We've encountered this before; it has nothing to do with being connected to a programming computer. The codeplug data is stored in memory in the radio, apparently volatile memory (which, to my way of thinking is not really ROM), and, I'm guessing, requires some sort of power source to keep it alive. When a battery is connected to the radio (Pro series portable), that could supply the required "keep alive" power, and, I'm still guessing, to keep codeplug data alive when the radio battery is removed (or depleted), or in the case of a mobile when external power is removed, there is a button cell inside the radio. If the button cell dies, or becomes depleted, the data stored in the "ROM" becomes corrupted and, when the radio tries to read it on power up, you get this message -- remember, I'm guessing. Motorola does not supply internal schematics for these radios, and there is no mention of any such battery in the maintenance manual for the CDM/Pro series.
What we have found is that, sometimes, applying power to the chassis and coming back after an hour or two, we could re-write the codeplug data (from an archive file stored on the computer) and resolve the problem. Then again, sometimes this hasn't worked and the radios have been Depot'd.
Most of the departments for whom I do work have since moved off the CDM/Pro lines, so I've sort of lost track of the issue.
