CMOS Checksum Error

[AnneJay]

Hello:

Due to a rash of computer problems someone advised me to reset the BIOS. Sooooo, popped out the battery and shorted the jumper, hooked everything back up, booted the machine and got the following error:

CMOS checksum error defaults loaded

By pressing f1 can run the operating system (XP - Pro). Before doing this I did record the BIOS settings so will go through everything but, in the meantime, the question is: Is it okay to run the OS with an error like this?

[Brave01Heart]

Hi AnneJay

I've seen and had that error many times and it happens when something in your BIOS settings have changed. I.e. you removed the battery and so when you reinserted it and powered up your pc, the default settings were loaded. This means that your previous CMOS had now changed and so you got the checksum error. After rebooting, you would normally not see this error message again because your new setting would now be saved (though on some BIOS makes, you may have to enter the BIOS, press F10 and save the settings.

Basically, the CMOS memory settings hold important information about the setup of the computer. Because this information is so important to the working of the computer, a self-check called a checksum is used. If the CMOS data is damaged or altered incorrectly the checksum will be wrong. This may indicate that the memory setting (if it is user selectable), hard drive setting etc may have been wrongly changed. On the other hand, it may simply be that the checksum is the only incorrect information. If this is the case, save the CMOS settings; this should force it to recalculate the CMOS checksum.

When you next reboot, there should be no problem. Of course, if you recorded your previous settings, you can reenter them and press F10 to save them, exit the BIOS and reboot. You may get another checksum error because your settings have been changed again but on the next reboot, that should not show.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Brave01Heart