RE:http://www.computing.net/hardware/wwwboard/forum/46131.html I set up the computer at my mom's X-mas day and at first boot i get "the firmware detected that a CMOS battery failure occurred, press ENTER". When ENTER is pressed everything seems to work fine but I get this message at every fresh boot up. I sent emachines a tech support question about this and they send me back some long convoluted list of instructions about pulling off the back and taking out the battery (although the instructions say to put the same battery back in_) anyway, if she just ignores this message and uses her computer, will there be a problem down the road? Iknow, it just amazes me that emachines could send out a brand new computer without booting it up first just once to see if there is a problem.

Presumably the battery is bad, incorrectly inserted or not making proper contact. That battery powers the memory circuit that saves the various hardware settings when the computer is powered down - if it's not working, most of the hardware will be redetected at startup (although the clock will be wrong). Any 'custom' settings will be lost. You can still run like that, but it would be better to have it working I'm not one of those who think Bill Gates is the devil. I simply suspect that if Microsoft ever met up with the devil, it wouldn't need an interpreter

If the computer is brand new then the battery may not be bad, but rather not making good contact. Was this computer purchased at retail or online. If retail, I would consider exchanging it. Do the techs at Emachines know this computer is new? There was an ECS MBoard 4 or 5 years ago that issues with batteries just like you have. Some folks couldn't get the thing to work right even after changing the battery and tightening the contacts. Must have been something with the MBoard itself. You shouldn't have to deal with that.

thanks for the prompt responses.Yes, the tech guys know that it is a new machine, thats probably why their fix is for ME to reset it. I assume itis fairly simple to do and will attempt it on my next visit but I should not have to mess with something they should of detected at the factory. This computer was bought online through compusa.

On the surface, it would seem to be pretty simple, unless there is a problem with the board or the battery holder, as suggested. You wouldn't expect them to ship a dead battery with a new system, although anything is possible I'm not one of those who think Bill Gates is the devil. I simply suspect that if Microsoft ever met up with the devil, it wouldn't need an interpreter

i have come accross this problem due to the cheap flimsy quality of some of the battery holders. It might need just taking out and putting back in to make good contact, it might need the metal terminals of the holder bending slightly to make better contact. a friend of mine keeps haveing problems on his PC chips M848ALU motherboard. The battery holder is unusual in that it sticks up out of the board at 90 degrees instead of being parallel to it, and it doesn't seem to hold the battery in securely for very long.