Computer clock is slow

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Ken Blake wrote <<These are setting that are kept in a special memory
chip on the motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the
system, and contain the time and date, among other things. The
battery we've been talking about keeps all of those settings correct,
as well as the time and date.>>

Perhaps this needs fleshing out a bit. When a computer is off it is
nothing more than a collection of metal, plastic etc.

Well, I tried to avoid too many details for someone who appears to be a
computer novice, but I guess your additions don't hutrt.

 

[Og]

Steve wrote << Shenan, Bill, and Ken are very knowledgeable and you are
normally wise to heed their words of wisdom, but in this instance all
three seem to have overlooked the words "new computer" in your post.>>
Thanks for the accolade.

Glossed over rather than overlooked. It is quite possible for a component
in a new computer to be faulty. One in particular I recall is a hard disk
drive fresh out of the sealed packet which failed to spin. So it is
useful to include this in the response to consider as a possible if
improbable. For completeness, although not strictly relevant to this
enquiry (for any other reader with a similar issue) the phrase "new
computer" can mean second-user computer that is new to me.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

1. I am aware that approximately 15% - 20% of new computers reach the
consumer with faulty hardware.
2. I am also aware that many Mom & Pops, and some Big Names, place a sticker
on each computer stating something along the lines of "Warranty void if this
seal is removed or broken".
3. I am also aware that some people will break that seal because "an expert
on a NG told me to". [How often to people post problems here that are
directly caused by following the advice of some "expert"?]
4. I am also aware that "new computer" does not necessarily mean brand new.
It seems prudent to me, however, to take a poster's words at face value,
thus avoiding the possiblity of #3 occuring.
Steve

 

[Jyeshta]

Thank you, Bill. Now I'm worried about my old computer which I have
turned off to relieve the power load on the electricity.

Gail

Ken Blake wrote <<These are setting that are kept in a special memory chip
on the motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the system, and
contain the time and date, among other things. The battery we've been
talking about keeps all of those settings correct, as well as the time and
date.>>

Perhaps this needs fleshing out a bit. When a computer is off it is nothing
more than a collection of metal, plastic etc. It doesn't 'know' anything
about anything. except the CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor).
This chip stores the very basic parameters of the computer. These include
the date, time and a technical description of the such things as the hard
disk drive - and many others. Obviously when the computer is not connected
to the mains it needs something to maintain this information and that is the
job of the CMOS battery. Now CMOS batteries like any other have a life. If
the computer is stored unused (in a shop or whilst you are on a long
holiday) the power is being drained from the battery. A charge in a CMOS
battery can last for, say, 3 or 4 years. When you turn on you computer it
first looks to information in the CMOS to tell itself what it is before
looking to the BIOS and then the hard disk to load the operating system
(Windows) and other software. Think of it as a bit like you waking up on
the first morning of a holiday and having to work out why the sun is now
coming in from the opposite direction etc before you try to work out what
you will be doing that day.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

 

[Jyeshta]

The fact that a system is new does not guarantee that all is well with it.
The battery may not be all that it should be, and can generally be replaced
easily enough. Systems where the battery is soldered to the board do not
come into this category. Try replacing the battery, and if that fails,
contact the vendor. Time is maintained by the battery, but is actually
controlled by an oscillator circuit on the motherboard. It may be that this
is faulty. In some instances, a faulty oscillator circuit can lead to other
problems.

Thank you, Mike. I'm going to contact Dell first because the system
is under warranty.

Gail

 

[Bill Ridgeway]

Ken Blake wrote <<I tried to avoid too many details for someone who appears
to be a computer novice>>

I have had a few years providing solutions, procedure manuals and the like
and this is a bit of a dilemma. Include a bald instruction of do this, do
that and the inexperienced reader can get the job done. On the other hand
by including a bit of background information the inexperienced reader has
the option of just doing the job or just doing the job and learning about
the issue whilst the experienced reader can just jump to the essential bits.
Experienced users also read this NG so I feel, on balance, a bit of
additional information may be useful.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

 

[Mike Hall - MS MVP Windows Shell/User]

The answer must fit the problem and the perceived ability level.. some don't
learn from extended answers.. they merely get confused, in which case no
service has been provided..

If they want to know the "why's", they come back and ask.. more advanced
users will do that, or e-mail if an address is provided..

--
Mike Hall
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

Ken Blake wrote <<I tried to avoid too many details for someone who
appears to be a computer novice>>

I have had a few years providing solutions, procedure manuals and the like
and this is a bit of a dilemma. Include a bald instruction of do this, do
that and the inexperienced reader can get the job done. On the other hand
by including a bit of background information the inexperienced reader has
the option of just doing the job or just doing the job and learning about
the issue whilst the experienced reader can just jump to the essential
bits. Experienced users also read this NG so I feel, on balance, a bit of
additional information may be useful.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

 

[Jyeshta]

Ken, I tried this - only the first command was recognized all others
invalid. Now my time service is off - HELP PLEASE! Thank you.

Gail

 

[Jyeshta]

Dell did send someone out who replaced the CMOS battery yesterday.
But my clock is a minute slow. How can I synch my clock to an atomic
clock on the internet?

I got the time service turned back on, but those 2 commands in the
middle were invalid.

Thanks, Ken.

