acer 5601 bios battery?

Mike Scott

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Mar 29, 2021, 5:03:40 AM3/29/21

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Hi all; I suspect mine has died - but where is it located please? The
copy of the maintenance guide I've found refers to the 'RTC battery',
but gives no clue as to its whereabouts or replacement; a couple of
purported 'how-to's on youtube seem to refer to the wrong model.

Thanks.

--
Mike Scott
Harlow, England

Adrian Caspersz

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Mar 29, 2021, 6:45:20 AM3/29/21

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On 29/03/2021 10:03, Mike Scott wrote:
> Hi all; I suspect mine has died - but where is it located please? The
> copy of the maintenance guide I've found refers to the 'RTC battery',
> but gives no clue as to its whereabouts or replacement; a couple of
> purported 'how-to's on youtube seem to refer to the wrong model.

Find us a picture of the laptop

Does it look like this?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Acer-Aspire-5600-ZB2-Laptop-Spare-Repair-/274473899749

--
Adrian C

Mike Scott

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Mar 30, 2021, 1:53:14 AM3/30/21

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Thanks. Spot on for appearance.

I took a quick peek inside before posting, but don't want to strip it
down more than I need to get at the battery.

Adrian Caspersz

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Mar 30, 2021, 2:01:41 PM3/30/21

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Hmmm.... It's an 5601AWLMi

-----------

The service manual is here

https://elektrotanya.com/acer_travelmate_4220_2480_aspire_5600.pdf/download.html

The schematic is here

https://elektrotanya.com/acer_aspire_5600_travelmate_4220_2480_quanta_zb2_rev_3a_sch.pdf/download.html

So the motherboard is identified as Quanta ZB2

For a picture ...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCHEDA-MADRE-MOTHERBOARD-per-Acer-Aspire-5600-series-5601AWLMi-ZB2/312672032366

or

https://www.tramthuyp.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=86596

ZB2.945GM UMA with Reader Aspire 5600 MB.AB106.002 MBAB106002

or for a closer view download the images from

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Acer-Main-Board-ZB2-945GM-UMA-with-Reader-Aspire-5600-MB-AB106-002-MBAB106002-/131503641235

On the schematic the battery is on page 13.

It's a coin cell, the battery holder is CN19 is next to the SATA
connector for the CDROM drive. Is on the same side of the motherboard as
the Ram modules, CPU etc, behind the model label sticker on the back.

Looks like you will need the motherboard out.

A deep dive will be necessary ...

--
Adrian C

Mike Scott

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Mar 30, 2021, 3:13:13 PM3/30/21

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On 30/03/2021 19:01, Adrian Caspersz wrote:
....

>
> A deep dive will be necessary ...
>

Many thanks ..... much more detail than the manual I found. Looks a deep
dive indeed :-{

Mike Scott

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Apr 1, 2021, 3:35:08 AM4/1/21

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On 30/03/2021 19:01, Adrian Caspersz wrote:
....
>

> Looks like you will need the motherboard out.
>
> A deep dive will be necessary ...
>

Given the difficulty in changing the battery, I'm wondering now whether
I'm looking at the right culprit for a problem.

The problem I see isn't simple loss of cmos data. The machine (runs
mint, whatever the last 32-bit version was) will start to boot up, then
at varying points go into what seems to be a sleep state. Hitting the
power button continues the boot-up - but typically it drops off to sleep
multiple times, even up to enter-password time. Once up, running and
logged in though, I don't recall experiencing a problem.

That occurs even when on mains power and with the main battery removed.

My assumption was the 15(?)-year old cmos battery would be worth a quick
change. I can't think of anything else to try. Any thoughts please?

Adrian Caspersz

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Apr 1, 2021, 4:01:58 AM4/1/21

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On 01/04/2021 08:35, Mike Scott wrote:

but typically it drops off to sleep
> multiple times, even up to enter-password time. Once up, running and
> logged in though, I don't recall experiencing a problem.
>
> That occurs even when on mains power and with the main battery removed.
>
> My assumption was the 15(?)-year old cmos battery would be worth a quick
> change. I can't think of anything else to try. Any thoughts please?
>

Hmmm... A random google bought this ...

During boot process, system goes to sleep
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1626689

Looks like some interaction related to the lid close state?

Googling "button.lid_init_state" finds more reports.

--
Adrian C

Mike Scott

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Apr 5, 2021, 4:50:56 AM4/5/21

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Which comment, going on evidence to date, leaves me with egg on the
face. Because I didn't ask about the original issue. I just assumed a
dead cmos battery was the cause of the boot problem.

I've put the appropriate incantation into the kernel parameters, and
haven't had a single boot interruption while it's been there. Removal
made the problem recur. So hopefully problem solved. (And a jolly sight
faster than dismantling the laptop :-} )

Many thanks.