CMOS checksum error

[alcoholbob]

I have an old Dell Studio Hybrid I bought around 2009. A few weeks ago on bootup I started getting "CMOS checksum error." I figured it was a CMOS battery issue and replaced the battery, but still got the same error. I've since purchased another battery in case the first replacement was bad, but I'm still getting this error on bootup. (All the sellers claim they ran current through the batteries and that they still work. Although truth be told the batteries have manufacturing dates in 2010 so it's possible they are dead as well and the sellers are just lying to me :[ )

I've tried loading from defaults in the BIOS but it still doesn't fix the issue.

What other possibilities could be resulting in this error? Thanks!

 

[VirtualLarry]

Sure it's saying CMOS checksum error, and not "BIOS checksum error"? If it's the latter, then you may need to re-flash the BIOS. It may have gotten corrupted.

 

[ninaholic37]

How hard is it to replace the CMOS battery (that's the tiny circle thing on the motherboard right)? I've had the same error for months but was too lazy to rip my laptop apart. I normally just go into BIOS and change the date after I re-plug it in, then the error goes away until I unplug it again, and it syncs the date to the internet when I open Linux/Windows.

 

[denis280]

Sure it's saying CMOS checksum error, and not "BIOS checksum error"? If it's the latter, then you may need to re-flash the BIOS. It may have gotten corrupted.

+1

 

[denis280]

How hard is it to replace the CMOS battery (that's the tiny circle thing on the motherboard right)

Yes about the size of a quarter

 

[ninaholic37]

Hooray! I found out I can buy a new CMOS battery for $6.

Seems like a 10 minute job to get it off though lol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtnPSHlfjyk&#t=507

 

[sonitravel09]

After replacing the battery, did you select and save the default settings in the BIOS?