replaced motherboard battery

I started having intermittent issues with turning on my computer. It would only happen every once in a while (maybe once every month or so at first) when I would hit the power on button on my Dell XPS8700 desktop computer. As of the past two weeks it got to the point that I would have to keep playing with that power on button to get the unit to power on - sometimes it would take quite a few minutes and all sorts of hitting that power button in different ways to get it to turn on. I was thinking that the button is going bad and after doing some searching found info about replacing the battery in the motherboard. I was able to get a replacement battery and I did replace it this morning. The unit still is not just turning on without having to play with the power on button quite a bit to get it to turn on so it is not that battery causing the issue.

My bios settings were still fine - except for the date part which I was able to change, but.... for some reason I could only change the month, date and year and when I did that it showed the day as Monday 06/20/2021 -- but today is Monday 06/21/2021.

I did accept the changes and let the computer start up. I was able to change the date in the lower right hand corner so that it is now showing Monday 06/21/2021. Will check the bios again in a little while.

When the computer started up I got a notification saying "Microsoft Account Problem We need to fix your Microsoft account (most likely your password changed). Select here to fix it in Shared experiences settings" and under it says Sunday. I am guessing that it is saying sunday since that appeared before I changed the date/time from the lower right in the desktop screen.

Can I just ignore that notification about a MS Account Problem?

I don't think that the issue is with the power supply unit but I will look into how to test that. I had to replace the power supply unit years ago on a desktop and I did find information to test it using a paper clip so I will look to see if I can find that information again. Although, I personally think that it is that darn power on button itself and I will have to see if I can in fact find a replacement for that button and how to replace it as well.

I am running Windows 10 Home, Version 2004 (OS Build 19041.1052)
The computer is a Dell XPS 8700 (came with windows 8 home originally installed on it and was upgraded to Windows 10) It was purchased on September 14, 2014.

Thank You

A laptop does have two power supply s: One external and one internal. The external provides a low DC voltage (~19VDC) and the internal converts the external voltages to charge the battery and the battery voltage into the other voltages (mainly +12VDC and +5VDC).
The most common issue is when the battery fails and it overloads the internal PS.

Is your battery still holding charge and for how long it can power the laptop without the external PS?

Megahertz said:

A laptop does have two power supply s: One external and one internal. The external provides a low DC voltage (~19VDC) and the internal converts the external voltages to charge the battery and the battery voltage into the other voltages (mainly +12VDC and +5VDC).
The most common issue is when the battery fails and it overloads the internal PS.

Is your battery still holding charge and for how long it can power the laptop without the external PS?

Please read the post again. It's a desktop, and "Injr" just replaced the CMOS backup battery.

I've gotten that "Microsoft Account" thing a couple of times. In both cases, I just had to go to the link and verify my account's PIN. It was not a big deal. I have no idea what triggered it.

A little Web searching suggests that the power button is Dell part number f7m7n. I see replacements for sale at Amazon and eBay, at somewhat high prices.

Thanks for finding that part number for me. I will look into it.

I guess that if that box pops up again I will click on it and do whatever is asked and not worry about it.

I did find information to test the power supply unit with that paper clip trick so I am going to try that and make sure that it isn't the power supply unit, but something tells me it is that darn power button and from looking around this morning. I am going to have to take the power supply out to get replace that button anyway so I might as well test the unit while I am at it.

Maybe I will be able to find the part at a reasonable price (although I doubt it since it looks like other folks have had issues with that button in the past as well).

Thanks Again, I greatly appreciate it.

bobkn said:

Please read the post again. It's a desktop, and "Injr" just replaced the CMOS backup battery.

Under My Computer - System one - OP says he has a Dell XPS 8700 Laptop and laptops also has CMOS backup battery.
Under My Computer - System two - OP says he has a Lenovo Think Pad Yoga Desktop (yoga is a laptop)

Megahertz said:

Under My Computer - System one - OP says he has a Dell XPS 8700 Laptop and laptops also has CMOS backup battery.
Under My Computer - System two - OP says he has a Lenovo Think Pad Yoga Desktop (yoga is a laptop)

I'm confused.

Second sentence in the first post: "It would only happen every once in a while (maybe once every month or so at first) when I would hit the power on button on my Dell XPS8700 desktop computer."

(I added the italics.)

Regardless, the part number I posted is for a desktop.

This is in fact the desktop unit that I am asking about. I tested the battery that I took out of it with one of those little battery testers and it showed that it was getting low (and since the computer is over 6 years old I guess that it might be something to expect so I am glad that I did replace it).

I purchased a brand new cr2032 battery to put in the unit - the store only carries the Energizer 2032 lithium and the package has a use by date of 03/2030.

I did take the unit apart again and took pictures of the power button and compared it with the pics of the one I could see for part number f7m7n and it looks like it is the same part.

I was going to test the power supply unit while I was back inside the computer so that I could more carefully examine the power on button, but I just could not get the connection of the power supply unit on the motherboard to come apart and I started getting frustrated. (sucks getting older and not having as much strength as I use to). Anyway, I closed up the unit and after about 5 minutes of pushing that power on button it finally turned back on again.

I guess that it could be the power supply unit, but once the computer is turned on everything runs just fine and there are no strange noises and I can hear the fans running and the way that darn power on button is set on the tower makes me think that it is the power button itself. However, I can't remember why I knew that the power supply unit was going bad on a desktop I had years ago so it could be that. Maybe I should also look into what power supply unit this Dell XPS8700 uses in case the power on button is not the issue.



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I am going to order that power on button.

However, the more research I do, I have read that a psu can last from 5 - 10 years so I am wondering if I should just get a new power supply unit as well. I have attached a picture of the information that is on the psu inside my Dell XPS8700. I have not done any upgrades to this computer so it is exactly as it was when purchased.

I doubt that the PSU is failing, but it's possible.

Looks like the 8700 uses a standard ATX PSU (24 pin main conector, 4 pin 12V for the CPU). That means you should be able to use a standard PSU. The OEM one is a little odd in that it claims to be capable of 25A on the +5v line, and 17A at +3.3V. (Total of 142W max on the sum of 5V and 3.3V, and it's a 460W PSU.) I wonder whether the motherboard really needs that?