Clock keeps going forward!

jtwn · 02-12-2004, 10:42

Got a problem...last night, looked at the clock and noticed it was 15,20 minutes ahead so i synchronised it. The computer has not been turned off since then, i look at it now and it was saying something like 10:55 a few minutes back!

Anybody got any ideas what is happening to my computer?

Paul K · 02-12-2004, 11:11

have you checked your time/ clock settings in the bios and also make sure the battery isn't failing as that affects the system time too.

Halcyon · 02-12-2004, 11:15

This could be many things.
Firstly make sure you have no spyware of viruses that could be messing up your system.

Secondly, I'd think it could be your battery.
My old PC used to forward time and then eventually got further behind in time and then started loosing CMOS data.
I had to replace the battery (cost about ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£3.50) and then all was fine.
You can normally find the battery in one of the corners on your motherboard.
Its a simple procedure and as long as you are careful working around the components, it takes about 15 minutes.

For the moment though, Reboot your PC and see if time changes again.

altis · 02-12-2004, 12:56

I'd look at the battery too.

You may want to install some software that keeps your computer on time by synchronising it with a time server. Check out AboutTime:
http://www.arachnoid.com/abouttime/

You'll also need the address of some local public time servers. Try ntp2a.mcc.ac.uk, ntp2b.mcc.ac.uk, ntp2c.mcc.ac.uk and ntp2d.mcc.ac.uk - all in Manchester.

jtwn · 02-12-2004, 13:39

Thanks

I mentioned it had never been switched off as i thought the bios or whatnot is powered by the psu when on. Its 10 minutes ahead now im back aswell so i'll test/change the battery and see what happens...

Paul K · 02-12-2004, 14:37

Are you sure it's not trying to sychronise with a server automatically? If it has only just started doing this, has anything been installed lately onto the pc?

greencreeper · 02-12-2004, 16:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by altis

I'd look at the battery too.

You may want to install some software that keeps your computer on time by synchronising it with a time server. Check out AboutTime:
http://www.arachnoid.com/abouttime/

You'll also need the address of some local public time servers. Try ntp2a.mcc.ac.uk, ntp2b.mcc.ac.uk, ntp2c.mcc.ac.uk and ntp2d.mcc.ac.uk - all in Manchester.

What happened to the time.cableol.net NTP server? It's pingable - just doesn't seem to be running the daemon any more

I use http://oneguycoding.com/automachron/

altis · 02-12-2004, 16:29

time.cableol.net works for me

Some others to go at are listed here:
http://ntp.isc.org/bin/view/Servers/...TwoTimeServers

My UBR will also serve time but it is incorrect!

greencreeper · 02-12-2004, 16:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by altis

time.cableol.net works for me

Strange. I checked and the status said "Socket error". Now it seems fine

Paul K · 02-12-2004, 18:37

Anyway, back on topic

Can the you post your specs, operating system, any applications that run in the background etc please jtwn

Also can you let us know if you overclock any part of your pc?

Mr_love_monkey · 02-12-2004, 18:40

Maybe I'm missing the obvious here.... but are you sure you're not balanced on the cusp of a micro blackhole, where the extreme gravitational forces are distorting spacetime?

Paul K · 02-12-2004, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_love_monkey

Maybe I'm missing the obvious here.... but are you sure you're not balanced on the cusp of a micro blackhole, where the extreme gravitational forces are distorting spacetime?

Still missing the non-seq thread LM??

Tristan · 02-12-2004, 19:06

If you're in an ex-CWC area, then your local UBR acts as a time server. Take the first three bits of your IP address, and replace the late bit with a 1, and then put that in the Windows Time Server box. So for example if your IP address is 80.92.28.77, then 80.92.28.1 would be your nearest time server.

NB This used to work for me when I had STB broadband. I got the tip from Robin Walker's site (whatever happened to him?). I don't know if it works for "original" NTL areas too.

greencreeper · 02-12-2004, 19:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul

Anyway, back on topic

We never left the topic, did we? And love_monkey may be correct

[edit] The CMOS battery keeps time (and other settings) when the PC is off - a duff battery will have no effect when the PC is on. Maybe some (dodgy) software is messing with settings, or the motherboard is duff. Strange to have the time going forward, then backwards

Tristan · 02-12-2004, 19:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr_love_monkey

Maybe I'm missing the obvious here.... but are you sure you're not balanced on the cusp of a micro blackhole, where the extreme gravitational forces are distorting spacetime?

Even if that was the case, time would be moving equally slowly for both jtwn and his computer, so he wouldn't be able to notice the difference.