Dreamcast doesn't remember date?

hello again :)

my DC (fresh out of storage) doesn't seem to remember the date I enter on it - when i switch it on, it always reverts back to 1998 (or whatever it is) and asks me to set it again.

is this because the batteries are going in my VMU? (when i switch it on, it gives a loud beeeeeeeeeeep so I know the batteries inside are dying off). or is it something in the dreamcast going on the blink?

thanks.

/ edit - sorry, probably should have said but i just had the "brainwave" (doh) of altering the date without the VMU in, switched it back on and the date is staying as 2008. with that in mind, do i need to replace the batteries in the VMU to sort the date revert issue or is the VMU just faulty?

It's just the internal battery of the DC. If you haven't used the machine for some time it goes flat and forgets the date. If you use it more frequently and have it on for a while, the date is remembered at least until you next don't use it for some time. In some instances the internal battery may be dead so it will always forget the date etc. You can still use the machine fine though.

I hardly use my DC now so I'm used to it forgetting the date.

Putting batteries in the VMU is probably a waste too unless you take it out and about and play some of the VMU games with it. They go through them in no time too. VMUs work fine as memory cards without batteries. The long beep on startup from the VMU means that there's either no battery in, or that it's flat.

What you've described sounds normal to me.

awesome, thanks :) well i'll hopefully be using it a lot more now so maybe the date may stay right this time!