New laptop battery messes up date/time, etc...

Hey guys,

Beginning with, here is a rundown of my laptop specifications:

RUNNING: WINDOWS 7
XPS M1330, Intel Core 2 Duo T9300(2.5GHz, 800Mhz, 6M L2 Cache)
Matte Black Casing XPS M1330
4GB, DDR2, 667MHz 2 Dimm, for XPS M1330
13.3 Inch Wide Screen WXGA TL WLED Backlit LCD with Camera
128MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS
56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
BIOS Revision A15

Okay, so it's been over a year, and my 6cell battery is beginning to die out. I ordered a replacement battery from eBay rather than Dell. I'm a college student, and paying $50 sounded better than paying $200. Anyways, I bought a 9cell battery for my XPS. So here's what happens when I plug in the new battery:

AC Charger with NO battery: Computer runs perfectly fine
AC Charger with battery: Computer runs perfectly fine
Battery with NO AC charger: Problems...

When I plugged in just the battery alone, I went into BIOS and saw that the system's date and time were screwed up; it was showing some weird date in the year 1901. With this new battery, sometimes the hard drive wouldn't load. For example, when I turn my computer on, I can hear the hard drive spinning, but after a couple of seconds, the whole system just...freezes.

I initially thought it was a problem with my hard drive, since a screen kept coming up saying that some of the Windows files were corrupt. I did a clean install of Windows 7, and even tried Vista, but still nothing. With Vista, the date and time would still mess up, and sometimes nothing would load. I even tried system restoring after booting from the CD drive, but I received an error message that I had no shadow copies to restore from. I tried starting up with another hard drive, but still had the same issues.

Right now I'm using my old battery, and I get the message "Consider Replacing Your Battery." Can anyone help shed some light on this issue? Does the problem seem to be with the new battery? Any and all help will be appreciated. Thank you.

Have you installed Dell Quickset (which has some smart battery control funtions)? Is a Genuine Dell battery? I've seen similar problems due solely to using generic batteries in the M1330.
Tom

Yup, Dell Quickset is installed and running. And yes, this is a generic battery as opposed to an OEM battery. Can this be the source of my problem? I want to know if there is any way to solve this issue.

I have three M1330s and never had the problems you mention, but I use Genuine Dell batteries. I'll bet it is the battery.
The last 9-cell I got was on eBay for around $50. I noticed this new one from a 100% positive feedback seller:
New Genuive OEM Dell Xps M1330 9 Cell Battery - eBay (item 250541622424 end time Dec-09-09 15:57:34 PST)

Thanks, is there anything I can do with the BIOS perhaps? Possibly let it run on non OEM batteries? Is there a reason why the date and time mess up with this battery other than it being a non OEM battery? My BIOS is the Dell Revision A15 by the way.

UPDATE: I found that if I put this new battery in, and go into BIOS, the date and time are already messed up. However, once I fix the date and time, then Windows loads properly. If I turn the system off, I'll have to go into BIOS again first, fix the date and time, and then load Windows.

SECOND UPDATE:

I tried using the battery on my friend's XPS M1330. The new battery runs PERFECTLY on his computer, and does not reset or mess with the date and time at all. His XPS has the same exact specifications, include the BIOS Revision A15. So I don't understand how the battery works perfectly fine on his computer, but always resets the date and time on my computer. Can anyone help shed some light on this issue?

Can you flash the BIOS to a new version?

My laptop, as well as my friend's laptop, are both updated to the latest BIOS - Revision A15.

This sounds to me like a bad CMOS battery.

Yeah, I thought that too. But, the motherboard along with the CMOS battery are about 4 months old. I also performed a full diagnostic test with both batteries, and with the AC adapter alone. I found no hardware defects.

I even called Dell, and they had absolutely no advice. Dell technicians kept saying that it was a faulty battery. However, how could it be a faulty battery if it's working on my friend's computer? That's something that's quite intriguing.

That is just baffling since your replacement battery works on another M1330. The CMOS battery was an idea but if the computer keeps its date/time using the OEM battery, then the CMOS battery is probably okay.

Anything else would be grasping at straws, it would seem..... like cleaning all of the battery contact "fingers" (toothbrush??, contact cleaner??) in case the replacement battery isn't hitting all of them (necessary to function properly).

Keep us updated if you find anything.
Tom

You said, earlier, that you plugged your battery in to your friend's computer and it worked perfectly. Have you tried his battery in your computer? It seems like that would tell you if it is a battery problem right away. If his battery does not work, then cleaning the contacts sounds like a good idea. Also, if possible, check the contacts for the CMOS battery. The battery may be good, but, not making good contact. Perhaps a piece of fuzz is stuck in there.

This is obviously part of Dells reward scheme, which you get the benefits of - for the manner they judge you've been scrimping on your battery.

Dells are renowned for being built specifically to prevent generic battery usage, the press has been inundated with stories from end-users for the last few years - there have been so many it's kind of hard to imagine any Dell owner could still be in the dark regards the issue.

If you're unhappy with this either buy a genuine Dell battery, or get another brand of portable computer - that's the bottom line.

Lol...yeah it's funny how much you learn about a company AFTER you make a purchase. I wonder which laptop I'm going to buy next...

As for this whole battery mess, it really has baffled me. I spoke with Dell representatives on the phone, and now are sending a technician out to me. However, I honestly doubt the techs will be of any help.

Battery connections are clean, no interruptions with the CMOS battery. As for Dell not allowing the use of non-generic batteries...that would make sense...IF the battery did not also work on my friend's computer. If the battery did NOT work on my friend's laptop, I would've been very happy right now. I'll keep you guys updated as I gather more information.

It's well known that Dell have this policy and make these sorts of implementations to discourage users from buying consumables elsewhere.

Batteries and chargers are singled out.

You won't necesarily reproduce the problems on another machine unless it is identical in hardware, BIOS and Software setup respects.

Did you ever find a solution to this problem? I am having exactly the same problem with an m1330, however it is with a new Dell OEM battery. It's driving me crazy. Was the tech able to help?

I am also having the same problem. I know this is an old thread, but were there ever any updates/answers?