Wrong time at every boot up

[Guest]

Everytime I boot up my computer, the clock shows the last time that the computer was on. It's as if it's picking up right where it left off. I have to update everytime I boot up, otherwise it goes on like this for days. I think this started happening right after I ran windowsupdate. I considered doing a system restore to a point before the windowsupdate, but for some reason I only have restore points for up to three days ago and I performed the update two weeks ago
Does anyone know of any fix for this
Thanks

 

[CWatters]

Everytime I boot up my computer, the clock shows the last time that the

computer was on.

How old is your PC? Perhaps it's worth replacing the little battery that
powers the clock chip on the motherboard of your PC when the main power
supply is off. Track down the instructions for your motherboard from the
makers web site. Take care because I think this battery also powers the
memory that holds BIOS settings.

 

[Tony Talmage]

If you notice the loss of time only when the computer is powered off, it
could be the battery on the motherboard; just crack the case and get a
replacement for the little button battery. If you lose time while the
computer is on, your problem definitely does not lie in the battery as it is
not used when the machine is powered on.

A fix for the symptom, not the problem, could be downloading something like
JCOM Clock Synchronizer, which will check your clock against high-precision
atomic clocks.

--
Tony Talmage
Web Developer
Graphic Education Corporation
URL: http://www.graphiced.com
Phone: (888) 354-6600

Everytime I boot up my computer, the clock shows the last time that the

computer was on. It's as if it's picking up right where it left off. I
have to update everytime I boot up, otherwise it goes on like this for days.
I think this started happening right after I ran windowsupdate. I
considered doing a system restore to a point before the windowsupdate, but
for some reason I only have restore points for up to three days ago and I
performed the update two weeks ago.

 

[-xiray-]

computer was on.

How old is your PC? Perhaps it's worth replacing the little battery that
powers the clock chip on the motherboard of your PC when the main power
supply is off. Track down the instructions for your motherboard from the
makers web site. Take care because I think this battery also powers the
memory that holds BIOS settings.

The OP's problem sounds suspicious. I've yet to see a WinXP machine
with a dead mobo battery, but IF the battery were dead, how exactly
would the computer be able to retain the time from the last session?

I'm willing to learn... but until someone confirms an answer for that
I remain doubtful that its a battery problem.

 

[Guest]

Thank you everyone for the advice, but I doubt it's the battery. I intend to double check, but the motherboard is only a few months old. Would it have anything to do with the updates to windows from the update page? I bagan noticing this soon after I updated a couple of weeks ago

----- Tony Talmage wrote: ----

If you notice the loss of time only when the computer is powered off, i
could be the battery on the motherboard; just crack the case and get
replacement for the little button battery. If you lose time while th
computer is on, your problem definitely does not lie in the battery as it i
not used when the machine is powered on

A fix for the symptom, not the problem, could be downloading something lik
JCOM Clock Synchronizer, which will check your clock against high-precisio
atomic clocks

--
Tony Talmag
Web Develope
Graphic Education Corporatio
URL: http://www.graphiced.co
Phone: (888) 354-660

Everytime I boot up my computer, the clock shows the last time that th

computer was on. It's as if it's picking up right where it left off.
have to update everytime I boot up, otherwise it goes on like this for days
I think this started happening right after I ran windowsupdate.
considered doing a system restore to a point before the windowsupdate, bu
for some reason I only have restore points for up to three days ago and
performed the update two weeks ago

 

[Alex Nichol]

The OP's problem sounds suspicious. I've yet to see a WinXP machine
with a dead mobo battery, but IF the battery were dead, how exactly
would the computer be able to retain the time from the last session?

This can happen when the battery is dying. First stage is that it can
no longer run its oscillator that drives the clock - but can still
maintain the information in the CMOS memory, including BIOS settings and
the last updated time. Then it dies further and can not longer even
retain those - and on losing the BIOS settings you may be in trouble.

This sounds like such a case - changing battery will probably cure it.

