Good advice; check that the switch is set to PRT, and replace the battery; If you can't find (or afford) the correct replacement, AAA Alkalines will indeed work well, and even AA's will just fit. However, once properly configured, it should work even with a dead battery, at least until you turn it off again. Use F10 after you set the configuration, not F1. The hard disk should be set to 11 if it's the standard disk. Also, you may find it easier to just remove the keyboard to replace the battery; 3 screws under the front and a couple of tabs to release in the display latch compartment; remove the keyboard & the shield, and you'll find the battery behind the keyboard on the right. As Chris will confirm, you should remove the dead battery ASAP to avoid corrosion problems. Good luck; I've got a T3100 if I can help. mike -------------------Original Message-------------------- From: CLeyson(a)aol.com Subject: Re: Toshiba T3100/20 In a message dated 19/01/02 driess94(a)dolfijn.nl writes: Stefan, This may help, it applies to a Toshiba T3200SX so may be of some use. If there is a small switch located near the floppy drive, set it to 'B' or 'PRT'. This switch configures the parallel port for printer or external floppy drive. If it's set to 'A' the bios goes looking on the parallel port for the A drive. The machine should now boot from a DOS boot disk. Bios settings. If the T3100 is anything like the T3200 then it is likely that there is a default bios setting for the hard drive. Try this setting. If there isn't a default setting you will have to open the machine up and see what HDD is fitted. You'll have to do this anyway to replace the battery. Getting the case apart. On the top of the case, at the rear, there are two small covers which slide off to reveal hidden screws. Undo all of the screws on the underside, take of the rear cover and metal panel and the case should come apart. The battery is probably stuck onto the back of the floppy drive chassis with Velcro. (The T3200's only bad feature in my opinion). If you need to take the display apart, the screws are located under the rubber 'feet' located in the corners and underneath the label marked FDD, HDD etc. A pair of AAA sized Alkaline cells will do as a temporary replacement CMOS backup battery. There is enough room under the keyboard for them.