When I open Mach 3 I am now getting a "parameter is incorrect" message. When I click OK I get a white screen with a menu at the top but no Control screen. When I check the about screen it shows Demo and is no longer my name. I hope I have not lost everything and there is a simple fix to this.

Can someone help me solve this issue. The PC for my machine is not connected to the internet and has been working for many years with no issue.

Where do I start?

Thanks

I was able to get Mach3 up and running again. The fix for me was to remove the battery from the motherboard and reinstall it. I have no clue what that did but up until I did that I could never get the control screen to come up.

For now it is up and running again.

CMOS battery should be replaced every 3 years (so I hope you don't just put back the old battery).

Drained CMOS battery means the loss of date and time and BIOS parameters like port address and for older PCs loss of hard disk parameters as well.

CMOS battery should be replaced every 3 years (so I hope you don't just put back the old battery).

Drained CMOS battery means the loss of date and time and BIOS parameters like port address and for older PCs loss of hard disk parameters as well.

That is (mostly) incorrect  -  A PC CMOS Battery should last at least 10 years. I have PCs' with customers over 15 years old and in 32+ years trading I've only ever replaced 2 - and they were only as a precaution.

Removing the battery does not lose Hard Drive parameters - Date & Time and some BIOS parameters do need to be re-set but that is trivial.

Quote from: reuelt on January 25, 2023, 02:25:18 PM

CMOS battery should be replaced every 3 years (so I hope you don't just put back the old battery).

Drained CMOS battery means the loss of date and time and BIOS parameters like port address and for older PCs loss of hard disk parameters as well.

That is (mostly) incorrect  -  A PC CMOS Battery should last at least 10 years. I have PCs' with customers over 15 years old and in 32+ years trading I've only ever replaced 2 - and they were only as a precaution.

Removing the battery does not lose Hard Drive parameters - Date & Time and some BIOS parameters do need to be re-set but that is trivial.

Are you are giving a opinion based on MOSTLY ignorance?
I sell PCs and support customer's  CNC machines and I know what I am saying. One of my customer is even using DOS + Novell + msbasic to manufacture CAMSHAFTS. I had to fix a huge CNC Mill because battery was drained and Machine won't boot. Replacing the battery didn't help because HDD parameter had to be manually added from the HDD label.

Are you are giving a opinion based on MOSTLY ignorance?

Certainly not - I'm providing FACTS based upon 30+ years experience  - your experience is obviously different but that doesn't make either of us ignorant.

CMOS battery should be replaced every 3 years (so I hope you don't just put back the old battery).

Drained CMOS battery means the loss of date and time and BIOS parameters like port address and for older PCs loss of hard disk parameters as well.

"OOPS"
Yep, I took it out, took a picture of it and put it back in. I will get a new one and install it.

Quote from: reuelt on January 25, 2023, 02:25:18 PM

CMOS battery should be replaced every 3 years (so I hope you don't just put back the old battery).

Drained CMOS battery means the loss of date and time and BIOS parameters like port address and for older PCs loss of hard disk parameters as well.

That is (mostly) incorrect  -  A PC CMOS Battery should last at least 10 years. I have PCs' with customers over 15 years old and in 32+ years trading I've only ever replaced 2 - and they were only as a precaution.

Removing the battery does not lose Hard Drive parameters - Date & Time and some BIOS parameters do need to be re-set but that is trivial.

I have 4 PCs that are 10 years plus. I bought them used and I have never replaced the battery in any of them.
Do PCs all use the same battery? If so, Maybe to be safe I should order batteries and take the time to replace them all.

I have 4 PCs that are 10 years plus. I bought them used and I have never replaced the battery in any of them.
Do PCs all use the same battery? If so, Maybe to be safe I should order batteries and take the time to replace them all.

Most 'Modern' PCs -   basically IBM compatible types  -  use a CR2032 3V button Cell.
I certainly can't point you to one that doesn't.

If you are not having 'problems' reporting Date/Time/BIOS 'issues' I wouldn't bother replacing them. It's always worth having one or two [on hand] though and at less than £1 each hardly worth fretting over.