Dell XPS 420 - Replacing Cell Battery

Jerry8A · 30 Jan 2023

I have a Dell XPS 420 that requires a new cell battery, CR2032.
The links said to record my BIOS settings first and to reinstall those settings after I reinstall the battery.
1. What happens if after I replace the battery, I do not change any F2 settings and use the default settings which will occur after I replace the battery. Is the default setting okay to use?

2. If I select F2 (Dell System), there are 14 fields I can select. What field do I choose under F2 to record and/or change the settings? I use Vista.

Thanks,
Jerry
1/30/2023

Try3 · 31 Jan 2023

Jerry,

Your Bios has nothing to do with what version of Windows you use.

Your Bios might be split into 14 sections and some of them might contain more than a single item you can set.

The defaults are probably going to be fine and can be easily re-adjusted if they are not.
I find it best to just work my way down through all my Bios's sections and take photographs of each one so I have a reference to turn to after changing its battery.
I would never swap that battery without having noted all the current settings.

Only another Dell XPS 420 owner with the same Bios version as you can know what might happen on default settings. But few of them will have tried it.

You don't mention what fault symptoms made you decide to change the battery.

I assume you have downloaded a copy of your Service manual from Dell support to guide you through replacing the battery [document downloads are on another tab of the area you go to for updated hardware drivers].

All the best,
Denis

Hearsepilot · 31 Jan 2023

Take note of anything you know you've changed as everything else would be set to default. Personally i change the cells while the systems are powered up.

Jerry8A · 31 Jan 2023

Hello Denis -

Thanks for the return. Here is what I have found out.

I often run sfc/ scannow. When I do, the below article, which I got from one of your website’s tutorials, says when I do sfc my boot screen resets back to default settings. So, if that is true, it seems I should be okay and not have to check my BIOS settings before. My point is, if my sfc tool has always reset my BIOS to default, it would seem safe to do it now without recording my current BIOS settings. Also, I have never changed any of my BIOS settings since I’ve had the computer which would tell me it has always been in the default settings.

Boot Screen - Change
How to Change the Default Boot Screen in Vista The boot screen is the screen that displays during the bootup (startup) of Vista before the logon screen (welcome screen) and the desktop. Running the sfc/ scannow command will reset the boot screen back to default. If you wanted to run chkdsk at startup or the Memory Diagnostic Tool and you have changed the default boot screen, then you will need to temporarily change the boot screen back to the default boot screen to be able to see what is happening first to be able to see what is happening when they run at startup.

You ask what symptoms I had for changing the battery. I had an error message saying my battery was low. Yes, I have downloaded Dell manuals on changing the battery.

You say you change the battery with the system ON. Don’t think I have seen that in my research. In fact, most links say to drain the system after removing the battery.

Regards,
Jerry
1/31/2023

bro67 · 31 Jan 2023

Just replace the battery. It is not going to have much in the way of more modern bios's would have in the way of outside of the box modifications.

Try3 · 01 Feb 2023

Jerry8A said:

Boot Screen - Change
How to Change the Default Boot Screen in Vista The boot screen is the screen that displays during the bootup (startup) of Vista before the logon screen (welcome screen) and the desktop. Running the sfc/ scannow command will reset the boot screen back to default. If you wanted to run chkdsk at startup or the Memory Diagnostic Tool and you have changed the default boot screen, then you will need to temporarily change the boot screen back to the default boot screen to be able to see what is happening first to be able to see what is happening when they run at startup.

This has nothing to do with the Bios but merely a screen that appears during booting.
Its description sounds to me a bit like what Windows 10 calls its Lock screen.

Jerry8A said:

You ask what symptoms I had for changing the battery. I had an error message saying my battery was low.

I'm quite amazed. I have never seen a computer report that its Bios battery was low.
Did you take a screenshot of it?

Jerry8A said:

You say you change the battery with the system ON.

No, I would turn off the computer first.

Best of luck,
Denis

Hearsepilot · 01 Feb 2023

Jerry8A said:

Hello Denis -

Thanks for the return. Here is what I have found out.

I often run sfc/ scannow. When I do, the below article, which I got from one of your website’s tutorials, says when I do sfc my boot screen resets back to default settings. So, if that is true, it seems I should be okay and not have to check my BIOS settings before. My point is, if my sfc tool has always reset my BIOS to default, it would seem safe to do it now without recording my current BIOS settings. Also, I have never changed any of my BIOS settings since I’ve had the computer which would tell me it has always been in the default settings.

Boot Screen - Change
How to Change the Default Boot Screen in Vista The boot screen is the screen that displays during the bootup (startup) of Vista before the logon screen (welcome screen) and the desktop. Running the sfc/ scannow command will reset the boot screen back to default. If you wanted to run chkdsk at startup or the Memory Diagnostic Tool and you have changed the default boot screen, then you will need to temporarily change the boot screen back to the default boot screen to be able to see what is happening first to be able to see what is happening when they run at startup.

You ask what symptoms I had for changing the battery. I had an error message saying my battery was low. Yes, I have downloaded Dell manuals on changing the battery.

You say you change the battery with the system ON. Don’t think I have seen that in my research. In fact, most links say to drain the system after removing the battery.

Regards,
Jerry
1/31/2023

SFC wont touch BIOS

Helmut · 01 Feb 2023

1. "Is the default setting okay to use?"

Yes, default settings are also safe settings.

2. "If I select F2 (Dell System), there are 14 fields I can select. What field do I choose under F2 to record and/or change the settings?"

If you want to note settings you note all of them. They have probably gone back to defaults anyway if the CR3032 is dead.

Switch Off PC before replacing the battery.

It is a simple maintenance task, no need for any complications.

What you have referenced in post #4 is nothing to do with this task.

fireberd · 01 Feb 2023

Average life of the CMOS memory backup battery is 5 years. The XPS 420 is from the 2007 era. If its never been replaced its dead and the BIOS has reverted to default. In this case installing a new battery will not change the BIOS.