Computer Clock keeps changing time.
- Thread starter ZZman
- Start date
- Status
There should be an option to "link" the clock to synch with the internet. This will update your time automatically.
Either the on board battery is going bad or the crystal on your motherboard that is used for the clock isn't vibrating properly and this is causing the loss of time.
I would do like others have said and choose to sync your time with an internet time server like time.windows.com
I would do like others have said and choose to sync your time with an internet time server like time.windows.com
Originally Posted By: Corvette Owner
There should be an option to "link" the clock to synch with the internet. This will update your time automatically.
Funny thing with My computer is I have it setup that way, and for no reason at all it sets itself back exactly one hour. Does this about 10 or so times a year, very annoying.
There should be an option to "link" the clock to synch with the internet. This will update your time automatically.
Funny thing with My computer is I have it setup that way, and for no reason at all it sets itself back exactly one hour. Does this about 10 or so times a year, very annoying.
Originally Posted By: ZZman
I can set the clock on these computers to the right time and then on reboot it is off 10 minutes(slow). Why would the time be changing?
Vista Business.
If it's on a domain, it may be getting reset by the server's clock. You'll need to go into the services manager and disable that service if that is the case.
I can set the clock on these computers to the right time and then on reboot it is off 10 minutes(slow). Why would the time be changing?
Vista Business.
If it's on a domain, it may be getting reset by the server's clock. You'll need to go into the services manager and disable that service if that is the case.
Maybe your BIOS is setup for Daylight Savings Time and so is the operating system and they are fighting with one another... Try turning this off.
You need to go to the store and get a CR2032 battery. The one on your computer's motherboard is going out.
If it was easier to get a BITOG account, I woulda made up a new one and posted this under it, in case posterity records this speculation as stupid:
If the clock is resetting to only *10 minutes* off, and the error does not increase over time, could it be that the computer *is* syncing to an internet resource (at boot time, at least), and the *other* clocks around the computer are the ones that are actually 10 minutes off?
The fact that my computers were the only clocks in the house today that were properly set to daylight savings time inspired my theory. :^)
If the clock is resetting to only *10 minutes* off, and the error does not increase over time, could it be that the computer *is* syncing to an internet resource (at boot time, at least), and the *other* clocks around the computer are the ones that are actually 10 minutes off?
The fact that my computers were the only clocks in the house today that were properly set to daylight savings time inspired my theory. :^)
Originally Posted By: ZZman
Hmm
This happens to all these new computers we got. That is why I would be surprised it would be batteries.
And since it isn't an hour or 2 off I don't think it is a time zone issue.
Did you download some software onto your desktop like a calendar or something. The software could be throwing the time off(possible). It happened with my computer couples years back. It was the Webshot desktop with a calendar. Time was always off 10-15 minutes. Uninstalled the Webshot and problem was solved.
Hmm
This happens to all these new computers we got. That is why I would be surprised it would be batteries.
And since it isn't an hour or 2 off I don't think it is a time zone issue.
Did you download some software onto your desktop like a calendar or something. The software could be throwing the time off(possible). It happened with my computer couples years back. It was the Webshot desktop with a calendar. Time was always off 10-15 minutes. Uninstalled the Webshot and problem was solved.
Originally Posted By: Volvohead
Originally Posted By: ZZman
These are networked to a server so I wonder if it is somehow server related.
SEE MY POST ABOVE. You need to disable the time service on the clients. The time on the server is wrong - that is your problem.
If the time on the server is wrong wouldn't other Windows user have the same problem. I believe Windows default is "time.windows.com". Something is 'conflicting.
Originally Posted By: ZZman
These are networked to a server so I wonder if it is somehow server related.
SEE MY POST ABOVE. You need to disable the time service on the clients. The time on the server is wrong - that is your problem.
If the time on the server is wrong wouldn't other Windows user have the same problem. I believe Windows default is "time.windows.com". Something is 'conflicting.
Originally Posted By: Mamala Bay
If the time on the server is wrong wouldn't other Windows user have the same problem. I believe Windows default is "time.windows.com". Something is 'conflicting.
Originally Posted By: ZZman
This happens to all these new computers we got.
On a domain, the clients typically sync to the domain controller (server) regularly. The controller can be accurate, or not. The internet time service feature on the controller can be turned off for security reasons, or could otherwise be inaccurate. If the domain controller's time is off, then all the clients will be as well.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490605.aspx
The easiest fix is to adjust the time service on the server. Otherwise, you need to disable the service to the extent allowable, or change the group policy.
If the time on the server is wrong wouldn't other Windows user have the same problem. I believe Windows default is "time.windows.com". Something is 'conflicting.
Originally Posted By: ZZman
This happens to all these new computers we got.
On a domain, the clients typically sync to the domain controller (server) regularly. The controller can be accurate, or not. The internet time service feature on the controller can be turned off for security reasons, or could otherwise be inaccurate. If the domain controller's time is off, then all the clients will be as well.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490605.aspx
The easiest fix is to adjust the time service on the server. Otherwise, you need to disable the service to the extent allowable, or change the group policy.
Boot the computer from another OS such as a ready to run Linux disk and see if the clock drifts.
Set your clock and then shut down the computer.
Set the clock in BIOS, make sure it's current and then power it off once it's current.
Wait several hours.
Start the computer, but go into BIOS and verify the clock.
If the computer is still at the right time, then it's something in your O/S and not the hardware.
