Computer clock is slow

On Mon, 7 Aug 2006 06:44:31 -0700, "Og" wrote:

"Jyeshta" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 18:54:24 -0700, "Og" wrote:

"Jyeshta" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

This is a new computer so I can't believe the battery needs replacing.
Is there any sort of atomic clock on the internet to which I can
connect my computer?

Thanks.

Gail

Since you have "a new computer", I STRONGLY urge you to contact the
manufacturer Technical Support to resolve this issue.
Opening the case of your computer to replace a battery, as other posters
have suggested, may VOID your warranty. If the problem is a more serious
than a mere battery, having a voiding warranty will force you to pay for
repairs that otherwise would have been performed by the manufacturer.
Steve


Thank you, Steve. I do intend to contact Dell and have them deal with
it. I don't feel confident enough myself to open the case and try
replacing the battery, plus I'm under warranty.

Gail

Gail:
Shenan, Bill, and Ken are very knowledgeable and you are normally wise to
heed their words of wisdom, but in this instance all three seem to have
overlooked the words "new computer" in your post.
Steve

Thanks, Steve.

Gail

Steve wrote Shenan, Bill, and Ken are very knowledgeable and you are
normally wise to heed their words of wisdom, but in this instance all three
seem to have overlooked the words "new computer" in your post. Thanks for
the accolade.

Glossed over rather than overlooked. It is quite possible for a component
in a new computer to be faulty. One in particular I recall is a hard disk
drive fresh out of the sealed packet which failed to spin. So it is useful
to include this in the response to consider as a possible if improbable.
For completeness, although not strictly relevant to this enquiry (for any
other reader with a similar issue) the phrase "new computer" can mean
second-user computer that is new to me.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Og" wrote in message
...
"Jyeshta" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 18:54:24 -0700, "Og" wrote:

"Jyeshta" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

This is a new computer so I can't believe the battery needs replacing.
Is there any sort of atomic clock on the internet to which I can
connect my computer?

Thanks.

Gail

Since you have "a new computer", I STRONGLY urge you to contact the
manufacturer Technical Support to resolve this issue.
Opening the case of your computer to replace a battery, as other posters
have suggested, may VOID your warranty. If the problem is a more serious
than a mere battery, having a voiding warranty will force you to pay for
repairs that otherwise would have been performed by the manufacturer.
Steve


Thank you, Steve. I do intend to contact Dell and have them deal with
it. I don't feel confident enough myself to open the case and try
replacing the battery, plus I'm under warranty.

Gail

Gail:
Shenan, Bill, and Ken are very knowledgeable and you are normally wise to
heed their words of wisdom, but in this instance all three seem to have
overlooked the words "new computer" in your post.
Steve

The fact that a system is new does not guarantee that all is well with it.
The battery may not be all that it should be, and can generally be replaced
easily enough. Systems where the battery is soldered to the board do not
come into this category. Try replacing the battery, and if that fails,
contact the vendor. Time is maintained by the battery, but is actually
controlled by an oscillator circuit on the motherboard. It may be that this
is faulty. In some instances, a faulty oscillator circuit can lead to other
problems.


--
Mike Hall
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User



"Jyeshta" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 7 Aug 2006 06:44:31 -0700, "Og" wrote:

"Jyeshta" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 18:54:24 -0700, "Og" wrote:

"Jyeshta" wrote in message
m...
Hi all,

This is a new computer so I can't believe the battery needs replacing.
Is there any sort of atomic clock on the internet to which I can
connect my computer?

Thanks.

Gail

Since you have "a new computer", I STRONGLY urge you to contact the
manufacturer Technical Support to resolve this issue.
Opening the case of your computer to replace a battery, as other posters
have suggested, may VOID your warranty. If the problem is a more serious
than a mere battery, having a voiding warranty will force you to pay for
repairs that otherwise would have been performed by the manufacturer.
Steve


Thank you, Steve. I do intend to contact Dell and have them deal with
it. I don't feel confident enough myself to open the case and try
replacing the battery, plus I'm under warranty.

Gail

Gail:
Shenan, Bill, and Ken are very knowledgeable and you are normally wise to
heed their words of wisdom, but in this instance all three seem to have
overlooked the words "new computer" in your post.
Steve

Thanks, Steve.

Gail

Ken Blake wrote These are setting that are kept in a special memory chip
on the motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the system, and
contain the time and date, among other things. The battery we've been
talking about keeps all of those settings correct, as well as the time and
date.

