clock runs slow

The clock on my computer runs slow. I reset the time and within a day it is 10 minutes slow.
How can I fix this? Is this indicative of other hardware or software problems ?

 

shamish, you might check this thread on this BB that addresses the issue
http://www.windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4394&highlight=clock+runs+slow

 

When you read that other thread you might want to take brett's suggestion
because that is a very good sign that your battery is going.

 

thanks changed cmos battery


Thanks for your help.
I took the computer in. The tech did identify the problem as the battery. He was nice enough to explain how to easy it was to change it.
Its funny. Those who have been involved with computers
had to learn to be handy, Many of us who came later are intimidated by the apparent complexity of the printed circuits
etc.
One fellow explained to me "These things are mass produced.
Computers are not that delicate. You have to do something
pretty major to cause trouble ". Still I am rather intimidated
by it all.
However in this case the replacement of the battery was
actually rather easy.
Anyways time will tell if the slow and erratic clock has been
fixed !!!

 

You might also get Rockettime . It will keep your computer on time automatically as long as you are online.

 

Well the battery was diagnosed as low. I have changed the CMOS battery with a new battery.
I may be paranoid but it seems that the clock is still running slow. Have to wait to assess.
The battery appeared new and was in a sealed package.
If the clock continues to run slow what else should be checked ?
Maybe it is because the clock is set on Newfoundland time.
O.K. anybody from Newfoundland take it with good humour (Canadian spelling of humour, colour etc. This is one way to tell
Canadians from Americans - Americans say A,B.C ...Zee,
Canadians say Zed.) It is a result of Canada's British heritage.

 

it is running slow

Yes the clock seems to be running 10 minutes late . The clock reset was 18 hours ago to the correct time.
The battery was changed to I believe a fresh battery.
Should I be concerned what should I do ?

 

Not really!

The cheap crystals used in most PC clock chips are not very accurate.

Use one of the time updaters mentioned to correct your time from the atomic clock when you connect to internet.

Now if you want to confirm that it is in fact the clock and not windows then do this.

Boot from a dos floppy to the a: prompt.

type time
enter the correct time here

go to bed leave computer at a: prompt as long as possible try 12 hrs at least.

Then go back type
Time
any time diff is due to the clock chip only since windows is not running.

If it is correct then something in windows is effecting it!

Mike

 

Lol schamish has a amd 350 mhz lololol

 

Hey gavo

Is that constructive? What's the point? You got big time Ghz? Big deal.

 

Good explaination and suggestion Mike.
I was going to say the same thing as you did about the clock crystal.
Some motherboards allow a crystal to be tweaked either minus or plus either side of the osillation frequency with a small variable trimmer capacitor .
If, after changing the CMOS battery, the clock still acts up, I highly suspect the clock crystal frequency.

Daddad

 

further questions and response to Gavo

First of all in response to "If, after changing the CMOS battery, the clock still acts up, I highly suspect the clock crystal frequency "
What next ?
Secondly Gavo I seem to have upset Gavo. Is it because I did
not ask Gavo's sister out a second time ?
As for the Amd 350 it is a second computer for Intenet access.
It is more than adequete with 192 mb of Ram. My son gets first
use of the high end Dell with 640 mb of rdd "Rambus Ram ".
"Thats a good idea Dad. The computer will access the Internet
on the Intenet with a high speed connection as fast as a 2 Ghz machine. You are primarily surfing on the Internet . You are not interested in dowloading many songs or videos. If you put the purchase on your gold card you will extended warranty protection. After a year you can throw out the computer. This is a good idea. "
And fundamentally all things considered the Amd 350 not only does the job well but compared to computers that I have owned (not that long ago) theand is a machine that not that long ago would of been considered quite a machine.

 

schamish

Your question, What now??

Did you do the DOS test I advised?

If you did that test, and it still lost the time then there is nothing worth doing except get a time setter to correct the time when you connect to the internet.

Now if the time stayed corrrect in the DOS test then something in Windows is causing it and maybe something can be done!

So what about the DOS test or lets close this thread!!!! Smile!

Mike

PS Is Gavo jealous of your computer or what?

 

Ok!

Coming back from your other post!

If the computer lost 4 minutes in 6 hours in DOS that translates to 16 minutes in 24 hrs.

Schamish this is not very good, as I stated earlier these chips are not very accutate but 1-2 min a day is thier norm.

There is not anything you can do about this 16 minutes except to replace the clock chip. This may not be feasible as most are soldered on etc. Coupled with the age of the computer forget the 16 minute base from DOS.

Another test should also help to confirm a windows problem. Boot to safe mode set the clock leave 6 hrs again then recheck time. Hopefully this will be close to the DOS test, farther confirming a starup or spy/adware in full windows.

But the 1/2 hr loss every 2 hrs in full windows is another thing altogather.

To begin you need to cleanup

temps both windows amd internet
cleanup all unused programs in add/remove
unload all screen savers backgrounds and themes
clean spyware adware
clean startups
full virus scan
full scandisk
defrag

Is it worth it to you? Do all the above and if it does not fix the time it will help it some. But it will help the computer a lot and will be well worth the trouble.

Mike

 

------ Re-Post from 2nd thread -----


As previous posters have suggesed, "perfect time" is not a requirement (in most cases). For your two test, there was a very wide difference...
In windows = 30 min loss/2 hr = 6 hr loss/24 hr = Very frustrating.
In Dos = 4 min loss/6 hour = 16 min loss/24 hr = nuisance.
For some reason your RTC is not performing correctly. Unless you require "time launch apps" or you begin to have "bootup problems" will require you to pursue the problem. The two time checks could suggest you have a app in windows that is stepping on your clock time. Read this post from the Langalist for RTC problems and NEXT solution steps.

 

Well folks, not wanting to prolong the agony here, I would suggest the following:
If the time error still bothers you (it would me)

I would take the machine to a trusted Tech and ask him/her if they have a frequency counter that can monitor the frequency the crystal and clock chip are operating at.
Then, if they have a (reliable) counter, can the crystal be "pulled" using an onboard trimmer (provided it has one)
If the MOBO has a frequency trimmer on that crystal, have them "pull" it to where it should be as read on the counter.

Crystals have mainly three modes of oscillation.
Fundamental, harmonic or overtone.
Sometimes a fundamental crystal is designed to operate on an overtone (3rd, 5th or whatever)
If, however the circuit is designed to operate on an overtone frequency but ocillates on a harmonic of the fundamental, the resultant output frequency will be vastly different than the intended overtone frequency which could be the source of this error you have in time keeping.

Didn't intend to get too deep, just thinking back of situations I have encountered in my years as an EE

Daddad