TechSpot - PC Technology News and Analysis

Everytime i run my computer, it will show CMOS CheckSum Error.. Press Delete to load default or Press F1 to enter setup... So what's wrong? After i logged in to my account, the date will change to December 30 2002... So i have to change it back everytime i run my computer..... Any Solution??

The solution is to replace your battery in your comp.

I jumped when I read the title to your post! Oh boy! I'm actually get to use my former skills as an embedded system developer again! I used to be a high tech engineer and switched to being a comp tech during the high tech collapse.

Anyhow, CMOS is a type of memory. It stores values/settings for your BIOS between sessions. When the BIOS starts up it reads them from CMOS and saves them when it shuts down (or whenever you explicitedly save settings within BIOS) Now, CMOS is volatile memory, meaning that it's contents will be lost in the absence of power. That's why your comp has a battery. The battery kicks in when you turn off the power to the comp and recharges when you power on. But over time, batteries can lose their capacity, hence, your CMOS loses it's contents between sessions. The BIOS can only check the checksum of the CMOS contents to determine if something is wrong with the CMOS but exactly what caused the checksum failure, it can't tell. What tipped me off was that everything returns to default which means all the CMOS data was lost. That usually means the battery is dead.

I forgot to mention that if it's not the battery, then the CMOS itself is toast and needs to be replaced.

Oh and CMOS/BIOS is not a device driver, rather, it's part of your MoBo (you listed your post under Device Drivers. Offboard, they are referred to as devices, onboard they are chips or chipsets.)

I see...So if i don't replace anything will my computer have some problem or spoilt? O ya thanks for the information i will save everything down

Your computer will still function even if you don't replace the battery and/or CMOS but it just won't work correctly. For isntance, you will always have to re-enter the date everytime you turn it on. If you change default settings in BIOS, they obviously won't be there the next time you startup. And so on ...

There are at least four large chain stores in Ottawa that sell the Desktop CMOS battery you need for under $5.00 Canadian... so don't get stuck with the $25 charge some will try to stick with you... The battery you need is like a Canadian quarter, and has 2032 stamped on the surface.

If your problem is with a laptop, the CMOS battery will usually be wired in, and will be found under the keyboard... and could cost as little as $5.00 or has high as $75 Canandian... and is best ordered from the manufacturer of the computer, or a very knowledgable repair shop.

Raybay, it's EternityDreams that has the CMOS/battery problem, not me.

I am replying to the thread, not you. The thread was started by Eternity Dreams.

So if you're replying to the thread, why did you mention Ottawa? I found that confusing because I was offering advice to Eternity but your repsonse seemed to be directed at me. That's all.

My bad. Got confused between the two of you.

Oo.. Sorry for all the trouble i cause.. Thanks you two for the help and information

Hello,

I hope that I wasn't suppose to start a new topic, but, . . .

I am also having a Checksum error problem, when I try to D/L adobe reader,
so I am wanting to know if this might be familiar to anyone here, and what solutions might be related to the CMOS/battery problems described herein or is it a corrupt file problem ?

I have found that a corruption relating to this can be caused by improper turning off of the computer, does anyone have any solutions, Can I use crucial scan to uncover anything ?





Zigfeld

That is a result of a bad download. Try again.

C

If you are referring to the adobe D/L per last post, . .
downloading has been tried several times in different versions from different sites, there doesn't seem to be much doubt what it is . . causing it, . .
why else would, (Nosso the Bosso ? ) say that a corrupt file has been detected ?

Z

Did you clean your temp files before each attempt?

I may have done that twice and the last one for sure, that would be this one.
as per above, etc.

Z