Just had a customer with a two year old Dell XPS M1530 laptop giving the message "time of day clock stopped". Checked around and the common solution is a mobo change which is not worth it even though this is not a bad machine. I tore it down and put in a new coin cell battery and it works fine. My thoughts are is this mobo problem that the battery gets killed too fast and/or not recharged properly and would a bios update be a remedy? The current bios version is the factory installed one, sorry don't have it here, the customer is trying it out. Anyone played with this issue? Thanks.
Dell mobo question
- Thread starter waynebob
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NYJimbo
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That model is notorious for CMOS/RTC drains. I dont think anyone has isolated the chip thats killing it, could be a ceramic cap or the "crab" chip but I am sure Dell knows.
Most people will just stick a new CMOS battery in and live with it. Typically it will go 6 months or longer, so what I would do is offer the client a 6 month guarantee. If its dies before then its just 30 minutes of tearing it down and a $2 battery. As long as its a CR, not a ML battery on this model.
If you do find out the actual culprit and are comfortable with SMD work you could replace the chip involved but it can be a cap, the crab or something else. But 6 months before the next fail will make most clients happy if you price it right, so stick a quality CR2032 or whatever in there and give it back to them.
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NYJimbo
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Ah, rip a laptop apart and look at all the SMD chips, fairly high density pins and look for "The Crab".
Its not always the choice of laptop makers but it seems to be a popular choice.
ps- Sometimes its on the termination side of the board for some reason.
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