Ancient IBM ThinkPad Type 2655-93U "ERROR 0271 Check date and time settings"

[puppychumful]

I have a really old IBM ThinkPad Type 2655-93U on OEM Windows 2000, and it’s got some MIDI files I really want to play, but it won't boot nor will the battery hold a charge but the AC adapter powers it. I don't want to remove the HD to try and access them that way, as I have an old MIDI interface that only works off that serial port, plus some MIDI playback software that works only with that old MIDI interface and Windows 2000.

When I turn the power on, I get the usual DOS lock prompt for my user password, but when I type in my user password I get the DOS prompt "ERROR 0271 Check date and time settings". You see, I've never been able to access the BIOS as I've never known the BIOS supervisor password, because I bought the laptop used, and all I've ever had is the user password, and not the supervisor password.

If I can't access the BIOS, then I can't set the date and time, so just replacing the CMOS battery will not solve my problem I don't think. I've done a Google search (of course) and there seems to be a plethora of possibilities to reset various passwords, but there seems to be a lack of clarity on how exactly to go about this, and if it actually can be done with a supervisor password, and how is would apply to my ancient IBM ThinkPad Type 2655.

Suggestions welcome!

 

[Sagar_20]

If this laptop is about 5 years old, there is a good chance it's CMOS battery has died. When your system time and date go wrong, or your web browser reports an out of sync error, it's an indication that you need to change the CMOS battery. ( 3V, CR 2032)

No need to enter the BIOS.

Once you log in to your windows, you can simply correct it by going to time and date settings and syncing it with time.windows.com

 

[puppychumful]

Shouldn't I be able to normally boot to windows as long as I have the AC adapter powering it, even if the CMOS battery is dead? Remember, I cannot get past my user password as I get the DOS prompt "ERROR 0271 Check date and time settings" so it's not as if I cannot power up my laptop, thus there should be no need for CMOS battery power while the AC adapter is connected, right?

Will my ancient laptop accept my user password at bootup, once I replace the CMOS battery, even if the system time and date are wrong, thus allowing me to fix that issue in Windows and not via the BIOS?

 

[Sagar_20]

No, i don't think you can boot with a dead CMOS battery.

In dell computers, you get 5 beeps if the battery dies which makes the troubleshooting easy. How many beeps you get depends completely on the manufacturer and you will need to refer to the motherboard manual to know that.

If you know the username and password, there's nothing to worry.

 

[puppychumful]

Thank you Sagar_20,
I have a new CMOS battery ready to install, but I bought it about two years ago so maybe I'll buy a new one. I've never enabled a username for Windows and the only password I've ever needed was at bootup.

It sure would be nice to remove the supervisor password, so I can edit the BIOS if needed. Any suggestions on how I can do that for my ancient IBM ThinkPad Type 2655 (it's actually an IBM A21e)?