When was computer turned on?

B

bazurel

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old XT clone, pre 1990. DOS 3.3, running Microsoft Word.

Method A. write a small file, save it as message.doc, noting the exact time. Make sure autoexec.bat doesn't start Word.
Ctrl-Alt-Del to reboot.
Examine the time stamp for the .TMP file created when Word was started (How is that done? I don't know). Learn that the time stamp says 12:00:30
and Jan 1, 1980, indicating that the hardware clock is not working, or, more likely, does not exist. Examine the time stamp for message.doc.
Subtract the difference in times from the time of saving. Assert that this was the time the computer was turned on.
Problem. For other reasons, this time is implausible, suggesting that the time had been altered.
Method B. Close Word. At the C:\ prompt, type TIME, subtract the reading from now. Then use DEBUG and D 40:006c L4 to display the "tick" count since start up. Affirm that it gives the same as the TIME figures, otherwise, work out the real start up time. Too late now, Method A has already been done, but...
Which is best?
"A" erases the tick count, but preserves the .TMP file and its time stamp.
"B" preserves the tick count, but closing Word, apparrently deletes the .TMP file. (Yes, I know that debug can edit the tick count too)
"A" seems conclusive, unless.... might it be possible to alter the time setting from within Word?
My recollection of working with WordPerfect in that era, is that one could do some command-line actions from the File menu. Could one do that in Word?
Some other way?


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I would have thought it is self explanatory? How would YOU determine when that computer had been turned on? A, B, or some other way?
 
Oh right ok. I must be an idiot then for asking such a silly question within your first post

I do apologise
 
Me neither.

"Self explanatory" things are ALWAYS self explanatory to the person who writes them but often not to others who need a lot more introductory info.
 
from what i can tell he wants to log the time and date every time a PC is booted up and those are his to options on how to do it

don't really know how to do it, a batch file to save it to a text file would probably be better as notepad is much quicker to open etc than word
 
I regret the delay, (my local friendly, and free library, had a connection conniption)
No, I don't want to log the time and date.
The situation was.... that the computer, (a Philips P3105) and Word, was running, and it was important to know when it had been turned on. A technician used Method A, and produced a result that is implausible. So now, I would like to know if a dreadful mistake occurred which obscured the possible altering of the real turn-on time. If it is possible to alter the time setting from within Word, then that would explain ... maybe.
I apologize for not making it clearer at the start.
thanks, (in advance)
 
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