Google
Web         Gaudiya Discussions
Gaudiya Discussions Archive » TECH ISSUES
PC problems, recommended software, tips and tricks, coding and so forth. Things that make your life in the cyberspace easier.

Unplugging for 2 months - What about any batteries?



Advaitadas - Thu, 21 Oct 2004 22:59:32 +0530
I was thinking of unplugging my pc and hiding it in the attick for the two months I am going out. Will that exhaust the batteries or do any other type of harm?
Madhava - Thu, 21 Oct 2004 23:44:39 +0530
If it's not a laptop, then no, there shouldn't be a problem. Of course, if your PC is very old (which is relative), chances are the BIOS battery will deplete itself, but that isn't a big deal. They are cheap and easy to change, and you can use your PC without one, the only difference being that the system time will reset itself whenever the PC is powered off. But again, I don't think this is the likely scenario with your PC, I don't think it's that old yet.
Advaitadas - Thu, 21 Oct 2004 23:54:33 +0530
June 2001. That may be old for a pc nowadays. How about it? It may have been manufactured in early 2001 or so.
Advaitadas - Thu, 21 Oct 2004 23:56:23 +0530
QUOTE(Madhava @ Oct 21 2004, 06:14 PM)
If it's not a laptop, then no, there shouldn't be a problem. Of course, if your PC is very old (which is relative), chances are the BIOS battery will deplete itself, but that isn't a big deal. They are cheap and easy to change, and you can use your PC without one, the only difference being that the system time will reset itself whenever the PC is powered off. But again, I don't think this is the likely scenario with your PC, I don't think it's that old yet.



But practically, this scenario means that I can just plug all the plugs back in when I return home and use the pc or I have to go and replace parts first?
Sakhicharan - Fri, 22 Oct 2004 00:20:56 +0530
QUOTE(Advaitadas @ Oct 21 2004, 01:26 PM)
QUOTE(Madhava @ Oct 21 2004, 06:14 PM)
If it's not a laptop, then no, there shouldn't be a problem. Of course, if your PC is very old (which is relative), chances are the BIOS battery will deplete itself, but that isn't a big deal. They are cheap and easy to change, and you can use your PC without one, the only difference being that the system time will reset itself whenever the PC is powered off. But again, I don't think this is the likely scenario with your PC, I don't think it's that old yet.



But practically, this scenario means that I can just plug all the plugs back in when I return home and use the pc or I have to go and replace parts first?



If it is from 2001 it is almost certain that you have a built in battery for your CMOS. They last for a very long time, however if it does go bad one usually has to replace the system board as I have not seen any that have a connection to add an eternal battery.
So yes, you should just be able to plug it in and go.
Madhava - Fri, 22 Oct 2004 00:37:37 +0530
QUOTE(Sakhicharan @ Oct 21 2004, 07:50 PM)
If it is from 2001 it is almost certain that you have a built in battery for your CMOS. They last for a very long time, however if it does go bad one usually has to replace the system board as I have not seen any that have a connection to add an eternal battery.

I have taken apart a good number of P1, P2 and older Celeron systems, and I cannot recall seeing a single motherboard without an external battery (about the size of 1 euro coin) for CMOS. And I have experience with a good number of mobos, for example for P1 66MHz, P2 266MHz, Celeron 400MHz, AMD Duron & TB & XP from 700MHz to XP2000, P3 700MHz and P4 with various cores. Probably the only CPU platforms I'm missing is the old AMD series and some obscure early Intel stuff like Slot-7. Sakhi, please remind me of some CPUs that have mobos with built-in CMOS batteries. This is news to me.

As a matter of fact, I think your PC, Advaita, is on AMD K-6, is it not, 550MHz or something like that? If memory serves at all, that's what it was when I replaced the heatsink and upgraded the memory module. However I don't think I looked whether there was an external battery for the CMOS. Two ways to find out. 1) Peek under the cover and see if there's something like below there, or 2) remind me of your PC brand and model.

[attachmentid=1012]
Attachment: Image
Advaitadas - Fri, 22 Oct 2004 00:38:03 +0530
What is system board? Is it the same as mother board?
Madhava - Fri, 22 Oct 2004 00:43:12 +0530
QUOTE(Advaitadas @ Oct 21 2004, 08:08 PM)
What is system board? Is it the same as mother board?


Yes, I believe so, though I haven't heard the term used much.
Advaitadas - Fri, 22 Oct 2004 01:07:47 +0530
It wasnt easy to open and close the box, and it was dusty like hell in there but after vacuum cleaning, yes something like that was visible in there around halfway the mother board.
Attachment: Image
Madhava - Fri, 22 Oct 2004 01:15:56 +0530
So that's a simple issue then, you needn't worry about it. If you notice, when you return and plug it back in, that your PC's system time keeps getting reset, then you just need to get that battery replaced. You can do that yourself, just buy a new battery and stick it in.
DharmaChakra - Fri, 22 Oct 2004 03:39:34 +0530
QUOTE(Advaitadas @ Oct 21 2004, 01:29 PM)
I was thinking of unplugging my pc and hiding it in the attick for the two months I am going out. Will that exhaust the batteries or do any other type of harm?



Ive got an old Digital (DEC ! eep!) machine thats a 133, and sits in my basement for months at a time.. I only plug it in for rare tests I need... and its always fine.. I'm sure you will be ok.

The bigger question is, what are you doing for 2 months?
Madhava - Fri, 22 Oct 2004 03:47:49 +0530
QUOTE(DharmaChakra @ Oct 21 2004, 11:09 PM)
The bigger question is, what are you doing for 2 months?

Do you mean to ask whether there is life without PCs for two months? smile.gif

He's going to Vraja.
Anand - Sat, 23 Oct 2004 00:01:25 +0530
Thats right. Disconnect forever and be in Vraja sooner...