The other faint possibility is that the machine is not in fact being
powered off, but is being put in Standby, in a very deep level, where
windows is not in fact getting the regular timer interrupts it uses for
the time, but comes back up thinking that it has been, so does not
consult the CMOS time

 

[Steve Nielsen]

It probably is the battery but probably not dead on such a new system
board, it could just have dust between the contacts. This exact thing
happend to me recently on one of my systems. I opened the case and
turned the batery in it's holder to read the number in order to replace
it but turning it cleared some dust from the contacts and all was well
again.

It is surprising how quickly dust builds up inside the case.

Steve

 

[Guest]

I have left my computer on continuouslyy for 24 hrs now and when I came back to it tonight, the time was wrong, not only was it wrong it was on a comploetely different date. I'm trying to rule out the battery since I've left it on, would the battery still be a factor
Thanks guys

 

[Malke]

I have left my computer on continuouslyy for 24 hrs now and when I
came back to it tonight, the time was wrong, not only was it wrong it
was on a comploetely different date. I'm trying to rule out the
battery since I've left it on, would the battery still be a factor?
Thanks guys

If your computer time is incorrect when you check it after it was
unplugged from an electrical outlet (or you get the bad checksum error
upon POST), then the motherboard battery needs to be replaced. If the
time is changing while the computer is actively on, then it probably is
not the motherboard battery. My guess from your description would be a
hardware problem, perhaps the RAM or the motherboard itself, although
you could be getting corruption from overheating, too. Here are some
generic hardware troubleshooting steps:

1) open the computer and run it open, cleaning out all dust bunnies and
observing all fans (overheating will cause system freezing); 2) test
the RAM - I like Memtest86 from www.memtest86.com - let the test run
for an extended (like overnight) period of time - unless errors are
seen immediately; 3) test the hard drive with a diagnostic utility from
the mftr.; 4) the power supply may be going bad or be inadequate for
the devices you have in the system; 5) test the motherboard with
something like TuffTest from www.tufftest.com. Testing hardware
failures often involves swapping out suspected parts with known-good
parts. If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are uncomfortable
opening your computer, take the machine to a good local computer repair
shop (not a CompUSA or Best Buy type of store).

Malke

 

[Guest]

Thanks so much for all of the helpful information and for the referral to those sites. I'll get right on it and see what I find
Thanks again
-av

----- Malke wrote: ----

avc wrote

I have left my computer on continuouslyy for 24 hrs now and when
came back to it tonight, the time was wrong, not only was it wrong i
was on a comploetely different date. I'm trying to rule out th
battery since I've left it on, would the battery still be a factor
Thanks guy

If your computer time is incorrect when you check it after it wa
unplugged from an electrical outlet (or you get the bad checksum erro
upon POST), then the motherboard battery needs to be replaced. If th
time is changing while the computer is actively on, then it probably i
not the motherboard battery. My guess from your description would be
hardware problem, perhaps the RAM or the motherboard itself, althoug
you could be getting corruption from overheating, too. Here are som
generic hardware troubleshooting steps

1) open the computer and run it open, cleaning out all dust bunnies an
observing all fans (overheating will cause system freezing); 2) tes
the RAM - I like Memtest86 from www.memtest86.com - let the test ru
for an extended (like overnight) period of time - unless errors ar
seen immediately; 3) test the hard drive with a diagnostic utility fro
the mftr.; 4) the power supply may be going bad or be inadequate fo
the devices you have in the system; 5) test the motherboard wit
something like TuffTest from www.tufftest.com. Testing hardwar
failures often involves swapping out suspected parts with known-goo
parts. If you can't do the testing yourself and/or are uncomfortabl
opening your computer, take the machine to a good local computer repai
shop (not a CompUSA or Best Buy type of store)

Malk

 

[NobodyMan]

If the
time is changing while the computer is actively on, then it probably is
not the motherboard battery.

Actually, if the time is changing while the computer is not running,
then the CMOS battery has nothing to do with it.

 

[NobodyMan]

Actually, if the time is changing while the computer is not running,
then the CMOS battery has nothing to do with it.

Woops, meant to say if the time change occurs while the computer IS
running.