Perhaps this needs fleshing out a bit. When a computer is off it is nothing
more than a collection of metal, plastic etc. It doesn't 'know' anything
about anything. except the CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor).
This chip stores the very basic parameters of the computer. These include
the date, time and a technical description of the such things as the hard
disk drive - and many others. Obviously when the computer is not connected
to the mains it needs something to maintain this information and that is the
job of the CMOS battery. Now CMOS batteries like any other have a life. If
the computer is stored unused (in a shop or whilst you are on a long
holiday) the power is being drained from the battery. A charge in a CMOS
battery can last for, say, 3 or 4 years. When you turn on you computer it
first looks to information in the CMOS to tell itself what it is before
looking to the BIOS and then the hard disk to load the operating system
(Windows) and other software. Think of it as a bit like you waking up on
the first morning of a holiday and having to work out why the sun is now
coming in from the opposite direction etc before you try to work out what
you will be doing that day.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:03:47 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

You're welcome. If the clock is losing time while turned off, just
replace the battery. It's cheap and easy.

If you don't, sooner of later you'll lose all the CMOS settings.

By the way you usually have at last 15 minutes to replace the
battery before losing the settings, but it's prudent to have a hard
copy of what they are before beginning, just in case you have to put
them back manually.

Thank you, Ken. What are the CMOS settings? Sorry for being so
ignorant.

These are setting that are kept in a special memory chip on the
motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the system, and
contain the time and date, among other things. The battery we've been
talking about keeps all of those settings correct, as well as the time and
date.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

Jyeshta wrote:

On Mon, 7 Aug 2006 07:40:18 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Thank you, Ken. What are the CMOS settings? Sorry for being so
ignorant.

These are setting that are kept in a special memory chip on the
motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the system, and
contain the time and date, among other things. The battery we've
been talking about keeps all of those settings correct, as well as
the time and date.

Once again, thank you Ken.


You're welcome, Gail.


--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

Bill Ridgeway wrote:

Ken Blake wrote These are setting that are kept in a special memory
chip on the motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the
system, and contain the time and date, among other things. The
battery we've been talking about keeps all of those settings correct,
as well as the time and date.

Perhaps this needs fleshing out a bit. When a computer is off it is
nothing more than a collection of metal, plastic etc.


Well, I tried to avoid too many details for someone who appears to be a
computer novice, but I guess your additions don't hutrt.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup


It doesn't
'know' anything about anything. except the CMOS (complementary metal
oxide semiconductor). This chip stores the very basic parameters of
the computer. These include the date, time and a technical
description of the such things as the hard disk drive - and many
others. Obviously when the computer is not connected to the mains it
needs something to maintain this information and that is the job of
the CMOS battery. Now CMOS batteries like any other have a life. If
the computer is stored unused (in a shop or whilst you are on a long
holiday) the power is being drained from the battery. A charge in a
CMOS battery can last for, say, 3 or 4 years. When you turn on you
computer it first looks to information in the CMOS to tell itself
what it is before looking to the BIOS and then the hard disk to load
the operating system (Windows) and other software. Think of it as a
bit like you waking up on the first morning of a holiday and having
to work out why the sun is now coming in from the opposite direction
etc before you try to work out what you will be doing that day.
Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:03:47 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

You're welcome. If the clock is losing time while turned off, just
replace the battery. It's cheap and easy.

If you don't, sooner of later you'll lose all the CMOS settings.

By the way you usually have at last 15 minutes to replace the
battery before losing the settings, but it's prudent to have a hard
copy of what they are before beginning, just in case you have to
put them back manually.

Thank you, Ken. What are the CMOS settings? Sorry for being so
ignorant.

These are setting that are kept in a special memory chip on the
motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the system, and
contain the time and date, among other things. The battery we've been
talking about keeps all of those settings correct, as well as the
time and date.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

"Bill Ridgeway" wrote in message
...
Steve wrote Shenan, Bill, and Ken are very knowledgeable and you are
normally wise to heed their words of wisdom, but in this instance all
three seem to have overlooked the words "new computer" in your post.
Thanks for the accolade.

