CMOS Battery/Cover removal, Old Sager NB

Hey, I wonder if anyone can help me out with this.

I have here a somewhat (but not very) old Sager notebook. The model number on the bottom is 3300C, but that may not be the model number Sager sells it under (it's actually the model number of the Taiwanese manufacturer). This notebook is fundamentally in good shape, but it is unable to retain its CMOS settings. So it needs a new CMOS battery.

Pretty simple, one would think. But I have been unable to find the damned thing in order to replace it. A call to Sager tech support got me a call back from a person who said the battery was inside, under the top cover, but he was unable to tell me how to get the cover off (he said he doesn't fix 'em, he only gives advice over the phone).

I *almost* have the cover off, but it's been a bitch of a job. I had to remove every removable piece first and undo a whole bunch of screws, including one that's under a modem card that I can't figure out how to get out. But the cover is still not off. It no longer seems to be attached at any of the edges (where I removed the screws), but something seems to be stuck right in the middle. I don't know if there's another screw somewhere I'm missing or if I should just force it or what. This isn't my notebook, and I don't want to break it.

Anyone been through this? Any advice or tips? Please?

Thanks ...

See, that's the thing -- there's no battery there under the keyboard. That's the first place I looked (I've serviced a notebook or two in my time). RAM's under there, but that's about it.

The Sager guy seemed to be pretty specific about removing the top cover, the part around the keyboard, he said. And even though that seems insane to me, that's what I've been trying to do.