7-98 Dell PowerEdge 2100/180 and 2100/200 Systems User’s Guide
Replacing the System Battery
The 3-V lithium backup battery (see Figure 7-13),
mounted in the BATTERY socket on the system board
(Figure 7-1), maintains system configuration, date, and time
information in a special section of memory when the system is
turned off and disconnected from alternating current (AC)
power.
Figure 7-13. System Battery and Battery Socket
The operating life of the battery can extend up to 10 years,
depending on how you use your system (for example, if
your system is connected to AC power most of the time,
the battery gets little use and thus lasts longer). The battery
may need replacing if an incorrect time or date is displayed
during the boot routine along with a message such as:
System battery is dead - Replace and run
Setup
or
System CMOS checksum bad — Run Setup
To determine whether the battery needs replacing, re-enter
the time and date through the System Setup program, and exit
the program properly to save the information. Turn off your sys-
tem and disconnect it from AC power for a few hours, and then
reconnect power and turn it on again. Enter the System Setup
program. If the date and time are not correct in the System Setup
program, replace your battery.
NOTES: Some software may cause the system time to
speed up or slow down. If your system seems to operate
normally except for the time kept in the System Setup pro-
gram, the problem may be caused by software rather than
by a defective battery.
If you leave your system disconnected from AC power for
long periods of time (for weeks or months), the NVRAM
may lose its system configuration information. This situa-
tion is not caused by a defective battery.
You can operate your system without a battery; however,
the system configuration information is erased each time
you turn off the computer and disconnect it from AC
power. In this case, you must enter the System Setup pro-
gram and reset the configuration options each time you
boot your system until you can replace the battery.
Use the following procedure to replace the computer
battery:
1. If you have not already done so, make a copy of
or print your system configuration information in
the System Setup program.
If the settings are lost while replacing the battery,
refer to your written or printed copy to restore the
correct settings. See Chapter 4, “Using the System
Setup Program,” for instructions.
2. Remove the computer cover according to the
instructions in “Removing the Computer Cover”
in Chapter 6.
3. Lay the computer on its right side on a flat work
surface to allow access to the battery on the sys-
tem board.
4. Remove any PCI expansion cards that prevent
access to the battery. See “Removing an Expan-
sion Card,” found earlier in this chapter.
Be sure to label any external connections to the PCI
cards when you remove them to facilitate correct
reinstallation.
5. Remove the old battery.
Pry the backup battery out of its socket with your
fingers or a blunt object, such as a plastic
screwdriver.
NOTE: Dispose of the old battery in accordance
with local ordinances.
BATTERY socket
battery
CAUTION: See “Protecting Against Electro-
static Discharge” in the safety instructions at
the front of this guide.