PC DOCTOR test result -problem

[ThinkPad R]

I ran PC Doctor just now b/c I had not done it in some 0.5 years.


The result was... all fine except CMOS pattern test failed.

"Write/Read failed at address 38H: wrote FFH, read 00H".


I'm planning to send my laptop to the factory this summer - next spring (after this one), my warranty ends.

But just in case something happens inbetween, could anybody tell me what this is?

[Thane_Bitter]

Hi ThinkPad R

Have you updated the system BIOS (or if applicable embedded controller) since you ran PC Doc last? I am wondering if it did not take properly. The test pattern values are hexadecimal (0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D,E,F) as is the memory addressing and it would appear that that address (38h) within the CMOS memory has gone faulty (it can happen). During the test the memory is written and then read back for comparison, in your case the program wrote 11111111 (binary), but when that same address was read again the value stored was 00000000. Put simply, you CMOS can't tell the difference between a one and a zero - this, of course, is rather problematic for a digital computer.

Run the test again, and see if it comes back, and I would hesitate to update the system BIOS if the error comes back, you might not be able to boot up again.
The bad news is that the CMOS is not a field replaceable item - the entire main board would have to be replaced. I think it might me time to call the service department.

Thane

[ThinkPad R]

should I hibernate?

[SeanM]

That can happen if you have a power on password set.

Disable it and re-test.

[Thane_Bitter]

should I hibernate?

Well, although it is still technically winter, you could, but what’s the point, springs coming up soon.

But seriously, yes, hibernate, go to standby - do what ever you want, this problem is not within the main system memory, so everything else is fine (unless you have other issues you have not mentioned).
If you don't have a power-on password set (as SeanM), and this error appears again then you do have a hardware issue.

Some background on BIOS & CMOS:

• When you first turn your computer on the BIOS (basic input/output system) program is loaded which allows just enough control of the computers hardware, that your operating system can start up. BIOS is stored in a semi-permanent (doesn't require power to store data) memory module known as an EEPROM (electronically erasable programmable read only memory), which is what gets updated when one "flashes or updates" the firmware (bios). The problem with an EEPROM is that it if you want to change a small piece of data, the entire chip has to be erased and reprogrammed, also these chips have finite number of times that this can be done (in the 1000’s), and of course while your rewriting it, you need a place to store an copy of the file (traditionally a floppy disk, but there are ways of using the system memory as well). All this is good but say if you the end user wants to change the boot order (boot from CD-ROM before HD), you need another piece of memory to store such things - one that is semi permanent but can be changed without rewriting the entire thing (as is done during a bios flash). The CMOS RAM holds a copy of the BIOS (read from the EEPROM), and also a list of user settings (slot settings, boot order, etc.). It can be partially rewritten if need be, unlike EEPROM’s, and the neat thing about this type of memory is it draws very little power to store the data (expect when changes are made) and can be powered by a capacitor or most commonly by a battery (the CMOS battery). Most motherboards have either a pin, or solder points that allows you to clear out the CMOS ram by shorting them together with a jumper, this is useful for various reasons including hardware changes, or when the bios becomes corrupted, etc.

In your case, if you updated your system bios now, or cleared the CMOS memory, data may not be able to be written back into that address (the one with the error), and thus you would not be able to boot up the computer. Again this could just be a glitch in the CMOS, one that could be corrected by clearing it, however if it is a hardware problem – you’d not be able to boot up. You have vicious Catch-22 situation.

By now I have either enlighted , or confused the hell out of you .
Hope its just the password thing - Best of luck.

Thane

[ThinkPad R]

I'm not that confused. Thanks for all the details, everybody. I'm honored to be part of this forum of very knowledgeable people.

I asked my friend @ school & he said either re-install the bios (but I see that 1 of the members said reinstalling bios might not be good) or replacing the battery.

But since the CMOS responded to check-sum test, but didn't respond to pattern test, it should still have a working battery.

Perhaps this is part of a virus that I'm not aware of?


Just now I got the message "/idlist,:0:5768,C:/ Windows cannot find '/idlist,:0:5768,C:/'. Make sure you typed..."

What should I do against this? Is something uninstalled?

I'm just not going to turn off the computer until tomorrow when spring break begins--> ship it to Lenovo.