Thinkpads Forum

My first problem is i can't get out of safemode, my 2nd problem is with time and date every time i boot up i get to error message for time and clock. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Sorry forgot to mention i have windows 98 thanks

Second Problem:
Are there error codes issued when you boot up? If you are getting errors 161 and 163, then you likely have a dead "CMOS" battery. This is not the same as your main, big battery, but is rather a small circular watch battery wrapped in plastic, with some leads attached to it. You can get a replacement CMOS battery on eBay or from IBM/Lenovo. To learn how to open up your machine to replace your battery, consult the Hardware Maintenance Manual (June 1999) - ThinkPad 600

First Problem:
If you get stuck in safemode and you can't get out, it usually means that you have recently changed an essential driver (either because you added/replaced hardware or you tried to update the driver itself) and the new settings just won't work. Normally, this only happens a few times before it reverts to your earlier settings (from your last successful boot). It seems possible to me that your CMOS battery problem is keeping your system from properly reverting to a "last successful boot", but I don't know for sure. It will in any case be difficult to troubleshoot until you can clear any error messages you may be getting on startup.

Phil.

i did just add 2 updates from the thinkvantage installer thinkpad configuration and trackpoint accessibility features from the date of 2/6/06. And when i booted up just today was the first time i didn't get error message but the time was still wrong. But still in safe mode. Thanks

You might also try the solutions listed on the Microsoft Knowledge Base article Troubleshooting Windows 98 Startup Problems. But if you change the setting for your clock and then that setting is not preserved the next time you boot up, then I would suspect the CMOS battery as the 1st culprit.

Phil.

Thanks Phil, I went to misconfg and i need to config sys. file but i can't check it what do i have to do to get it. i found a article that said this could also stop my time and date error

In Windows 98/98SE, you can edit config.sys and autoexec.bat with notepad. You can also edit them by typing "sysedit" into the Start -> Run command box. These system files are both located in the root directory of your C: drive, if they exist. Because they are system files, they may be "hidden" from your Windows Explorer file directory. You can change this behaviour, but it may be better in your case just to use sysedit.

In Windows 98/98SE they can be empty files, and in fact, I would recommend generally that they be empty files unless you have a specific reason for loading a driver or some other setting through autoexec.bat or config.sys. Many files or settings that are put in there by various programs are not really necessary except if you are booting into DOS.

Oh, and don't forget to create back up copies of any such system files that you edit so you can put them back the way they were if your changes end up messing something else up!

Phil.

Phil, I went to syedit and when i got to sys. file it was empty does that mean i don't have sys. file. Thanks John

Thanks phil for all your help everything is working fine now with my computer