PC clock losing time

Hello

I have a 5 month old laptop that appears to lose the time when it is
switched off.
I can reset the clock through the BIOS settings or through Windows XP and it
keeps time OK while the PC is on but loses it completely when switched off
ie if turned off for 24 hours it will restart with the time and date it was
switched off.
I suspect the RTC chip is faulty as the battery can't be dead after this
short time or can it?
If it isn't the hardware could the sychronisation with the on-line server
clock cause a problem. I seem to remember reading somewhere this can cause
problems with certain configurations.
Lastly I considered the software but there is nothing too exotic running,
just Norton and Office applications.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Conrad

Conrad wrote:

> I have a 5 month old laptop that appears to lose the time when it is
> switched off.
>
> I can reset the clock through the BIOS settings or through Windows XP and it
> keeps time OK while the PC is on but loses it completely when switched off
> ie if turned off for 24 hours it will restart with the time and date it was
> switched off.

> I suspect the RTC chip is faulty as the battery can't be dead after this
> short time or can it?

That would be fairly easy to check by getting a replacement battery.

> If it isn't the hardware could the sychronisation with the on-line server
> clock cause a problem. I seem to remember reading somewhere this can cause
> problems with certain configurations.

Also easy to check -- just run your time synchronization program. In
Windows XP, you can get to it by double-clicking the clock in the taskbar.

If your laptop is generally connected to the internet, you may well be
able to mitigate your problem by setting your PC to hit a time server on
startup.

> Lastly I considered the software but there is nothing too exotic running,
> just Norton and Office applications.

It is possible that you have some sort of program that is attempting
(and failing) to set the proper time.

"Conrad" <conrad@ceebees.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:dj0ubj$eat$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk...
> Hello
>
> I have a 5 month old laptop that appears to lose the time when it is
> switched off.

Is it Norton 2002? Below is a problem taken from Symantec website regarding
XP losing time. May be of some help?

System clock loses accuracy under Windows XP after installing Norton
AntiVirus 2002

Situation:
After installing Norton AntiVirus 2002 under Windows XP, the system clock
loses accuracy.

Solution:
This problem has been reported to Symantec Technical Support, but we have
not been able to reproduce the problem. We are in the process of gathering
more information. We will continue to track this problem, and this document
will be updated if new information or a solution is found.

Verify that you have the correct time and date format and that your system
clock is set to the correct time zone.

If the system clock date and time are set correctly, then try synchronizing
your system clock with the Internet time.

To synchronize the system clock with the Internet time:

1.. Double-click the time in the lower corner of the desktop.
2.. Click the Internet Time tab.
3.. Check Automatically synchronize with an Internet Time server.
4.. Click Update Now.

Finally, download and install the latest version of the Symantec event
monitoring drivers by following the instructions in the document How to
update the Symevent files.

Hi, if it's only five months old why are you not consulting the supplier or
manufacturer? I would advise, if it isn't norton causing the problem that
you do not open the the laptop as you will invalidate any warrenty you
have....
ChrisC
"Beck" <my_bulkmail@btopenworld.invalid> wrote in message
news:3rijirFjg551U1@individual.net...
>
> "Conrad" <conrad@ceebees.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:dj0ubj$eat$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk...
>> Hello
>>
>> I have a 5 month old laptop that appears to lose the time when it is
>> switched off.
>
> Is it Norton 2002? Below is a problem taken from Symantec website
> regarding XP losing time. May be of some help?
>
> System clock loses accuracy under Windows XP after installing Norton
> AntiVirus 2002
>
> Situation:
> After installing Norton AntiVirus 2002 under Windows XP, the system clock
> loses accuracy.
>
> Solution:
> This problem has been reported to Symantec Technical Support, but we have
> not been able to reproduce the problem. We are in the process of gathering
> more information. We will continue to track this problem, and this
> document will be updated if new information or a solution is found.
>
> Verify that you have the correct time and date format and that your system
> clock is set to the correct time zone.
>
> If the system clock date and time are set correctly, then try
> synchronizing your system clock with the Internet time.
>
> To synchronize the system clock with the Internet time:
>
> 1.. Double-click the time in the lower corner of the desktop.
> 2.. Click the Internet Time tab.
> 3.. Check Automatically synchronize with an Internet Time server.
> 4.. Click Update Now.
>
> Finally, download and install the latest version of the Symantec event
> monitoring drivers by following the instructions in the document How to
> update the Symevent files.
>
>

your BIOS real time clock isn't saving your settings - almost certainly
a duff CMOS battery. windows time works by setting system time to BIOS
reported time on boot, and then during operation windows manages the
time, optionally connecting to MS's timeserver - the BIOS is ignored
once windows is running.
hence a time problem whilst PC is off is the real time clock. change
the battery if it's easy to get at, or return under warranty if not...

"Beck" <my_bulkmail@btopenworld.invalid> wrote in message
news:3rijirFjg551U1@individual.net...
>
> "Conrad" <conrad@ceebees.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:dj0ubj$eat$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk...
>> Hello
>>
>> I have a 5 month old laptop that appears to lose the time when it is
>> switched off.
>
> Is it Norton 2002? Below is a problem taken from Symantec website
> regarding XP losing time. May be of some help?
>
> System clock loses accuracy under Windows XP after installing Norton
> AntiVirus 2002

Is it loosing accuracy, or totally forgetting the time altogether (going
back to 1980, or 1899)? There is a big difference that will rule out one
thing or the other.

Hi Conrad,

It seems your CMOS battery is no good. Go get a replacement at the
manufacturer. The other way around it is to use a time synchronization
program. There are many such little utilities that will keep your clock
in synch with a central world time server. I think Windows XP has a
built-in one too - like what Grinder mentioned above.

==========================================
Sincerely,
Gary Hendricks, Build-Your-Own-Computers.com
Step-by-step guides for setting up your own computer:
http://www.build-your-own-computers.com
==========================================

On Mon, 17 Oct 2005 20:34:10 +0100 If God exists he'll get "Conrad"
<conrad@ceebees.demon.co.uk> for writing this :

>Hello
>
>I have a 5 month old laptop that appears to lose the time when it is
>switched off.
>I can reset the clock through the BIOS settings or through Windows XP and it
>keeps time OK while the PC is on but loses it completely when switched off
>ie if turned off for 24 hours it will restart with the time and date it was
>switched off.
>I suspect the RTC chip is faulty as the battery can't be dead after this
>short time or can it?
>If it isn't the hardware could the sychronisation with the on-line server
>clock cause a problem. I seem to remember reading somewhere this can cause
>problems with certain configurations.
>Lastly I considered the software but there is nothing too exotic running,
>just Norton and Office applications.
>Thanks in advance for any help.
>
>Conrad
>
>

Battery or CMOS re-charge circuit kaput.If latter return to supplier
and get a new system or money back.




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