Glossed over rather than overlooked. It is quite possible for a component
in a new computer to be faulty. One in particular I recall is a hard disk
drive fresh out of the sealed packet which failed to spin. So it is
useful to include this in the response to consider as a possible if
improbable. For completeness, although not strictly relevant to this
enquiry (for any other reader with a similar issue) the phrase "new
computer" can mean second-user computer that is new to me.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions


1. I am aware that approximately 15% - 20% of new computers reach the
consumer with faulty hardware.
2. I am also aware that many Mom & Pops, and some Big Names, place a sticker
on each computer stating something along the lines of "Warranty void if this
seal is removed or broken".
3. I am also aware that some people will break that seal because "an expert
on a NG told me to". [How often to people post problems here that are
directly caused by following the advice of some "expert"?]
4. I am also aware that "new computer" does not necessarily mean brand new.
It seems prudent to me, however, to take a poster's words at face value,
thus avoiding the possiblity of #3 occuring.
Steve

"Og" wrote in message
...
"Jyeshta" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 18:54:24 -0700, "Og" wrote:

"Jyeshta" wrote in message
m...
Hi all,

This is a new computer so I can't believe the battery needs replacing.
Is there any sort of atomic clock on the internet to which I can
connect my computer?

Thanks.

Gail

Since you have "a new computer", I STRONGLY urge you to contact the
manufacturer Technical Support to resolve this issue.
Opening the case of your computer to replace a battery, as other posters
have suggested, may VOID your warranty. If the problem is a more serious
than a mere battery, having a voiding warranty will force you to pay for
repairs that otherwise would have been performed by the manufacturer.
Steve


Thank you, Steve. I do intend to contact Dell and have them deal with
it. I don't feel confident enough myself to open the case and try
replacing the battery, plus I'm under warranty.

Gail

Gail:
Shenan, Bill, and Ken are very knowledgeable and you are normally wise to
heed their words of wisdom, but in this instance all three seem to have
overlooked the words "new computer" in your post.
Steve

Thank you, Bill. Now I'm worried about my old computer which I have
turned off to relieve the power load on the electricity.

Gail


On Mon, 7 Aug 2006 17:32:25 +0100, "Bill Ridgeway"
wrote:

Ken Blake wrote These are setting that are kept in a special memory chip
on the motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the system, and
contain the time and date, among other things. The battery we've been
talking about keeps all of those settings correct, as well as the time and
date.

Perhaps this needs fleshing out a bit. When a computer is off it is nothing
more than a collection of metal, plastic etc. It doesn't 'know' anything
about anything. except the CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor).
This chip stores the very basic parameters of the computer. These include
the date, time and a technical description of the such things as the hard
disk drive - and many others. Obviously when the computer is not connected
to the mains it needs something to maintain this information and that is the
job of the CMOS battery. Now CMOS batteries like any other have a life. If
the computer is stored unused (in a shop or whilst you are on a long
holiday) the power is being drained from the battery. A charge in a CMOS
battery can last for, say, 3 or 4 years. When you turn on you computer it
first looks to information in the CMOS to tell itself what it is before
looking to the BIOS and then the hard disk to load the operating system
(Windows) and other software. Think of it as a bit like you waking up on
the first morning of a holiday and having to work out why the sun is now
coming in from the opposite direction etc before you try to work out what
you will be doing that day.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:03:47 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

You're welcome. If the clock is losing time while turned off, just
replace the battery. It's cheap and easy.

If you don't, sooner of later you'll lose all the CMOS settings.

By the way you usually have at last 15 minutes to replace the
battery before losing the settings, but it's prudent to have a hard
copy of what they are before beginning, just in case you have to put
them back manually.

Thank you, Ken. What are the CMOS settings? Sorry for being so
ignorant.

These are setting that are kept in a special memory chip on the
motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the system, and
contain the time and date, among other things. The battery we've been
talking about keeps all of those settings correct, as well as the time and
date.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

On Mon, 7 Aug 2006 12:28:36 -0400, "Mike Hall - MS MVP Windows
Shell/User" wrote:

The fact that a system is new does not guarantee that all is well with it.
The battery may not be all that it should be, and can generally be replaced
easily enough. Systems where the battery is soldered to the board do not
come into this category. Try replacing the battery, and if that fails,
contact the vendor. Time is maintained by the battery, but is actually
controlled by an oscillator circuit on the motherboard. It may be that this
is faulty. In some instances, a faulty oscillator circuit can lead to other
problems.

Thank you, Mike. I'm going to contact Dell first because the system
is under warranty.

Gail

Ken Blake wrote I tried to avoid too many details for someone who appears
to be a computer novice

I have had a few years providing solutions, procedure manuals and the like
and this is a bit of a dilemma. Include a bald instruction of do this, do
that and the inexperienced reader can get the job done. On the other hand
by including a bit of background information the inexperienced reader has
the option of just doing the job or just doing the job and learning about
the issue whilst the experienced reader can just jump to the essential bits.
Experienced users also read this NG so I feel, on balance, a bit of
additional information may be useful.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
Bill Ridgeway wrote:

Ken Blake wrote These are setting that are kept in a special memory
chip on the motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the
system, and contain the time and date, among other things. The
battery we've been talking about keeps all of those settings correct,
as well as the time and date.

