Bridgeport Discovery 308 SX-15 CMOS lost time and settings

[Richardd]

92 Bridgeport Discovery 308 SX-15 Control
Motherboard CMOS battery lost time and settings.

I replaced the 4 AA batteries in the FPU board with the machine off
I was in a panic, I know it should have been left on.

I knew how to do the executive load of the HEX file to the FMDC board. So I wasn’t concerned.

I reset everything in the BIOS setup and rebooted machine. The machine failed the machine check, and then failed the executive load. In the past it would count up to around 500 while it loaded the FMDC . This time it did not count at all. It just failed in about 10 seconds.

I went back into the BIOS setup and everything was still correct.

It took a few day’s to get the new CMOS battery #DS1287 the motherboard is #WD286-LPM

The CMOS never lost time again in those few days’, while I was trying to figure out what was wrong.

I replaced the battery and all the settings in BIOS and the machine still fails to load the FMDC.

I checked all the connections and wires for serial ports COM1 and COM2 . All past.

I went into DOS\MSD to look at the COM PORTS and they are not being detected. No matter what I do MODE, DEVICE etc. I can’t find the com ports

I do not have a setting in my BIOS setup to enable or disable the COM or LPT ports.

I have a feeling that the POST at start up is disabling the ports. I have tried starting the machine with bypassing CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXE and the ports are still not detected. I have found the IRQ addresses and they are not conflicting with others.

I had an extra WD286-LPM motherboard, so I changed it and I am still having the same problem. NO COM PORTS.

Any help would be very much appreciated .


Thank you
Richard

[machintek]

The software enables the ports. Maybe there is a problem with the software.
I have had cases where the executive had difficulty loading. Especially on V2XTs with the FMDC. The FMDC needs to be in the correct state waiting for the data. Attached is a LED decode list for the FMDC.

George

[BptRoadman]

Make sure the jumper plug is still on the com port . Check the connections from the Mother board to the com port

[BptRoadman]

Opps... forgot. Check all your Power supplies to the board. The 5vdc may be missing

[Richardd]

Hello George
Thank you for your quick reply.

I had info on the FMDC LED's and they show that it is waiting for the executive load.
I also had a backup copy of the files BSX38.EXE and BOSS38.HEX. I replaced the files and nothing changed.

Would you know what file turns on the ports?

Thank you
Richard

[Richardd]

Hello Bptroadman
I checked all wires for the com ports on the FMDC and Motherboard. I also checked all power and grounds to both boards and the SAF board. All power is OK.

When you say Jumper plug. You are talking about the wires between the boards Correct! If so, they are OK

This problem started after the CMOS lost it's settings.

Thank you
Richard