CMOS Battery for Gateway 400SD4

[KatMac]

Admit I have not yet changed this CMOS due to a variety of preoccupations, but dread is the biggest reason.

Member bobeg1 contacted me the other day with the same issue, same model. He couldn't get the manual to download. So I sent him the manual and in exchange he kindly sent me a photo showing where the battery is located.

I'm posting a pic for benefit of anyone who might ever need it.

Per bobeg1:

In the picture of the bottom of the motherboard, the battery mount is located one inch to the right of the 1 1/2 inch hole in the center. The battery in my unit turned out to be a Maxell ML1220. I had found several references at Gateway.com and some discussion panels that all say that it is a Sony CR 2032 (A very common desktop cmos battery), which is 2x the size of the battery mount. Be aware !

If anyone has trouble viewing that picture I'll be happy to provide a larger one, just ask (Red line in photo points to battery).

So I hope this info will help anyone else in the same jam!

~Kat

[Train]

Thanks for the update. Sure will help folks out.

[KatMac]

OK, for anyone interested now or in the future, member bobeg1 is keeping me posted via email of what is transpiring with his Gateway of same model (400SD4) and agrees it would be good to keep others informed as to what he's found, so I'm posting his adventures here .

He changed the CMOS battery but still had trouble with notebook not keeping time. So he flashed the BIOS.

From his email yesterday:

Just an update. After replacing the CMOS battery I still experienced some time of day problem. Looking further in their support area of wwwdotgateway I found a recommendation to upgrade BIOS. I did that today and don't know yet if it did any good.

More info from his email today:

It would be nice if you did the update [to the VDr thread].

Knowing what I do now, I would flash the BIOS first.

The BIOS update download and how-to use it, is accurate and not difficult if you remember one thing.

It is a DOS application. Create yourself a start up disk so you can boot up in DOS. Then following the Gateway instructions, everything goes pretty clean.

The DOS application will not work if you try it from the DOS under the RUN CMD.

I did have a couple of chats with gateway support. As usual, they were obnoxious and useless.

I will never spend a dime with them again.

This link will get you to the BIOS download.

http://support.gateway.com/support/d...now=1&id=19527

I downloaded it to a cd but, didn't save it.

Good luck,

Bob

Limerick, that kind-hearted soul, walked me through a BIOS flash of my desktop years ago and I was scared silly the whole time, although his wisdom and hand-holding did wonders! (He said it was a 'right of passage' so I felt good about that, another milestone, even tho I had to stop at last minute because it was not a newer version than what I had.)

That's the scoop so far. If I hear more from bobeg1, I'll post it. I have not yet started on my machine, I'm kind of following in bobeg1's footsteps, he has more experience with notebooks than I

~Kat

EDIT: If anyone thinks they'll need that BIOS update (released 10/30/2003) would suggest grabbing it now, before it disappears from Gateway site just as manual for this machine did! I have both manual & BIOS update saved in a couple places so would be happy to share if someone needs it in the future and can't get it.

[Train]

Thanks for posting the update! Nice to know information.

[GoldTiger]

Hi everybody, I just have the very same problem, and thanks God I found this site, it's great! I foud much more info than the gateway site (Congrats everybody, good job!).

I haven't oppend my notebook yet, but I can't see too clear the pic, so I wonder if the battery is the black thing you found earlier and posted the pic before in these same thread, is that the one?

Thanks in advance.

[Train]

Seems it is a coin type of battery.
http://www.mundocorp.com/shopexd.asp?id=994

[KatMac]

Hi GoldTiger,
Welcome!

I can't reach you by email because of your account settings.
If you click on my user ID, from the drop down menu you can email me.

If you'd like to send me an email, I have larger photos I can email back to you and and detailed instructions.

Meantime I've attached a different photo of the battery that bobeg1 sent to me.

[GoldTiger]

Hey guys, I alredy changed the battery, thanks for the schematics and the photos, they really, really helped me

And yes, my lap had the Maxell ML1220 3V, but I bought one Lithium battery CR1220 from RadioShack, they told me it works the very same, and it did

Again, I'm very happy with this site, it's amazing, thank you all

[bluechip]

Hi, For last 6 months my gateway was in no display condition. Many times I tried to open it to change the cmos battery. Today with the help of all you guys, I successfully opened the laptop and changed the battery. I will send the larger and clear pic of motherboard battery and its location. I hope after assembling, my laptop will give display. Bye.

[Train]

I will send the larger and clear pic of motherboard battery and its location.

Please do, I am sure it will help others too.

[bluechip]

Location of cmos battery.

[Train]

THANKS!

Nicely done!

[javasan]

Having same problem, could'nt find the darn battery, those pics are great,,,Thanks

[reywash]

KatMac,

You posted that you were able to find the service manual to download. Do you still have a copy of the service manual?

Thanks

[Jim Calvert]

Thanks to many of your posts, I was able to figure out exactly where the CMOS battery is located, cut a small square hole in the bottom of the case, and remove the battery without having to tear the entire laptop apart.

I'll glue in a thin piece of sheetmetal to cover the hole (after installing a new CMOS battery.

Attached are a couple of photos.

Jim

Gateway 400SD4 CMOS Battery 001.jpg

Gateway 400SD4 CMOS Battery 002.jpg