Clock won't keep time

[HewittC4]

My computer's clock keeps losing time. My first thought was the battery was going dead. So I replaced the battery with no success. What other reasons would prevent the clock from keeping time?

Win XP Home
AMD 2000+
ECS Motherboard (don't remember the model number)

Thanks

[Budfred]

The battery is indeed the most likely cause and you already addressed that. Next up on the list is malware. I believe I have heard about some virus/spyware/trojan that will mess with the computer's time settings. Have you done security scans??

[Whyzman]

You were correct in suspecting your battery operated "hardware" clock as the first potential culprit.

Windows uses a sofware program to monitor the hardware clock, but it is my understanding from researching this problem before, that it does so upon reboot.

Therefore, if you are leaving your computer on for extended periods of time it is likely that it will lose time...

Microsoft knew that there could be interference from other software programs/applications that could influence the time monitoring software and therefore set things to reset at boot.

Having replaced the battery to ensure your hardware clock's accuracy would then tend to zero in on software, or as Budfred mentioned, malware as potential problems...

[videobruce]

Problem with the crystal for the clock? I have the same problem that the clock runs fast. I have to sync the clock once a week with NIST because it is off so much. I don't leave my box on for more than 6 hours at a time anyway.

[HewittC4]

Thanks for the responses.

Virus scan is shows no virus. AdAware shows no Spyware.

I reset the time last night before I shut down the computer, and now the time is about 10 hours slow.

[videobruce]

That's a REAL problem!

How about the bios? What does it report there?
Is is exactly 10 hours off? How about time zones changes?

[HewittC4]

I haven't checked the bios, but I thought that the clock in windows is based on the bios clock. I reset the clock about the same time I posted my previous response, and the clock is still correct. Now, that was only about 1/2 hour ago, but it is exactly correct. And the computer has been on the entire time.

[HewittC4]

I just checked the bios clock, it was exactly 1 hour off.

[videobruce]

Daylight savings time.

Try setting it in the bios and see what happens.
Monitor the time each day or a couple of times a day and see what happens.
Compare it with the bios time and see if they agree.


Then call Timex............HiHi

[Whyzman]

The internal quartz clock could have a problem...

What we see in the lower right-hand corner of our desktop is a software program that resets itself upon reboot as I mentioned earlier.

Once you are booted up and running...if the clock is straying forward, or backward, I would suspect something is interfering with the program.

If upon reset/reboot your quartz clock is "whacked"...that's a hardware issue...Then call Timex :D

[mjc]

XP also has a feature that will allow it to get the time from the internet...you could be getting the network time and it could be resetting your clock.

[videobruce]

Get the time and send your data back also!
What a deal!

I turn that crap off first thing after I install the O/S!

[HewittC4]

XP also has a feature that will allow it to get the time from the internet...you could be getting the network time and it could be resetting your clock.
That feature was on. I decided to disable it this morning before I left for work. As I turned on the computer right now after getting off of work, the clock is only 2 minutes slower than the clock I used to set it. If I don't have anymore problems, then I am going to assume that the XP Internet Time feature was what caused the problem.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

[videobruce]

Originally posted by HewittC4

If I don't have anymore problems, then I am going to assume that the XP Internet Time feature was what caused the problem.

Thanks everyone for all the help. So much for automated features from M$!

I turn ALL automatic anything off. I will do want I want when I want it done. Not someones elses idea when it should be!