Thinkpad problem: CMOS bad checksum

[Retardo9000]

I have an IBM ThinkPad T21 (model number 2647-8au) that has worked properly for over two years and recently started having problems, with no forewarning. The system will not even let me access the BIOS, instead, when I boot it up I get the message:

"ERROR
0271: Check date and time settings"

After this is displayed for a few seconds, a padlock icon and a prompt are displayed, as if I had set a password on the BIOS. There has never been a password on the BIOS for this computer.

I tried disconnecting the power, taking out the battery and the backup battery, and waiting a while to see if there were some simple error taking place, but when I reconnected everything I got the original error, with an additional one:

"ERROR
0271: Check date and time settings"
ERROR
0251: System CMOS checksum bad - Default configuration used"

According this page at IBM, the solution for the second error is to replace the backup battery. I did this, but it still hasn't fixed the problem. When I connected the new battery, I got a new error message in addition to the second one I received:

"ERROR
0271: Check date and time settings"
ERROR
0251: System CMOS checksum bad - Default configuration used
ERROR:
Resource Conflict - Allocation error static node # 01"

I have searched on google and this forum for over three hours in the last few days, and I can't find any reference to someone having this problem and not fixing the system by replacing the battery. I'm thinking there are two things possibly going on here: the replacement battery I bought is bad, or there is something seriously wrong with the laptop. The person I bought the battery from has assured me many times that the battery is brand new.

I'm not sure what to do now, and would appreciate any advice someone could give me.

 

[NitrouseXpress60]

i'd try a different battery. (backup)

or, it could be a mobo dying.

my 2 guesses

 

[tdg]

Could be a bad replacement battery, though IBM's throw error code 192 for a bad battery, at least on the older ones. I'd try another battery, if need be I have a ton of them at work.

 

[Retardo9000]

Could be a bad replacement battery, though IBM's throw error code 192 for a bad battery, at least on the older ones. I'd try another battery, if need be I have a ton of them at work.

I got your batteries in the mail yesterday, tdg, and still no go. I've tried both batteries in the laptop, and the errors persist. I'm thinking this laptop might be bound for the landfill if nobody has any other ideas.