Clock has gone slow

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spud

Desktop 6 months old and time gone haywire today.Updated it a number of
times but keeps going slow>

Cmos battery??
 
Desktop 6 months old and time gone haywire today.Updated it a number of
times but keeps going slow>

Cmos battery??
Click to expand...



There's no way to answer that for sure without more info from you.

Before anyone whose clock is running slow rushes out to buy a new
battery, he should first take note of whether he is losing time while
the computer is running or while it's powered off. If it's while
powered off, the problem *is* very likely the battery. But if it's
while running, it can *not* be the battery, because the battery isn't
used while the computer is running.

If the clock loses time while running, try this:

Open a command prompt window (Start | Run | cmd) and enter the
following commands:

net stop w32time
w32tm /unregister
w32tm /register
net start w32time
 
Actually the battery only is used when the computer is powered off and
disconnected from the mains (unless the technology has changed over the
years).

There is always power to the M/B (a trickle charge so to speak) when the
computer is plugged in. Notice that there are LED's on the M/B that are
powered on at all times - even when the computer is turned off.

If there is power to the M/B the battery is not used.

If I am wrong, please correct me. (-:
 
Actually the battery only is used when the computer is powered off and
disconnected from the mains (unless the technology has changed over the
years).

There is always power to the M/B (a trickle charge so to speak) when the
computer is plugged in. Notice that there are LED's on the M/B that are
powered on at all times - even when the computer is turned off.

If there is power to the M/B the battery is not used.

If I am wrong, please correct me. (-:
Click to expand...

That's the way I've always understood it.

But folks persist in saying a failing CMOS battery is what causes
Windows time to run slowly.

That is NOT the reason.

DDW
 
Actually the battery only is used when the computer is powered off and
disconnected from the mains (unless the technology has changed over the
years).

There is always power to the M/B (a trickle charge so to speak) when the
computer is plugged in.
Click to expand...


Yes, that's correct, at least for the great majority of computers.

Notice that there are LED's on the M/B that are
powered on at all times - even when the computer is turned off.

If there is power to the M/B the battery is not used.

If I am wrong, please correct me. (-:
Click to expand...


My understanding is that the trickle charge is insufficient to keep
the clock running correctly. If the computer is powered off, even if
still plugged in, the clock primarily runs off the battery, and if the
battery fails, the clock loses time.
 
DDW said:
But folks persist in saying a failing CMOS battery is what causes
Windows time to run slowly.
Click to expand...

The original AT style power supplies did not provide power when they were
turned off. Actually the ATX power supplies can be turned off except the
switch is in the power supply itself, not the front of the computer;
correct?

So those of us familiar with the older technology might tend to think that
turning off the power would require use of the battery, but computer people
just have to make things more complicated.
 
Richard

The time is always dependent on the CMOS battery. It runs on that computer open or
not

--
Peter

Please Reply to Newsgroup for the benefit of others
Requests for assistance by email can not and will not be acknowledged.

Richard Urban said:
Actually the battery only is used when the computer is powered off and
disconnected from the mains (unless the technology has changed over the years).

There is always power to the M/B (a trickle charge so to speak) when the computer
is plugged in. Notice that there are LED's on the M/B that are powered on at all
times - even when the computer is turned off.

If there is power to the M/B the battery is not used.

If I am wrong, please correct me. (-:
Click to expand...
 
Richard

The time is always dependent on the CMOS battery. It runs on that computer open or
not
Click to expand...

No. Time is independent of the CMOS clock/battery when Windows is
running.

DDW
 
I can physically remove the battery (and have done so for an extended test
of 48 hours) and my desktop tower retains correct time.

--

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP
Windows Desktop Experience


Peter Foldes said:
Richard

The time is always dependent on the CMOS battery. It runs on that computer
open or not
Click to expand...
 
I can physically remove the battery (and have done so for an extended test
of 48 hours) and my desktop tower retains correct time.
Click to expand...

As it should.

Here is a long article about Windows timekeeping.

http://blogs.msdn.com/w32time/default.aspx

Toward the end is a general discussion (Tale of Two Clocks) that
should show any rational person why the CMOS battery and clock is not
the reason for time being lost when Windows is running.

DDW
 
I can physically remove the battery (and have done so for an extended test
of 48 hours) and my desktop tower retains correct time.
Click to expand...


Is that 48 hours while the computer is running or not running?
 
In message <[email protected]> DDW
Please.

We're talking about Windows time.
Click to expand...

If the computer is running then the battery isn't used even for the CMOS
clock.

In most cases, if the computer is plugged in the 5V standby current runs
the clock, so the battery is only relevant when the computer is
completely unplugged or the power supply switch is off.
 
In message <[email protected]> DDW


If the computer is running then the battery isn't used even for the CMOS
clock.

In most cases, if the computer is plugged in the 5V standby current runs
the clock, so the battery is only relevant when the computer is
completely unplugged or the power supply switch is off.
Click to expand...

I believe that's already been established in prior posts.

But... maybe one more will help shut down the folks who reflexively
suggest changing the CMOS battery to fix Windows losing time while
it's running.

Maybe. They're a thick-skulled bunch.

DDW
 
In message <[email protected]> DDW
I believe that's already been established in prior posts.
Click to expand...

Gah, yeah. I meant to attach my reply elsewhere in the thread.
But... maybe one more will help shut down the folks who reflexively
suggest changing the CMOS battery to fix Windows losing time while
it's running.
Click to expand...

And that's why.
 
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