Gail

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Dell did send someone out who replaced the CMOS battery yesterday.
But my clock is a minute slow. How can I synch my clock to an atomic
clock on the internet?

Windows does it automatically once a week. There are also several
third-party programs you can use that give you more clock options, like
synching it more often. I like TClock (not the similarly named, but
inferior, in my view, Tclockex).

I got the time service turned back on, but those 2 commands in the
middle were invalid.

They are not invalid. If they didn't work when you tried to run them, it's
because you have a problem with your path, which for some reason isn't set
correctly on your computer. You can always run them by explicitly including
the path to them as part of the command:

C:\windows\system32\w32tm /unregister
C:\windows\system32\w32tm /register

 

[Jyeshta]

Windows does it automatically once a week. There are also several
third-party programs you can use that give you more clock options, like
synching it more often. I like TClock (not the similarly named, but
inferior, in my view, Tclockex).

Hi, Ken. I Googled TClock and apparently it speaks the time, which I
wouldn't want.

They are not invalid. If they didn't work when you tried to run them, it's
because you have a problem with your path, which for some reason isn't set
correctly on your computer. You can always run them by explicitly including
the path to them as part of the command:

C:\windows\system32\w32tm /unregister
C:\windows\system32\w32tm /register

Oy. OK, but I think I might just give up. Thanks again for all your
help, very much.

Gail

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:03:48 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"


Hi, Ken. I Googled TClock and apparently it speaks the time, which I
wouldn't want.

Nope. It may be an option, I don't know, but I don't have it speaking here.

Oy. OK, but I think I might just give up. Thanks again for all your
help, very much.

You're welcome. Glad to help.

 

[keepout]

in your registry edit these links

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient

This is primarily for my info. I keep an online email hint file of XP hints.
Someone in this group ages ago, posted a method to get XP to update more than
once a week.

Their method was to modify the top registry entry. For some reason it always
failed for me, and another poster to the message.

I went back at it yesterday, and accidentally set it to update every 60 seconds
vs every 3600 seconds [hour]. By changing all three registry entries in
SpecialPollInterval to 60 it took and checked time every minute. And no
failures this time. I can only assume all three registry entries needed changed
instead of just the one.

It would make sense since changing the top one also changes the 3rd one. But
the 2nd one remains the same.

There might also be 3 registry entries because I have 3 sources to synch with.

Anyway's it always works now.. And I want a record of the hint for my records.

 

[Jyeshta]

Hi, Ken. Do you have a link for it? My Googling only turned up a
version that speaks the time and may not be suitable for XP, so I
think there may be more than one TClock. If you'd rather not bother,
it's fine with me. You have already taken so much time and trouble
with me, and I thank you so much.

 

[Jyeshta]

in your registry edit these links

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient

This is primarily for my info. I keep an online email hint file of XP hints.
Someone in this group ages ago, posted a method to get XP to update more than
once a week.

Their method was to modify the top registry entry. For some reason it always
failed for me, and another poster to the message.

I went back at it yesterday, and accidentally set it to update every 60 seconds
vs every 3600 seconds [hour]. By changing all three registry entries in
SpecialPollInterval to 60 it took and checked time every minute. And no
failures this time. I can only assume all three registry entries needed changed
instead of just the one.

It would make sense since changing the top one also changes the 3rd one. But
the 2nd one remains the same.

There might also be 3 registry entries because I have 3 sources to synch with.

Anyway's it always works now.. And I want a record of the hint for my records.

Thanks, keepout, but I am not touching the registry.

Gail

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Hi, Ken. Do you have a link for it? My Googling only turned up a
version that speaks the time and may not be suitable for XP, so I
think there may be more than one TClock. If you'd rather not bother,
it's fine with me. You have already taken so much time and trouble
with me, and I thank you so much.

You're welcome again. I just googled TClock, and the first hit was the right
one: http://homepage1.nifty.com/kazubon/tclock/

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

 

[Jyeshta]

You're welcome again. I just googled TClock, and the first hit was the right
one: http://homepage1.nifty.com/kazubon/tclock/

Thank you again, Ken. Oh boy, I feel as though I should send you a
cake or something.

Gail

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thank you again, Ken. Oh boy, I feel as though I should send you a
cake or something.

You're welcome. Cakes aren't necessary. ;-)

 

[Jyeshta]

You're welcome. Cakes aren't necessary. ;-)

You are too kind! But Ken, I installed TClock and right clicked on
Synchronize, yet my clock is still running two minutes slow. What am
I doing wrong? I'm using the Cable Box as the correct timer here.
Thank you!!!!!

Gail

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

You are too kind! But Ken, I installed TClock and right clicked on
Synchronize, yet my clock is still running two minutes slow. What am
I doing wrong? I'm using the Cable Box as the correct timer here.
Thank you!!!!!

Right-click and choose Properties and go the Synchronize tab. You can set
the frequency of synchronizing there. Also set the server. I use
time.nist.gov. Once you've set a server, then synchronize should work.

 

[Jyeshta]

You are too kind! But Ken, I installed TClock and right clicked on
Synchronize, yet my clock is still running two minutes slow. What am
I doing wrong? I'm using the Cable Box as the correct timer here.
Thank you!!!!!

Gail

Nevermind! I just figured it out - I double clicked the clock and the
last tab had a thing for adjusting the time and it's correct now!
Whoopee! Thank you, Ken!

Gail