System clock

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sandy
  • Start date Start date
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Sandy

I noted there are problems with system clock recently. It
is running slow... about 1 hour slower next day when I
switched on the computer. What is the likely problem?
Have you similar experience? Please help.
 
Sandy, if the time is lost while the computer is switched off the most
likely cause is the cmos battery on your motherboard.
 
Sandy said:
I noted there are problems with system clock recently. It
is running slow... about 1 hour slower next day when I
switched on the computer. What is the likely problem?
Click to expand...

If the machine has been running all the time, this problem seems to
happen quite often, especially with Dell machines. Usually a steady
rate of loss like 10 minutes in an hour. It appears to result from a
conflict with the BIOS over the interval between 'timer interrupts'.
Windows maintains the clock by counting these, so if the interval is not
the expected one, the rate is grossly out in this manner.

Try these steps:

1. Start->Run cmd.exe
2. net stop w32time
3. w32tm.exe /unregister
4. w32tm.exe /register
5. net start w32time

(note spellings w32tm and w32time in different commands)
 
There's another thought too. You're battery could be going bad. I've
changed 4 in computers in the last month. I thought that the average
life span of today's batteries was in excess of 5 years, but I guess
not. If you decide to change the battery make sure and print out or
write down all of your settings in the CMOS so you can input them
after installing another battery..
Bob
 
Bobbie said:
There's another thought too. You're battery could be going bad. I've
changed 4 in computers in the last month
Click to expand...

The battery keeps the clock going while power is off. At boot, windows
loads the time from the RTC and starts its own clock -0 based on timer
interrupts. This is totally independent of the battery, and any
problems with the clock *while windows is running* (which is why I put
that in) are unrelated to the battery. There are far too many posts
giving a knee jerk 'replace the battery' whenever clock trouble is
mentioned: battery trouble is indicated by wildly wrong time *at power
on*
..
 
Thanks Alex. Maybe I'm guilty of the "kneejerk" reaction; however, the
last four machines I replaced batteries in are running fine now.
Please don't get me wrong, I am not disputing your word in anyway. As
a matter of fact I look at your posts as being solid information from
someone who knows what the heck he's talking about. Please keep up the
posts.

Bob
 
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