Perhaps this needs fleshing out a bit. When a computer is off it is
nothing more than a collection of metal, plastic etc.


Well, I tried to avoid too many details for someone who appears to be a
computer novice, but I guess your additions don't hutrt.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup


It doesn't
'know' anything about anything. except the CMOS (complementary metal
oxide semiconductor). This chip stores the very basic parameters of
the computer. These include the date, time and a technical
description of the such things as the hard disk drive - and many
others. Obviously when the computer is not connected to the mains it
needs something to maintain this information and that is the job of
the CMOS battery. Now CMOS batteries like any other have a life. If
the computer is stored unused (in a shop or whilst you are on a long
holiday) the power is being drained from the battery. A charge in a
CMOS battery can last for, say, 3 or 4 years. When you turn on you
computer it first looks to information in the CMOS to tell itself
what it is before looking to the BIOS and then the hard disk to load
the operating system (Windows) and other software. Think of it as a
bit like you waking up on the first morning of a holiday and having
to work out why the sun is now coming in from the opposite direction
etc before you try to work out what you will be doing that day.
Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:03:47 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

You're welcome. If the clock is losing time while turned off, just
replace the battery. It's cheap and easy.

If you don't, sooner of later you'll lose all the CMOS settings.

By the way you usually have at last 15 minutes to replace the
battery before losing the settings, but it's prudent to have a hard
copy of what they are before beginning, just in case you have to
put them back manually.

Thank you, Ken. What are the CMOS settings? Sorry for being so
ignorant.

These are setting that are kept in a special memory chip on the
motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the system, and
contain the time and date, among other things. The battery we've been
talking about keeps all of those settings correct, as well as the
time and date.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

The answer must fit the problem and the perceived ability level.. some don't
learn from extended answers.. they merely get confused, in which case no
service has been provided..

If they want to know the "why's", they come back and ask.. more advanced
users will do that, or e-mail if an address is provided..

--
Mike Hall
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User



"Bill Ridgeway" wrote in message
...
Ken Blake wrote I tried to avoid too many details for someone who
appears to be a computer novice

I have had a few years providing solutions, procedure manuals and the like
and this is a bit of a dilemma. Include a bald instruction of do this, do
that and the inexperienced reader can get the job done. On the other hand
by including a bit of background information the inexperienced reader has
the option of just doing the job or just doing the job and learning about
the issue whilst the experienced reader can just jump to the essential
bits. Experienced users also read this NG so I feel, on balance, a bit of
additional information may be useful.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
Bill Ridgeway wrote:

Ken Blake wrote These are setting that are kept in a special memory
chip on the motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the
system, and contain the time and date, among other things. The
battery we've been talking about keeps all of those settings correct,
as well as the time and date.

Perhaps this needs fleshing out a bit. When a computer is off it is
nothing more than a collection of metal, plastic etc.


Well, I tried to avoid too many details for someone who appears to be a
computer novice, but I guess your additions don't hutrt.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup


It doesn't
'know' anything about anything. except the CMOS (complementary metal
oxide semiconductor). This chip stores the very basic parameters of
the computer. These include the date, time and a technical
description of the such things as the hard disk drive - and many
others. Obviously when the computer is not connected to the mains it
needs something to maintain this information and that is the job of
the CMOS battery. Now CMOS batteries like any other have a life. If
the computer is stored unused (in a shop or whilst you are on a long
holiday) the power is being drained from the battery. A charge in a
CMOS battery can last for, say, 3 or 4 years. When you turn on you
computer it first looks to information in the CMOS to tell itself
what it is before looking to the BIOS and then the hard disk to load
the operating system (Windows) and other software. Think of it as a
bit like you waking up on the first morning of a holiday and having
to work out why the sun is now coming in from the opposite direction
etc before you try to work out what you will be doing that day.
Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message
...
Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:03:47 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

You're welcome. If the clock is losing time while turned off, just
replace the battery. It's cheap and easy.

If you don't, sooner of later you'll lose all the CMOS settings.

By the way you usually have at last 15 minutes to replace the
battery before losing the settings, but it's prudent to have a hard
copy of what they are before beginning, just in case you have to
put them back manually.

Thank you, Ken. What are the CMOS settings? Sorry for being so
ignorant.

