John D. Baker wrote:
On this particular machine (or maybe just this particular part), when the power is lost (either by utility failure or normal power-down) the clock stops ticking. When powered up again, the OBP reports "Starting real-time clock", as if the timekeeper/RAM had been put to sleep using "power-off" from OBP (sets "ST" bit in one of the clock control registers).
I have a faint memory of certain timekeeper chips to be "inited" the first time after shipping so that they start ticking.
I wasn't always lucky replacing ram chips, when I had time years ago I often dissected them and soldered a new batter, was more succesful. But then, they seem to have gotten old too.
I always wondered why such "quality" system do not have a a battery holder with a replacement battery (of any kind...). Most Macs did have it or SGIs... Except original MacII which had two on-board soldered batteries. Wow. And given the price of such computers, it can't be the 2$ of component.
Riccardo