motherboard battery???

[SeanHellen]

Hi again

I have an asus crosshair iv formula mobo and if I switch pc on, do what Im gonna do and switch off...then come back to it that night, its fine.

However, if I leave it overnight and all next day, I come back to it and it comes up with the bad checksum error.

Reading up on this, I have worked my way through any possabilities it could be (bad windows shutdown, battery, etc) and nothing has worked.

The only thing I can think of:- is there a "recharging" circuit on the mobo to recharge the battery that could be not working properly and therefore the battery is just going flat?

I have changed the battery for a new one, but same goes

 

[Ivan the SoSo]

Most motherboard batteries(at least all I have seen )are lithium, any attempt to recharge can result in fire, or explosion...so no recharging circuit....Have you done a BIOS update?

 

[SeanHellen]

I havent tried that yet...will give it a go when i get home...ill bugger i up somehow though, i guarantee it lol

 

[ken9122]

I havent tried that yet...will give it a go when i get home...ill bugger i up somehow though, i guarantee it lol

If you do were here to help

 

[Hopalong X]

I'd use the ASUS Easy Flash software. You use a USB Flash. The software just makes it easier. Read up on it in your manual or get the manual on line in same section as the downloads and bios.

Mike

 

[Dwarf]

It is possible that the data in the CMOS has become corrupt. Have you tried this (you will, of course, need to re-enter any settings that are different to the default)?

 

[SeanHellen]

Ta guys. Ill have a look when i get back. The only way to get it going again is press the clear cmos button and reset the boot sequence back again

***EDIT***

Ok, Im back and flashed new BIOS file so fingers crossed will let you know tomorrow..fingers crossed

 

[SeanHellen]

ok guys, bios flashed. Good news is that I left it overnight and next day and it started and didnt say bad checksum, etc.

Bad news is that it said something else that I didnt have time to read, then it said turn your system off then back on to get your system (or settings, cant remember) back...so I did, then had to go to bios and put settings in again...so bios telling me exact same as before, just in a different way, lol. will try again tonight and see what happens..maybe its because it was the first time I had turned off sincce ios flash and it didnt like it lol

 

[seekermeister]

Contrary to what was said above, the CMOS battery is recharged by the system. I can't say that this is true with all CMOS batteries, but I think that it is. If you have SpeedFan installed, the value Vbat is the voltage of the recharging circuit, not that of the battery. Even with a known good new battery, and with a sufficient Vbat voltage, the battery can become low due to poor contact in it's socket. If you have never removed the battery, it is not too likely that the problem is with the contacts, but if you have, it is possible that one of them was bent slightly, causing the issue.

 

[SeanHellen]

Hi - I havent got speedfan installed..to my limited knowledge

I thought batts may get recharged as my last pc had one for its entire life (well over a decade) without having having a change.

It was out of this pc, however that I got the battery from for this one - thinking this problem was related to the old battery, I just took it out and replaced with the new one that came with the mobo, but still the same thing

 

[seekermeister]

You don't have to have SpeedFan installed, but it is a handy monitor to have. The fact that the problem wasn't effected by changing batteries suggests that the problem may be with the contacts instead. It is not always easy to determine by a visual inspection, but that is where I would start.
Get a strong light, and if necessary a magnifying glass (for weak eyes like mine), and make certain that there is NO gap between the contact and the battery. It may be possible to use some kind of non-conductive shim to force the contact toward the battery, if there is any doubt. The contact that I'm talking about is the upper one that locks the battery in place.

 

[SeanHellen]

That was going to be my next question...which contact, lol. Do you mean the one that sort of makes its way round the outside of the battery? The battery has nothing on top of it, other than a small clip thing attached to a metal ring that goes round the outside - i assume this clip is to keep the battery in.

 

[seekermeister]

Yes, that clip is also a contact. Take something like a match, or something else (non-conductive) that is stiff enough to move that contact toward the battery. If there is any movement, then the contact may not be sufficient. You may need to remove the battery to be able to bend that contact toward the battery, but that bending would need to be done very carefully to prevent damage to the contact, or bending it so much that it interferes with placing the battery back into the socket.

 

[Dwarf]

Sorry, but the CMOS battery (the CR2032 lithium button cell) is NOT rechargeable. Some motherboards include a diode in series with the battery to prevent both damage to the battery (which can be caused by it being charged when it is not intended to be) and to the CMOS chip should the battery be inadverently inserted the wrong way round.

This video shows how to change a typical motherboard battery.

 

[Ivan the SoSo]

Standard 2032 button-cell batteries tend to explode if one if you attempt to charge it. The motherboard has a diode to prevent the battery from charging.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Dwarf is correct the CR2032's are not rechargeable in any fashion. They last for quite some time but as most can lay around on the mobo's for months before we get them it's always a good idea to have some new cells available for when they go. I would say they normally go in and around 3-4 years when fresh.

 

[SeanHellen]

Ok, so theyre not rechargeable lol. Ill see what happens when i get back tonight

 

[thefabe]

I guess I'm missing something why not just break down and spend a coupe bucks and get a new one? I have several on hand all the time some from other boards that were fried but just the same it's not like their expensive.
Maybe it's just me but.....
Fabe

 

[SeanHellen]

Theres a new one in at the moment. Came with the board. Did have an old 1 from another board, i blamed the problem on that battery...i was wrong

 

[Ivan the SoSo]

Most motherboard batteries(at least all I have seen )are lithium, any attempt to recharge can result in fire, or explosion...so no recharging circuit....Have you done a BIOS update?

We got kinda derailed here....a bad BIOS flash or a corrupted one can make a checksum error.....a new Bios can also make the error since it's a different size from the old one......

I just asked if you done a BIOS update YES/NO....I wasn't going to suggest a BIOS update, why?...if the power blips, or something goes wrong it can(maybe) brick your motherboard:shock:...updating the BIOS can also void the warranty....

Next step clear the CMOS as suggested by Dwarf....look in the paperwork for the exact procedure.....Next try a different(new)battery, or test with a multi-meter....if all that comes out good.....bad CMOS chip on the motherboard....if it was a virus the problem would show up on reboot instead of being time dependent....

See the problem....The BIOS has been updated, now they have the perfect out to deny warranty replacement.

What is done is done...no need crying over spilt milk....check on the warranty, play dumb (BIOS what?)....maybe you can get a board without too much trouble