These are setting that are kept in a special memory chip on the
motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the system, and
contain the time and date, among other things. The battery we've been
talking about keeps all of those settings correct, as well as the
time and date.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:03:47 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 13:01:42 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Jyeshta wrote:

This is a new computer so I can't believe the battery needs
replacing.


It's not terribly likely, but even new batteries can be bad. I
wouldn't necessarily rule that possibility out.

How much time does the clock lose? 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

Ken, I tried this - only the first command was recognized all others
invalid. Now my time service is off - HELP PLEASE! Thank you.

Gail







Is there any sort of atomic clock on the internet to which I can
connect my computer?


Yes, there are many, and Windows automatically synchs to one once a
week. You can change the interval to do it more frequently, or you
can use one of the third-party clock programs, like the freeware
TClock, which does this and several other useful things.

Thank you so much, Ken. I think the clock is losing time while turned
off because the problem has only begun since I had it turned off two
nights last week. Is there any danger in not replacing the battery?


You're welcome. If the clock is losing time while turned off, just replace
the battery. It's cheap and easy.

If you don't, sooner of later you'll lose all the CMOS settings.

By the way you usually have at last 15 minutes to replace the battery before
losing the settings, but it's prudent to have a hard copy of what they are
before beginning, just in case you have to put them back manually.

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:03:47 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 13:01:42 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Jyeshta wrote:

This is a new computer so I can't believe the battery needs
replacing.


It's not terribly likely, but even new batteries can be bad. I
wouldn't necessarily rule that possibility out.

Dell did send someone out who replaced the CMOS battery yesterday.
But my clock is a minute slow. How can I synch my clock to an atomic
clock on the internet?

How much time does the clock lose? 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

I got the time service turned back on, but those 2 commands in the
middle were invalid.

Thanks, Ken.

Gail



Is there any sort of atomic clock on the internet to which I can
connect my computer?


Yes, there are many, and Windows automatically synchs to one once a
week. You can change the interval to do it more frequently, or you
can use one of the third-party clock programs, like the freeware
TClock, which does this and several other useful things.

Thank you so much, Ken. I think the clock is losing time while turned
off because the problem has only begun since I had it turned off two
nights last week. Is there any danger in not replacing the battery?


You're welcome. If the clock is losing time while turned off, just replace
the battery. It's cheap and easy.

If you don't, sooner of later you'll lose all the CMOS settings.

By the way you usually have at last 15 minutes to replace the battery before
losing the settings, but it's prudent to have a hard copy of what they are
before beginning, just in case you have to put them back manually.

Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:03:47 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 13:01:42 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Jyeshta wrote:

This is a new computer so I can't believe the battery needs
replacing.


It's not terribly likely, but even new batteries can be bad. I
wouldn't necessarily rule that possibility out.

Dell did send someone out who replaced the CMOS battery yesterday.
But my clock is a minute slow. How can I synch my clock to an atomic
clock on the internet?


Windows does it automatically once a week. There are also several
third-party programs you can use that give you more clock options, like
synching it more often. I like TClock (not the similarly named, but
inferior, in my view, Tclockex).


How much time does the clock lose? 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

I got the time service turned back on, but those 2 commands in the
middle were invalid.


They are not invalid. If they didn't work when you tried to run them, it's
because you have a problem with your path, which for some reason isn't set
correctly on your computer. You can always run them by explicitly including
the path to them as part of the command:

C:\windows\system32\w32tm /unregister
C:\windows\system32\w32tm /register

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup

On Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:03:48 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:03:47 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 13:01:42 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
wrote:

Jyeshta wrote:

This is a new computer so I can't believe the battery needs
replacing.


It's not terribly likely, but even new batteries can be bad. I
wouldn't necessarily rule that possibility out.

Dell did send someone out who replaced the CMOS battery yesterday.
But my clock is a minute slow. How can I synch my clock to an atomic
clock on the internet?


Windows does it automatically once a week. There are also several
third-party programs you can use that give you more clock options, like
synching it more often. I like TClock (not the similarly named, but
inferior, in my view, Tclockex).

Hi, Ken. I Googled TClock and apparently it speaks the time, which I
wouldn't want.

How much time does the clock lose? 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

I got the time service turned back on, but those 2 commands in the
middle were invalid.


They are not invalid. If they didn't work when you tried to run them, it's
because you have a problem with your path, which for some reason isn't set
correctly on your computer. You can always run them by explicitly including
the path to them as part of the command:

C:\windows\system32\w32tm /unregister
C:\windows\system32\w32tm /register

Oy. OK, but I think I might just give up. Thanks again for all your
help, very much.

Gail