"Paul" <nospam@needed.com> wrote in message
news:ha23cd$kda$1@news.eternal-september.org...
> Brian Cryer wrote:
>> I have an old PC which occasionally use as a spare. Most of the time it
>> just sits on a shelf, and its been about 6 months since I last used it.
>> Having recently dusted it down it won't start. Lights come on on the
>> front, and it sounds like the disk spins up but the screen remains blank
>> and I don't even see a BIOS message.
>>
>> I'm reasonably sure the monitor is okay (but I will try plugging it in to
>> another monitor just to be sure).
>>
>> Any suggestions on what I should try looking at?
>>
>> If need be I can buy a replacement power supply. I don't have a spare but
>> I'm not sure its worth spending any more than that type of cost on it.
>> Although otherwise the box was quite reasonable for the odd use I put it
>> to - its a small form factor shuttle, with hyperthreding, xp pro. If its
>> the motherboard thats shot then I'm not sure its worth replacing.
>>
>> Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
>>
>> TIA.
>
> CMOS battery. I've had three run down, while computers are
> in storage. On some computers (but not all), a dead battery
> will prevent POST. I haven't had a problem starting any
> machines here, that have a flat battery.
>
> Take a multimeter, set it to volts, touch the red lead to the
> top of the battery (+) symbol, and the black lead to any shiny
> metal on the case. If the voltage is 3.0V, then the battery
> is good. If the voltage is below 2.4V, the battery should be
> replaced. You don't have to remove the battery, to get a reading
> from it. And with that nice exposed top metal surface, getting
> a reading should be relatively easy.
>
> While in storage, my guess would be a battery would last about
> 3 years. I've purchased at least one CR2032, that fell well short
> of a normal life span.

Well done, right on both counts. The cmos battery voltage was down to
0.8volts. Replaced it (had one ready to go) and it came to life immediatly.
Yes, the battery was also a CR2032.

This isn't something I would ever have thought of replacing. I'm indebted to
you for the suggestion. Thanks.
--
Brian Cryer
www.cryer.co.uk/brian