XP Windows time and date problem

[DebraE]

We have about 50 computers so far experiencing a time and date problem.
Every few days the date will display March 2145 and the wrong time. This
date is displayed the same on all 50 computers. We've checked and there is
no virus on the machines. The internet time server
(time-c.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov) would return an error, but after installing SP3
it syncs. Then within a matter of days it reverts to the year 2145 again.
We also tried other time server and still experienced the same problem.
These computers are Dell Optiplex 745 and are about two years old. We even
tried deselecting "Automatically sychronize with an Internet time server" and
that didn't work either.

Does anyone have an idea of what is happening and/or how to fix the problem?
Is it possible to remove the Internet Time tab and make the manually entered
date and time hold?

 

[Leonard Grey]

Debra...it really is March, 2145. Where have you been?

With 50 computers (presumably networked) displaying the identical wrong
time, you need to worry about malware. Your workstations may have an
infection that changes the system time, because most (all?) malware
scanners won't work properly, or at all, if the system date is wrong.

Another, less menacing possibility is that the BIOS clocks are wrong.
You'll know by going into the BIOS and having a look.

 

[SC Tom]

We have about 50 computers so far experiencing a time and date problem.
Every few days the date will display March 2145 and the wrong time. This
date is displayed the same on all 50 computers. We've checked and there
is
no virus on the machines. The internet time server
(time-c.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov) would return an error, but after installing
SP3
it syncs. Then within a matter of days it reverts to the year 2145 again.
We also tried other time server and still experienced the same problem.
These computers are Dell Optiplex 745 and are about two years old. We
even
tried deselecting "Automatically sychronize with an Internet time server"
and
that didn't work either.

Does anyone have an idea of what is happening and/or how to fix the
problem?
Is it possible to remove the Internet Time tab and make the manually
entered
date and time hold?

Do you have a central server for all these PC's? If so, check the time on
it. If it is correct, you can use disable 'automatically synchronize with
internet time server' on the PC's and use NET TIME (see
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314090 ) in a logon script to sync time with
the server.

SC Tom

 

[DebraE]

One thing I forgot to mention was that we are on a Novell network and do not
belong to a windows server domain. We have after resetting the time
correctly done several scans for virus and malware, but none was found. We
have also tried to set the time in the bios but it doesn't hold the time and
reverts after a few days to the 2145 date. I know it sounds like a virus or
malware but if nothing we use to scan it finds anything I'm not sure what to
do.

 

[John Wunderlich]

One thing I forgot to mention was that we are on a Novell network
and do not belong to a windows server domain. We have after
resetting the time correctly done several scans for virus and
malware, but none was found. We have also tried to set the time
in the bios but it doesn't hold the time and reverts after a few
days to the 2145 date. I know it sounds like a virus or malware
but if nothing we use to scan it finds anything I'm not sure what
to do.

It's been a long time since I've used a Novell network but I do
remember that it just loves to find servers out there and time-
synchronize to them. All it takes is one machine with the wrong time
out there and before you know it there are a bunch of machines with the
wrong time. This works independently of any Windows time settings.
IIRC, there might be a control panel setting for the Novell Client that
has an option to turn off the time synchronizations. Check for it and
disable it.

HTH,
John

 

[Jose]

One thing I forgot to mention was that we are on a Novell network and do not
belong to a windows server domain.  We have after resetting the time
correctly done several scans for virus and malware, but none was found.  We
have also tried to set the time in the bios but it doesn't hold the time and
reverts after a few days to the 2145 date.  I know it sounds like a virus or
malware but if nothing we use to scan it finds anything I'm not sure whatto
do.

How about CMOS battery failures or are these things always powered up?

The scanning programs you use will only detect things they are
programmed to detect, so it could be you are not using the correct
scanning tools (whatever they may be). I use 3 and one will detect
something the other 2 miss completely.

I have never heard of such a thing or had to undertake any drastic
measures like disabling, uninstalling stuff. Since you indicate the
afflicted systems all go to the same date, it sounds like something is
doing it for you. Is it always the same systems? Time to the second
is important to me, so I have mine synching to a master server and do
not have any problems that I know of.

That is a good idea for malware - set the date way ahead first so they
don't find me. Did someone read my secret notes?

Here is a link to another group about your server type and way ahead
in years. I'll let you read about it and see if it was solved and
what they did. I used google with:

dell optiplex 745 clock

....and got a lot of hits so this ain't new.

http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-1035-0.html?forumID=101&threadID=274035

 

[M.I.5¾]

We have about 50 computers so far experiencing a time and date problem.
Every few days the date will display March 2145 and the wrong time. This
date is displayed the same on all 50 computers. We've checked and there
is
no virus on the machines. The internet time server
(time-c.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov) would return an error, but after installing
SP3
it syncs. Then within a matter of days it reverts to the year 2145 again.
We also tried other time server and still experienced the same problem.
These computers are Dell Optiplex 745 and are about two years old. We
even
tried deselecting "Automatically sychronize with an Internet time server"
and
that didn't work either.

Does anyone have an idea of what is happening and/or how to fix the
problem?
Is it possible to remove the Internet Time tab and make the manually
entered
date and time hold?

Malware is a possible cause, but there is another cause. It is highly
possible that a file somewhere on your PC has this date as its time stamp.
When windows accesses this file, it doesn't know what to do about the
disparity (small disparities are apparently ignored but not large ones).
It's solution is to set the system clock to match the file date stamp.
Finding the rogue file (or by now files) I will have to leave as an exercise
for the OP.

I had this very problem on a system a few years ago. My solution at the
time was to find as many files as possible that had the rogue time stamp
(can't remember how I did it) and correct them (using 'Touch Pro'). I then
wrote a short program that periodically checked the clock and offered the
option to reset it if it suddenly changed. I did eliminate the problem
eventually, but it took a lot of time and effort.

 

[oma]

We have just started getting that problem. I ruled out CMOS battery as one of the PC's is a virtual PC running on a VMWare server, the issue occurs across different types of Pc's too.

It would appear to be a problem with the Novell client and the Set Time function. By using the SET_TIME OFF command in the login script I seem to have stopped the problem (for now) but I still need to find out why.

The novell client its has a problem with is version 4.91.5.2. im dont know yet id htis is significant.