PCFormat Forum Archive

Issue is resolved but I'd appreciate your opinions on why it happened in the first place.

Client's XP machine refused to boot into Windows. The Windows welcome screen would come up and then all we'd get would be a black screen with a working mouse pointer.

Finally transpired that the BIOS time was reverting back to 1 March 1999. Setting the proper date allowed Windows to load properly.

New CMOS battery and everything is OK.

But why?

doo_much wrote:Issue is resolved but I'd appreciate your opinions on why it happened in the first place.

Client's XP machine refused to boot into Windows. The Windows welcome screen would come up and then all we'd get would be a black screen with a working mouse pointer.

Finally transpired that the BIOS time was reverting back to 1 March 1999. Setting the proper date allowed Windows to load properly.

New CMOS battery and everything is OK.

But why?

Because XP, thats why!

If you don't have a CMOS battery, every time you reboot you start with a factory default BIOS setting. Certain non OEM versions of XP assumes you have made significant hardware changes when this happens (new mobo perhaps?) and void your Windows license.

I have seen it ask for a license every time the machine was rebooted because of this - the black screen is probably related.

Hey - I love XP!

But thanks.