Internal clock

[Lu Zuckerman]

Three Questions:

The internal clock in my computer has gone haywire:

1) Is the clock located on the motherboard?

2) Can the clock be changed?

3) Does the entire board have to be scrapped and a new one installed.

I have tried everything to reset the clock but the new setting will hold for an hour or so and then deviate from the correct setting.
Right now my clock says it is October 31 10:40:00 PM while in real time it is November 1, 2001 5:35:00 PM

[sanjosebaz]

It's possibly just the battery - worth changing that before you go scrapping a perfectly good MB!

[fobotcso]

My first reaction is that it is not the "clock" but the mother board's battery. If it were the battery, however, I would expect other symptoms as well since the CMOS would normally have reverted to default settings. But if you hadn't changed any of the BIOS (stored in CMOS) settings you may not notice anything. Changing the battery on the mother board is pretty simple and not expensive.

There isn't a "clock" as such but an interpretation of the time elapsed by measuring the processor "ticks". Setting a time in the control panel is just a user-friendly operation for the convenience of humans. The Operating System really couldn't care less what the "time" is.

The Windows "clock" is separate from the BIOS "clock" too, and they may run at different rates. This reminds me of the government sponsored course I did on the Millennium Bug. Wonder what I did with those notes...

So, I suggest you check and, if necessary, change the battery.

[Cyclic Hotline]

Can't fix your clock, as it's way beyond my capability.

I did find this very useful little utility that will check your clock against the Atomic clock. Now my clock always tells the correct time. I must say the clocks on my computers may be the most unreliable time-pieces I have ever had.
http://www.worldtimeserver.com/atomic-clock/

[under_exposed]

The time is too close to be a battery problem, is your time zone set correct ? Did this problem occur when the clocks went back last week ?
fobotcso, There is a hardware clock as it needs to keep the time when the machine is switched off!

[malanda]

I'm pretty sure it is your battery that's going. Typically, as the battery fades, the clock will start to lose time before the CMOS becomes unreliable. Replacing the battery is a simple job, and shouldn't cost much. Just make sure you write down the CMOS settings before you take the old battery out.

[RW-1]

1) yes in the BIOS. (manuf dependant)
2) if you change the bios chip.(manuf dependant)
3) change bios batt first, if not that then BIOS chip, then board.

[ShyTorque]

Lu,

Certainly sounds like the battery to me.

Be aware that some older boards had the clock and battery combined in one lump and may need it to be unsoldered for replacement, however most are just a simple, quarter-sized 3v lithium cell which can be changed with the computer switched on to avoid losing the CMOS settings. If you do this, just be careful not to short anything out by careless use of metal implements such as a screwdriver or tweezers. The output of the power supply and the board is only 5 and 12 volts so there isn't a risk of shock if sensible precautions are taken.

It's certainly not worth considering anything else to begin with.

As I write this, I have just removed the battery for my own motherboard with the computer running and conected to the internet.... It's a CR2032 type which probably costs about $3 in your part of the world. BTW, one thing just occurred to me as I removed it. Don't allow the metal battery case to fall across any exposed terminals or it may short something out itself. A piece of masking tape could be used to insulate the area adjacent to the battery socket. I removed my battery with my fingernail.

[ 02 November 2001: Message edited by: ShyTorque ]

[ShyTorque]

Lu,

Are you there?

I would hate to think you blew your computer........... or electrocuted yourself!

:D

[Lu Zuckerman]

To: Shy T

I have the same battery on my motherboard. It has the same basic number and is 3V. I will purchase a new battery but my wifes nephew who is a cerified computer tech will install it. Thanks for your concern.

[Lu Zuckerman]

To: All

I had a new battery installed and everything timewise is just fine. I thank you all for your good advice.

[Just an other number]

Gentlemen
Have to bring this up again.
My clock was losing time so I very carefully replaced the little battery.
Pretty tricky on this Compaq Presario - I had to stick double sided tape to both the old and new batteries - and it's helpful that I have small hands.
But, having done this, I'm now losing twice the time - around 10 minutes a day - worse than before.
What's the problem?

[Ausatco]

Has the new battery made proper contact with the mb terminals? Did the double-sided tape leave any gunge on the battery when you removed the tape, particularly on the underside that lies flat against the motherboard? Is the new battery within its shelf life - ie not an expired one from a discount shop or a red-light throw-out table at a supermarket?

Just some ideas

AA

[Memetic]

I am being truly paranoid here, but just for reference its generally considered bad news to put conventional plastic tape on modern circuit boards, you can generate 1000's of volts of static just unreeling tape.

Pop that on the board and you could (could - not will) damage a chip. It is likley damage will not show symptoms, just cause a reduction in expected life of a component perhaps a failure in a year or two - damage is usually cumulative.

However many PC engineers think you are barking mad when you try and prompt them to take anti static precautions - even changing processors.


There is a good info at :
ESDA (http://www.esda.org/basics/part1.cfm)
if you are curious.

Can you guess how many volts you generate walking across a carpet? Check out table 2.

Memetic