clock in task bar keeps running slow

alison · #1 10-22-2003, 10:02 PM

i have xp 5.1 sp1

for the last couple of weeks the clock in the task bar keeps running slow, i've tried up-dating it (using the internet time window, and manually) but then it gradually starts going slow again. the time zone is correct, and it is not out by a regular amount each time. sometimes its is over a day slow. (btw its not a laptop, so no dying battery!)

i know it seems like no major problem but it messes up some processes, eg. history on browser. apart from that it's annoying!

has anyone got any suggestions on what could be causing this?
and even better how to fix it!!

thanks very much for your help,
alison

Admiral Michael · #2 10-22-2003, 11:25 PM

maybe your CMOS battery is dying.

Reeper47 · #3 10-23-2003, 01:15 PM

Yes that kind of behavior usually means the cmos battery is dead, do you get any messages on your startup screen like Low battery. There is another alternative try downloading a clock from the web or something.

alison · #4 11-01-2003, 06:09 PM

i get nothing about a low battery on start up. are there any other signs? i have a 'Socket A' k7s5a mainboard, can the battery be changed? and i guess the bios will have to be set up again if i do change it.
where do i get these online clocks? are they reliable, are they just the clock or possibly spyware/malware aswell? also are they free?
sorry, lot of questions.
thanks for your help on this

beeboy · #5 11-01-2003, 07:43 PM

http://www.webattack.com/downloadfin...clock&action=s

Reeper47 · #6 11-01-2003, 08:20 PM

Well the fact that you have an Ecs motherboard doesn't help, I had that exact board and boy did it give me trouble. I actually changed the battery out but not because the clock was slow so yes you can try changing the battery.

Admiral Michael · #7 11-02-2003, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by beeboy
http://www.webattack.com/downloadfin...clock&action=s

Windows XP had a time syncronize feature built in.

alison · #8 11-02-2003, 05:15 PM

i've been using the time syncro thingy on xp, but it goes slow again. is that all the on-line clocks do? also it is set to auto syncronise at certain times, and it goes off what your pc clock says, and by the time it comes around my clock is so slow the date is wrong, so it doesn't work.

when you change the battery do you have to reset the bios?

thanks for your help

Reeper47 · #9 11-03-2003, 01:38 AM

Um i don't think so, but you have to do it quick, check your motherboard book on changing the battery.

alison · #10 11-06-2003, 05:04 PM

a computer engineer came round to look at the pc, and checked for low battery and said that it is fine.
But he dosen't know what the problem is! any other ideas?

the other clock i downloaded made no difference.

any further help would be greatly appreciated

many thanks.

LooseChippings · #11 11-06-2003, 11:37 PM

I would still replace the mobo battery,

For a couple of £, $, it will prove either way if it is the battery.

alison · #12 11-07-2003, 07:36 AM

yeah, maybe, why i'm hesitant is not the cost, it's that the bios would deffinately have to be reset (i asked a computer engineer who has worked on these boards a lot), and it was horrible to do last time, to get everything to work properly. it took him 4 hours to get it to work.
this is why i was wondering if there are any other possibilities.

i guess if it is the battery other signs will soon appear and then i'll know!

Reeper47 · #13 11-07-2003, 07:45 AM

Maybe you need a bios update.

braindead · #14 11-07-2003, 09:54 AM

How old is your computer??? Batteries don't live much more then 5 years. And no, you won't have to reset your BIOS, the battery is just for clock funtion. Your BIOS has it's own built in battery.

jab72 · #15 11-10-2003, 09:15 PM

I have been having the same problem you describe for over 4 months now. It's not really a major problem, however it is pissing me the hell off!!!

I have read of kinda similar problems elsewhere, but most answers are "your time zone is prolly off". Mine is not. This was like, the FIRST thing I checked. Seems like anyone whould check this out right away, so I don't know why people insist on suggesting that. Anyway, I digress...

As to the above suggestions of a low battery, I don't see how this would be the problem if I leave my computer's power supply (surge protector) plugged in when I turn it off. I just shut down Windows and my comp goes down, but remains "plugged in". This being the case, shouldn't the internal clock still be getting the power it needs to stay correct even if the battery where dead?

Also, another thing with the battery suggestion. I don't know for sure, but I'm fairly certain my clock has slowed down even while the computer remains fully powered on and booted up. I think this because I have left my comp for two or three days at a time on in order to finish large downloads and I'm pretty sure I have had the clock end up slow even then.

BTW, my clock usually is off anywhere from a few minutes to many hours. Most often it's in the range of 1-4 hours slow, which is really annoying because I often screw around for long periods of time thinking it is still early, only to find out I'm late for something or just wasted the day away.

Personally, I think this is some kind of bug or virus and I'm surprised more people havn't reported this type of problem.

SOMEONE HELP US!!