erratic windows clock

[aa]

My windows clock loses time, but erraticallly. I'll shut
down one evening with the clock on time, and the next
morning it'll be off by 20 minutes. After resetting it,
it may stay accurate for a number of days or even weeks,
and then suddenly it'll be off by 10 minutes or so. Any
suggestions? Thanks.

 

[Tumbleweed]

My windows clock loses time, but erraticallly. I'll shut
down one evening with the clock on time, and the next
morning it'll be off by 20 minutes. After resetting it,
it may stay accurate for a number of days or even weeks,
and then suddenly it'll be off by 10 minutes or so. Any
suggestions? Thanks.

if you've got an old PC it may be the CMOS battery is going bad (or maybe
even if you have new one)

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

In

if you've got an old PC it may be the CMOS battery is going bad

Since he says the problem occurs while the computer is powered
off, yes, that's almost certainly what the problem is.

(or
maybe even if you have new one)

Again, yes. Even new batteries can fail.

 

[aa]

Well, the computer is only about 2 years old, and I can't
say for certain that it only happens when the computer is
powered down--I haven't kept track in any kind of
scientific manner--but I guess a new battery is worth a
try. Thanks.

 

[Alex Nichol]

My windows clock loses time, but erraticallly. I'll shut
down one evening with the clock on time, and the next
morning it'll be off by 20 minutes. After resetting it,
it may stay accurate for a number of days or even weeks,
and then suddenly it'll be off by 10 minutes or so.

A clock that is wrong when you power the machine on (I presume it is
being powered off? - suggests that the little battery on the motherboard
that keeps the clock running when there is no other power is dying. Get
it replaced - troubles with the clock are minor, but if it fails totally
the stored settings for the BIOS will get lost and that means real
trouble

 

[Jock]

A clock that is wrong when you power the machine on (I presume it is
being powered off? - suggests that the little battery on the motherboard
that keeps the clock running when there is no other power is dying. Get
it replaced - troubles with the clock are minor, but if it fails totally
the stored settings for the BIOS will get lost and that means real
trouble

What about when XP insists on substituting 4:28 PM for 16:28
despite HH:mm:ss settings?

 

[Alex Nichol]

What about when XP insists on substituting 4:28 PM for 16:28
despite HH:mm:ss settings?

That is one where different settings for different things have probably
got out of sync. Try this, which worked for someone the other day:

in Regional and Language change the settings, including say the
separator as well, and Apply.

Disable the Task bar clock
Put the settings back as you want, Apply again and start the clock back
up.

That will be telling everything to change - they will probably notice
and get back together