Author Topic: Fast clock a bad thing? (Read 543 times)

fuzeman · « **on:** June 09, 2007, 01:09:48 AM »

OK, just had to reset my computer time back 10 minutes and I did that just a few days ago too, setting it back.
Is that a symptom of something bad on the horizon for me or my computer?

Roscoroo · « **Reply #1 on:** June 09, 2007, 01:36:27 AM »

thats kinda wierd 10 mins ... mine are off about 20-40 sec's est 1 -3 months time .

not shure if its bad pc ... its just out of time timer .

AKDogg · « **Reply #2 on:** June 09, 2007, 02:11:53 AM »

I had a computer at work that would be 3-5 mins fast by the end of the week. Computer still works after 4 yrs with it being like that.

NHawk · « **Reply #3 on:** June 09, 2007, 05:56:07 AM »

Not unusual at all. That's why there's a sync option for your clock in Windows.

Borsuk · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2007, 03:57:01 PM »

If you are a working a computer at its limits where it tends to hang a lot when loading programmes you find that the time tends to slip a bit each time. I had a 486 that used to do this a lot. If the exact time is important to you then set the clock to auto synch with a time server at regular intervals, this is part of XP and Vista's clock settings on the internet time tab.

Auger · « **Reply #5 on:** June 13, 2007, 05:18:03 PM »

If this just recently started happening, and your computer is off during parts of the day, it is probably the CMOS battery on the motherboard. It is the coin looking thing on the motherboard that keeps the BIOS configs and clock running when the computer is powered down. They are fairly cheap and easy to replace. The only consequence of having it die is that you lose your BIOS configs and the clock always has to be reset after it is turned back on.

fuzeman · « **Reply #6 on:** June 13, 2007, 05:29:12 PM »

Wouldn't a program hang or a low batery cause it to be slow opposed to fast though?
I had thought about the battery and the only thing it really gets used for is Aces High, email and minimal browsing.
I am at the mid to low area of system specs however for the game.

Borsuk · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2007, 12:19:25 AM »

Good point Fuzeman, normally they lose time, didn't quite twig that yours was gaining time and 10 mins every couple of days sounds excessive. Is your puter stand alone or do you have a home network. Only time I have seen puter gaining time is when I connect to my company network. The logon script automatically synchs the workstation to the server time and my company has found the only time server which is 2.5 mins ahead of the rest of the universe. I think it is a French thing, they are still arguing over whether Paris or London should be the prime meridian.
There isn't anywhere to select the mains frequency is there. Thats about the only other thing I can think of that it may think that the mains is supposed to be 50Hz instead of 60Hz, whether that would affect the clock cycles or not I don't know.

Sorry I can't be of any more help.

fuzeman · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2007, 01:49:09 PM »

Cable connection into modem and then to router and my PC.
Used to have another computer on the LAN but removed that awhile back although another one may be added in the far off future.

The Fugitive · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2007, 02:02:51 PM »

Dose it continue to move ahead in time, or does it just go the 10 mins ahead and stay there?

Right click the clock, and select adjust time and date. On that window, the third tab over has "internet time". check to see if 1. your synchronizing, 2. who with, and 3. maybe try a different one

If you had an over power condition, or a higher frequency condition, your clock would continue getting ahead, it wouldn't get just 10 minutes ahead and maintain.

fuzeman · « **Reply #10 on:** June 17, 2007, 11:30:33 AM »

I am synchronizing with time.windows.com and that's the first time I ever looked at that Tab on my Date and Time properties.
The other one listed is time.nist.gov but don't know it that one would be better or not.
Maybe computer has been off more than usual lately so I didn't synch but again being off with a low battery would s l o w me down.
Who do you synch with?

The Fugitive · « **Reply #11 on:** June 17, 2007, 11:36:58 AM »

Mine is set to time.windows.com too, and my time matches the clock on the BBS.

You didn't say if your continues to go fast, or does it just get 10 mins fast and maintains that.

fuzeman · « **Reply #12 on:** June 17, 2007, 11:42:37 AM »

Next time it goes wacky I'll post. In the mean time the hamsters are drinking decaff.

Auger · « **Reply #13 on:** June 17, 2007, 12:47:38 PM »

You can also sync your time with pool.ntp.org. It's a collection of time servers that are open to the public. You can be more specific and sync to a time server in your country, i.e. us.pool.ntp.org or uk.pool.ntp.org.

To set the time server in Windows from the command line.

> net time /setsntp:us.pool.ntp.org

To see what the time server is:

> net time /querysntp

Fulmar · « **Reply #14 on:** June 17, 2007, 02:40:40 PM »

I gave a friend an old P2 400mhz that we were getting rid of at work so he could use it as a linux firewall. Before I gave it to him I replaced the 7-8 year old CMOS battery with a fresh one. Before its operating days at work were numbered, it had no problems with keeping time. Upon replacing the battery my friend say that the system clock would as warp speed. 30 seconds was 30 minutes etc etc. It through off his data collection on the firewall software and we never found a work around.