If the clock drifts when the computer is off, then it's your on-board clock.
If it drifts under any O/S then again, hardware related.
But if it only drifts on one O/S instance, do you have a time sync or some other software issue?
Basic troubleshooting, you have to figure out when the problem occurs and when it doesn't.
Set your clock and then shut down the computer.
Set the clock in BIOS, make sure it's current and then power it off once it's current.
Wait several hours.
Start the computer, but go into BIOS and verify the clock.
If the computer is still at the right time, then it's something in your O/S and not the hardware.
If the clock drifts when the computer is off, then it's your on-board clock.
If it drifts under any O/S then again, hardware related.
But if it only drifts on one O/S instance, do you have a time sync or some other software issue?
Basic troubleshooting, you have to figure out when the problem occurs and when it doesn't.
its not the battery.
everyone always says its the battery I've had 3 dead ones in 10 years on hundreds of computers.
if the battery is going
it will also say something like CMOS CHECKSUM BAD etc when you are booting as it wont hold the bios settings.
the computer is syncing with something .. probably the domain controller.
everyone always says its the battery I've had 3 dead ones in 10 years on hundreds of computers.
if the battery is going
it will also say something like CMOS CHECKSUM BAD etc when you are booting as it wont hold the bios settings.
the computer is syncing with something .. probably the domain controller.
Last edited:
It's NOT a battery.
As said, a dead battery will not hold bios configs and will error on every post.
The OP also said this involves MULTIPLE NEW systems, and they ALL do it.
It's not all the batteries, or any other bizarre client hardware fault.
And they're all networked - on a domain.
I have no doubts the domain controller time service is the cause. Very common.
As said, a dead battery will not hold bios configs and will error on every post.
The OP also said this involves MULTIPLE NEW systems, and they ALL do it.
It's not all the batteries, or any other bizarre client hardware fault.
And they're all networked - on a domain.
I have no doubts the domain controller time service is the cause. Very common.
Maybe.
Sure, I agree that the battery issue doesn't appear to apply for the reasons stated.
That's why I wrote my T/S steps in very generic terms.
If you set the clock in the O/S or BIOS, verify it in the BIOS and power off the system and then hours later, like overnight, power it up and check in the BIOS again and it's accurate, you can eliminate the hardware.
If you boot another O/S or even set the clock and then drop one of the suspect machines from the network and check it the next AM and the clock is still accurate, then it may be some sort of network time issue, such as the domain controllers time service.
So while the DC is a likely suspect, one still has to T/S the issue properly by devising a test that demonstrates that the host is getting a bad update from the DC.
If these are new machines, is it possible they were configured to update time to some other source, like at the reseller or some other potentially faulty time source?
If the issue is not seen by other machines in the domain, then what?
If only the new machines are experiencing this issue, unless the DC is also new, there could be another source of the bad time.
Sure, I agree that the battery issue doesn't appear to apply for the reasons stated.
That's why I wrote my T/S steps in very generic terms.
If you set the clock in the O/S or BIOS, verify it in the BIOS and power off the system and then hours later, like overnight, power it up and check in the BIOS again and it's accurate, you can eliminate the hardware.
If you boot another O/S or even set the clock and then drop one of the suspect machines from the network and check it the next AM and the clock is still accurate, then it may be some sort of network time issue, such as the domain controllers time service.
So while the DC is a likely suspect, one still has to T/S the issue properly by devising a test that demonstrates that the host is getting a bad update from the DC.
If these are new machines, is it possible they were configured to update time to some other source, like at the reseller or some other potentially faulty time source?
If the issue is not seen by other machines in the domain, then what?
If only the new machines are experiencing this issue, unless the DC is also new, there could be another source of the bad time.
Originally Posted By: Volvohead
Originally Posted By: Mamala Bay
If the time on the server is wrong wouldn't other Windows user have the same problem. I believe Windows default is "time.windows.com". Something is 'conflicting.
Originally Posted By: ZZman
This happens to all these new computers we got.
On a domain, the clients typically sync to the domain controller (server) regularly. The controller can be accurate, or not. The internet time service feature on the controller can be turned off for security reasons, or could otherwise be inaccurate. If the domain controller's time is off, then all the clients will be as well.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490605.aspx
The easiest fix is to adjust the time service on the server. Otherwise, you need to disable the service to the extent allowable, or change the group policy.
When my time was off I did just that change the different time servers and it did the same. Seems like it was off 10 minutes sometimes more. I didn't believe all time servers could be off. I uninstalled Webshots with had a calendar. The calendar set itself from the Windows time and date. Problem was solved.
Originally Posted By: Mamala Bay
If the time on the server is wrong wouldn't other Windows user have the same problem. I believe Windows default is "time.windows.com". Something is 'conflicting.
Originally Posted By: ZZman
This happens to all these new computers we got.
On a domain, the clients typically sync to the domain controller (server) regularly. The controller can be accurate, or not. The internet time service feature on the controller can be turned off for security reasons, or could otherwise be inaccurate. If the domain controller's time is off, then all the clients will be as well.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490605.aspx
The easiest fix is to adjust the time service on the server. Otherwise, you need to disable the service to the extent allowable, or change the group policy.
When my time was off I did just that change the different time servers and it did the same. Seems like it was off 10 minutes sometimes more. I didn't believe all time servers could be off. I uninstalled Webshots with had a calendar. The calendar set itself from the Windows time and date. Problem was solved.
- Status
