T23 cmos battery replacement

[MotownDJ]

Hello all, a bit of advice needed....

I've just bought a T23, brilliant little machine, but its started losing time, so needs new cmos battery. I've replaced them before on 600's, but it seems a bit different on the T23 -

1. It's under the main battery - it seems quite stiff too come out - i didn't want to pull too hard, are there any extra screws i've missed (IBM manual says just the screw on the battery carrier).

2. On the 600's i left the main battery in place when changing, so the BIOS was unaffected - obviously i can't do that with the T23, do i need to do anything else to maintain settings?

3. Assuming the worst, and i have a problem, how do i find out passwords etc. (or if there are any) so i don't lock it up, bearing in mind the T23 is fully functional at the moment.

Thanks all

[tfflivemb2]

I have found it easier to remove the CMOS battery by removing the keyboard screw that sits just above where the CMOS wires run (ie. between the main battery and the ram cover).

As for the passwords, if there aren't any already set, you should be ok.

[MotownDJ]

thanks for advice - can i find out whether there's any passwords already set, or is it just a case a try & see?

[tfflivemb2]

well, if you try to get into the BIOS at boot, and make changes, and aren't required to key in a password, then you should be ok.

[rkawakami]

Holding down the F1 key while at the same time turning the power on will allow you to access the BIOS settings. If there is a BIOS (aka, supervisor) password already set, you will get a lock icon on the screen along with an icon of a computer. There is nothing that I known of, short of actually trying to get into the BIOS screen, that will tell you if there is a BIOS password set.

Note: When you remove the backup battery, the next time the system is turned on it will ask you for the BIOS password (since the date and time would have been lost). If you can't provide the correct password, you will be locked out of the system.

The main problem for me in replacing the CMOS battery is getting it plugged back in. There's a very tiny connector at the end of the battery which goes into a matching socket on the motherboard. It can take a little while before you line it up perfectly and are then able to push the back of the black battery carrier.

2nd note: Be sure to get the battery connector threaded into the carrier in the correct orientation. When viewed from the "bottom" of the carrier, the metal pins of the connector will be visible. Or to put it another way; when threading the battery wires into the end of the carrier, slide the black wire in first.

edit: Sorry Steve, that I duplicated your answer. I got interrupted when composing this post.