System Clock Problem

[alanmack]

Ladies and Gentlemen of the expert panel have I one for you!

My 28 years experience of PCs says that CMOS battery failure is an 'all or nothing' situation; no half-way house, if the battery peters out everything in the settings is lost. I am reluctant to accept that my problem is battery failure therefore.

At present, while all other settings are retained overnight (including the date value), each morning the clock is reverting to 02.45 hrs and has to be reset manually. If the machine is turned off for a couple of hours everything is fine on restart so it doesn't appear to be the boot process itself or startup/shutdown of Win7. Nor is is 'Internet Time' which makes no difference turned on or off.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I can live with the problem but it's a P.I.T.A.

alanmack

[Flattybasher9]

Just curious, but have you it set to the correct "Time zone" ?

Regards

Malky

[alanmack]

Just curious, but have you it set to the correct "Time zone" ?

Yes, Malky. Until this problem I hadn't had to alter anything for three years. (4 yr old box)
 

[Lostris]

Assume you are doing a full shutdown ? (also assuming Windows OS - XP, 7 or 8 ?)

Try using the SLEEP option - it should be offered in the dropdown list adjacent to the SHUTDOWN button  - you may, depending on options in BIOS also have a HIBERNATE option.

The point is that a minimal amout of power will be used & when you fireup the next morning, its an instant-on .... just offering it as an alternative to having to reset time & date when you power on ...

Otherwise, I dunno - does sound like the CMOS battery in many respects - you could always change it for elimination purposes ....

[alanmack]

Assume you are doing a full shutdown ? (also assuming Windows OS - XP, 7 or 8 ?)

Try using the SLEEP option - it should be offered in the dropdown list adjacent to the SHUTDOWN button  - you may, depending on options in BIOS also have a HIBERNATE option.

The point is that a minimal amout of power will be used & when you fireup the next morning, its an instant-on .... just offering it as an alternative to having to reset time & date when you power on ...

Otherwise, I dunno - does sound like the CMOS battery in many respects - you could always change it for elimination purposes ....

Thank you Lostris. Yes full shutdown on Win7. The 'sleep' option is something I should try. I hadn't thought of that.

The box is a net-top. A cheap stop-gap that I liked so much . . . Getting into it is  different matter though. I have a 'manual' and I've viewed the video but still can't get it open! The video understates the level of force required to get the case clips to release (after removing the one screw, or course). The so-called manual has an exploded diagram on its last page and I think that will be the method. Two ounces of s*mt*x should do it!   

[Lostris]

LOL

[Flattybasher9]

I asked about the time zone, as there seems to be a bit of malware doing the rounds which changes your time zone if it has been inadvertantly installed.

Regards

Malky

[alanmack]

Right, thanks for the warning. I hadn't heard about that.  No problems with TZ changes. My box is well patrolled.

[smudwhisk]

If the correct date is being retained, then it won't be a CMOS problem because, as you say, its all or nothing.  My 4 year old netbook has a duff CMOS battery.  I don't tend to use it that often and once the battery has completely discharged it changes the date to 2001 and an incorrect time when next booted.  Considering it was bought in 2010 and the model was only released the previous year, you'd think it would default to a more recent date .. but no.

Just in case its the issue, and depending on how techie you feel like being, have you checked the time settings in the BIOS to ensure there isn't an anomaly there?  In theory they should be the same as within windows but its worth a check to see if that's causing the problem.