computer acting strangely...

[IRSBurger]

is this the right forum to post in?
anyways...

hello all,
one day, i tried to start up my computer the usual way (boot up the powermax thing with the different plugs, then press the on button on my computer), but when i pressed the button, nothing happened. i flicked the switches and nothing happened, until i switch the plugs on it around. then it worked. well, not really.
the computer on button lights up green, but just silence. the monitor shows a black screen for 5 minutes, then the regualr sounds happen and it starts up, with an error saying 'CMOS bad/corrupt, something like that' press f2 to use default settings. i press f2, windows xp starts up normally, and when the user screen pops up, i click on the admin user account. but it just does nothing. no sounds, no nothing. i restart, click on another admin account, and it works! but this time my clock is reset to January 1, 1601. i change user to my usual account, and it works.

when i run chkdsk, there are a load of corrupt files and it takes 30 minutes to correct them. sometimes, my computer restarts for no reason.

now everytime i want to use the computer, i has to do the plug switch, the 5 minute wait, then restart, switch user, and fix settings.

my question is, why is it doing this? my power went off for a second while my computer was on (there was no storm, just a power outage). is that why my powerbar doesnt work? and why are my time settings always reset, and why cant i access my admin account for the first time?

please help, im trying to make countless backups.
thanks

i have a pentium 3 500 mhz
192 mb ram
30 gig hdd
and windows xp pro

[p i m p]

Originally posted by IRSBurger
is this the right forum to post in?

no

[intalex]

Sounds like a dead battery in your motherboard. I'm just guessing.

Try the hardware forum next time, I'm sure you'll have more people willing to help you there.

[aiyo]

most probably a dead battery on your motherboard. its been dead for a while but you never noticed because there was power supplied to the case, when the power went out and the battery was dead too youre cmos was reset. open up youre case and pop out the battery, its a bit bigger than a nickel. look under it there shouold be a serial number of some sort, go buy a bettery with the same #.

[$m0ker]

im doubting its the battery, but CR2032 is the battery type you want. just about every motherboard for the past 10+ years has used the same battery. Radio Shack or just about anywhere else that sells batteries other then AA AAA should have them in stock for 1-2 bucks.

(if you are in the middle of nowhere, try a pharmacy that sells hearing aid batteries)

[noview]

You have all the symptoms of a Service Pack 1 user

[IRSBurger]

wow, thanks for the quick reply, im gonna go check some batteries at the radio shack after school...
i didnt know they were so cheap...

and sorry for posting in the wrong forum, i didnt know there was a hardware section, this post is gonna die soon anyways...

thanks again.