CMOS Battery for Gateway 400SD4

Have a Gateway 400SD4 Laptop and the date/time won't hold. I've looked in the manual, looked online, and so far can't find anything that reveals where the little gem resides. I took 'easy' panels off the bottom and found RAM, HD, but it looks like mainboard (where battery might be) is deeply hidden. Then I saw Murph's page on laptop CMOS batteries and got a bit spooked, as it might be under the keyboard?

I'm not afraid to take apart my desktop, but I've never taken apart a laptop and sure don't want to mess it up, (although long ago out of warranty, it's still like brand new). Can anyone give me a clue where the CMOS battery might be? I thought there might not be one, but Gateway support lists a part #. However, click on the link for CMOS battery under Chassis parts there is no info there (other hardware pics and specs are offered).

Hi KatMac

Usually the batteries are under the keyboard, or in one of the compartments on the bottom.

You can download the schematics for your laptop here

From what I saw there wasn't a section for the cmos battery, so it could even be soldered onto the motherboard.

Found this.

the cmos battery is under the mainboard (you can actually see it from the bottom of the computer)


Hope that helps out.

Hi KatMac, I found a pdf to remove the keyboard on your laptop. I'm not sure that's where the battery is as it doesn't say for sure. However, since removing the keyboard is the easiest part, I would start there.

http://support.gateway.com/s/Mobile/...D4/8508644.pdf

Thanks everyone. (You all are quick!) I just found some of the same links you offered (except for Photolady's).

I'm going to give this a go - I think I can see, through a small area of tiny pinhole grids on the bottom, what has potential to be a CMOS battery hidden back in there, looks like it's encased in black but I can see the shiny edge. And it does require taking the whole bottom off.

Sooo, I think I'll take pics as I go, save the next poor soul some exasperation.

I'll keep you posted, thanks so much, I love this place! :D

Ok, this is about to drive me out of my tree. Taking apart a laptop is not fun. It's about 75% disassembled (I couldn't get the service manual to work, only located part 1 of 4 at link above, and can't seem to locate a manual anywhere else).

I'm still googling. I found little info: a reference that it's "on the bottom of the motherboard, near the battery compartment and memory". That's a huge annoyance if accurate, because by removing the keyboard from the top one can access about 70% of the top of the motherboard. Can a CMOS battery be located on the bottom of a m-board??

I also found a separate reference that it's about "the size of a quarter". So far, the only thing I've remotely located that looks like a CMOS battery that is that size (more like nickel) is located just below the speaker, has a flat ring of black poofy material around it (much like any speaker would) and has a long wire going to the motherboard. It's nowhere near 'battery compartment and memory' as the reference I found above states. Would the speaker have a similar type battery? (Coin shaped).

I've already scratched the plastic in a couple spots trying to get it open (so it doesn't look brand new anymore). I'm exasperated. Googled till I can't see straight. I refuse to send this thing in for repair to the tune of $300+ (have seen many references to that). But darn it, if the battery is located on the bottom side of the m-board, I just don't think I can get to it (and although I'm not one to give up easily, this is crazy). I'll be lucky if I get this back together and it works at this point.


I'm afraid if I push anymore, I'm going to break/disconnect something. Why oh why do they make it so difficult?!?!

Here's a couple pics, distance (so you can see how mboard is buried) and a closeup of the m-board beneath the keyboard, which would make it the top view of the m-board. Just to the right of the fan is what looks like a battery (but smaller than a dime) and it's encased in some kind of dark gray rubbery stuff. It says "A 1022" on it. Could that be it?



I'm totally open to suggestions of any kind at this point!

Can a CMOS battery be located on the bottom of a m-board??

That is where they were for years.
That part does not look like a battery to me.

Oh, that's what I was afraid of.
Thanks, Train.

I just emailed Gateway. I only have a few more screws to take out (and some I can't get out, it's more like a rivet than a screw). It looks like I'm going to have to remove the monitor/lid in order to be able to get to the m-board, and even at that I have doubts. That puppy is buried.

Just finally got that service manual to download and extract, so I'll follow directions for replacing system board (nothing about CMOS in the service manual), hopefully that will get me to it. The few tidbits I saw about accessing through the bottom of the machine... have no idea how they pulled that off. So I better put that back together before I forget where all the screws go. :eek:

And I have it now and have to get a pdf reader. :(

Is there a full moon? Guess that theory doesn't fly, 'cause I had a full moon day yesterday as well ;)

Train: no PDF reader? How do you get by? ;) (Steer clear of Adobe Reader 7, it bunges up my resources something terrible. )

P3 - I thank you for the schematics link but missed your last comment about it being soldered. I just got everything put back together (no extra screws, thank goodness I used post-its and grouped them!) Since I've found little info on the CMOS out there, and getting that m-board off is going to be an absolute bear, I'm wondering if it's worth it.

What's the worst that can happen if I don't change the failing CMOS battery?

I am using a computer I had set up for video work and not my normal rig.
Installed Foxit and read the pdf.

You will start getting weird CMOS checksum errors.
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch000237.htm

Well, I got a response from Gateway. Reset the bios to default (I've never touched the bios on this machine, it's been used sporadically - 90 days max total- in 3 years). If that doesn't work, ship it back to them and they'll change CMOS battery for $169 since Gateway does not advise customers to do this (and therefore they did not disclose the location of the battery, which was my only question of them). But that charge 'may vary, if additional components need replaced or undiscosed information is found.' Oh yeah, and they want my permission to format the hard drive, 'as it may be necessary to resolve the issue'. All that for a battery that's under $10.

I have to go out and find a #5 hex nut driver, apparently we don't own one.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KatMac

Oh yeah, and they want my permission to format the hard drive, 'as it may be necessary to resolve the issue'.

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Yep, sounds about right :mad:

" Oh yeah, and they want my permission to format the hard drive, 'as it may be necessary to resolve the issue'. All that for a battery that's under $10"

Buy that tool!
But You caught the problem early enough, so the format is not needed.