Guys,

you folks have been so much help in the past. I thought I'd ask another
question. I am trying to fix up an old DELL latitude CP. I have already
formatted it and installed w98 SE. I have noticed that the touchpad mouse
doesnt work. Nor does the onboard battery charging system.

I've looked in the BIOS and have noticed that the settings keep reverting to
the factory defaults. This is a problems if the BIOS keeps reverting to a
regular PS/2mouse when it should be looking for a touchpad first. I think my
problem may lie here. I'm not sure though. Does the CMOS battery keep the
BIOS alive? Or at least somehow make it reset? Does anyone know the answer
to my touchpad not working? I know an external mouse works just fine.

What about my charging system? The battery that s in it can be taken out,
shows a full charge according to the LED "fuel" gauge thats built in, and
can operate in a different DELL inspiron just fine. The problem here lies in
that as soon as I unplug the AC adapter on the latitude, while the battery
is in it, it dies as though it wasn't in it at all..

Any help??

Thanks guys

Juan wrote:
> 
> I've looked in the BIOS and have noticed that the settings keep reverting to
> the factory defaults. This is a problems if the BIOS keeps reverting to a
> regular PS/2mouse when it should be looking for a touchpad first. I think my
> problem may lie here. I'm not sure though. Does the CMOS battery keep the
> BIOS alive? Or at least somehow make it reset?

If it is an old laptop and stores BIOS info in volatile memory (vs. 
flash) you may need to replace a battery.

I've done that in some older Toshibas.  If you know the model number you 
can generally find the batteries on line.  But you will also have to 
find out where the battery is (in one I worked on it was under the 
keyboard).

Phil

Whoa, easy big fella. Lotsa questions there.... first the BIOS. When you
change the BIOS, are you sure you're saving the changes? The choices can be
confusing, exit without saving, exit with saving, load defaults, etc., etc.
Just make double sure you are choosing the option to save the changes. If
that works, on to your other questions.

"Juan" <jvigiljr@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:RDkIb.26363$Pg1.2526@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> I've looked in the BIOS and have noticed that the settings keep reverting
to
> the factory defaults. This is a problems if the BIOS keeps reverting to a
> regular PS/2mouse when it should be looking for a touchpad first. I think
my
> problem may lie here. I'm not sure though. Does the CMOS battery keep the
> BIOS alive?

Juan <jvigiljr@earthlink.net> wrote:

<SNIP>

Install a new CMOS (RTC) battery, should cure all your ills.

Regards,

James