Swapping batteries w/WM5

Robb Bates · 11-04-05, 04:52 PM

After reading a post about backup batteries and swapping main batteries, I decided to do a test.

I turned off my X50v, and immediately removed the battery. Put it back in and turn it back on. "Memory error!" followed by a soft reset.

Next i turned it off, waited about 10 seconds, then removed the battery, put it back in, turned it on. Back to where it was before. No memory error, no soft reset.

I think what happened was, when I turned my PPC off, the persistant memory system had to do all that cache to flash writing that it supposedly does when you first turn off your PPC(per that WM5 blog about persistant storage). I think I interrupted that process and the memory got corrupted. But when I waited a few seconds, it was able to finish the cache flushing and go into true standby properly.

So, what I think needs to be done is to wait a few seconds before swapping batteries if you don't want to have to soft reset. Or at least make sure everything is saved before you swap batteries.

Thoughts?

Robb

grcooperjr · 11-04-05, 05:14 PM

Hi Robb

What would be a intersting test is to leave the battery out over night so the backup battery dies. If indeed it has stored everything to rom, all will be ok. if not, it will be a hard reset.....

Ray C

Robb Bates · 11-04-05, 05:21 PM

I did a similar test. I tricked my X50v by pulling out the battery while the unit was on with my stylus holding down the little battery door switch. It did a soft reset after reinstalling the battery, but everything was still there.

Robb

11-04-05, 05:23 PM

No, just a soft reset. The x51v will do a soft reset anytime you remove the battery as the ram is not powered by a backup battery. With an x50v running WM5 the backup battery should still power the ram but has nothing to do with the ROM storage.

grcooperjr · 11-04-05, 05:24 PM

But the backup battery will take a while to dicharge, a hour or so

11-04-05, 05:25 PM

Once it has discharge it will just clear the ram, so when powered back up the unit will do a soft reset.

grcooperjr · 11-04-05, 05:28 PM

Originally Posted by Ken S

No, just a soft reset. The x51v will do a soft reset anytime you remove the battery as the ram is not powered by a backup battery. With an x50v running WM5 the backup battery should still power the ram but has nothing to do with the ROM storage.

Hi Ken

I understand what it is suspose to do, but what if uncle Bill told us a fib and it doesn't work out that way

I ya never know for sure untill ya try it

Ray C

grcooperjr · 11-04-05, 07:15 PM

Hey Ken & Robb

Well I had to try it. Well uncle Bill did not fib to us. it works as advertised. The only thing that happens is you get a low backup battery warning error..

Ray C