell - like a watch battery - that's about the size of a 10p piece & looks like this...
It is used to keep a tiny area of special memory from "forgetting" a few basic settings - including the time. They will often last for years but it's not uncommon for them to fail very quickly (the way some fail quickly is one of those silly annoyances that will probably never be "cured"). It's very simple to replace and they only cost £1-£2 (and you can buy them in most supermarkets and corner shops these days so they're very easy to find).
If you post back and tell us what motherboard you have, I can tell you which battery to buy and how to replace it.
It does mean opening the PC and I appreciate that some people will be wary of doing this but it is something worth doing for yourself as it just one of those "basic maintanance" jobs that comes with owning a PC - and knowing how to do things like this can save you a fortune in "repairs" over the years.
In the meantime, if you keep the PC connected to the mains and leave it switched on at the power supply unit, you shouldn't need to re-input those settings each time - that should tide you over until you replace this battery.
The CMOS battery is a small, silver cell - like a watch battery - that's about the size of a 10p piece & looks like this...
It is used to keep a tiny area of special memory from "forgetting" a few basic settings - including the time. They will often last for years but it's not uncommon for them to fail very quickly (the way some fail quickly is one of those silly annoyances that will probably never be "cured"). It's very simple to replace and they only cost £1-£2 (and you can buy them in most supermarkets and corner shops these days so they're very easy to find).
If you post back and tell us what motherboard you have, I can tell you which battery to buy and how to replace it.
It does mean opening the PC and I appreciate that some people will be wary of doing this but it is something worth doing for yourself as it just one of those "basic maintanance" jobs that comes with owning a PC - and knowing how to do things like this can save you a fortune in "repairs" over the years.
In the meantime, if you keep the PC connected to the mains and leave it switched on at the power supply unit, you shouldn't need to re-input those settings each time - that should tide you over until you replace this battery.
thanks for the reply. i know the battery u r talking about and if that is the problem it shouldnt b to much trouble getting a new 1 but would the battery affect the start-up. i have to go into storage config and change a setting to AHCI and also go into tools and disable my express gateway.
pengipete
Rising Star
You need a CR2032 cell - the most common and easiest to find in the shops - the big supermarkets have them with the normal batteries as they are used in lots of devices. If you're like me - and don't mind nicking batteries out ofother devices - you may want to check any small remote controls or similar small electronic devices (even kitchen scales) as you may be using a load of CR2032's around the house without knowing it. If so, you could use one you know works - just to see if that cures the problem. Obviously, still buy a new one asap.
It would definitely cause the problems you're having. Basically, when you save yoru BIOS settings, those settings and basic map of the main hardware attached to the motherboard are written to a small memory chip - CMOS (as it's commonly called). That memory has to be volatile - it needs to be able to be erased and re-written to - so it can't be "locked after writing. To prevent the memory from blanking when the power is removed - as your system RAM is - it is given a small trickle of power from that battery. Without the battery - or if the battery is dead/under-powered - you have to input your BIOS settings manually everytime you start the PC. In other words, BIOS is like a program and CMOS is a drive storing data from program. Without the battery, that data is never saved and the "program" is forced to run with default values each time.
I have to say, a failing battery is the most obvious and by far the most likely cause of this problem but - as always - nothing is absolutely certain. Other, more serious problems can cause such an effect but they are extremely rare and it makes sense to try the likely cure first - especially when it's only a couple of quid and a few seconds to do.
Only thing to watch out for on that motherboard - if you have a very long graphics card, it may overhang the CMOS cell slightly. (It's down near the Sata headers - just behind the hard-drives) If necessary, pop the card out rather than trying to work around it.
It would definitely cause the problems you're having. Basically, when you save yoru BIOS settings, those settings and basic map of the main hardware attached to the motherboard are written to a small memory chip - CMOS (as it's commonly called). That memory has to be volatile - it needs to be able to be erased and re-written to - so it can't be "locked after writing. To prevent the memory from blanking when the power is removed - as your system RAM is - it is given a small trickle of power from that battery. Without the battery - or if the battery is dead/under-powered - you have to input your BIOS settings manually everytime you start the PC. In other words, BIOS is like a program and CMOS is a drive storing data from program. Without the battery, that data is never saved and the "program" is forced to run with default values each time.
I have to say, a failing battery is the most obvious and by far the most likely cause of this problem but - as always - nothing is absolutely certain. Other, more serious problems can cause such an effect but they are extremely rare and it makes sense to try the likely cure first - especially when it's only a couple of quid and a few seconds to do.
Only thing to watch out for on that motherboard - if you have a very long graphics card, it may overhang the CMOS cell slightly. (It's down near the Sata headers - just behind the hard-drives) If necessary, pop the card out rather than trying to work around it.
pengipete
Rising Star
Anytime. Post back and let us know how you get on.
Incidentally, if it's a pain getting to the shops, nowt wrong with buying those cells through ebay. I get a lot of my "bits" that way, just pick a good seller who sells good brands. Small items like that are often postage "free" and can work out a lot cheaper than High St shops. Maybe I've been lucky but I've always had fast delivery too (useful as I'm pretty-well housebound).
Incidentally, if it's a pain getting to the shops, nowt wrong with buying those cells through ebay. I get a lot of my "bits" that way, just pick a good seller who sells good brands. Small items like that are often postage "free" and can work out a lot cheaper than High St shops. Maybe I've been lucky but I've always had fast delivery too (useful as I'm pretty-well housebound).