The time display (tray clock) in my win98 SE has never been very accurate, but lately has been losing time faster and faster, up to ten minutes per twentyfour hours. Is this an indication of OS decay? Where can I find more info on how this "clock" actually works?
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Tray clock accuracy decay
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mscallisto
Technical User
It may be your CMOS battery is getting low.
Muck Luck
Muck Luck
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- #3
You'll need to determine whether it's the windows clock or system clock (RTC) that's losing time - software vs. hardware.
The next time your clock in Windows falls behind, without updating it, reboot to a DOS prompt. At that prompt type time. If the time displayed is correct, then you know it's a "software" problem with the windows clock.
If it's a problem with the windows clock, then you'll need to tweak the performance of your pc which seems to be running low on system resources. The FAQ section of this forum gives some suggestions on how to accomplish this.
For more info and a better explanation, check out:
The next time your clock in Windows falls behind, without updating it, reboot to a DOS prompt. At that prompt type time. If the time displayed is correct, then you know it's a "software" problem with the windows clock.
If it's a problem with the windows clock, then you'll need to tweak the performance of your pc which seems to be running low on system resources. The FAQ section of this forum gives some suggestions on how to accomplish this.
For more info and a better explanation, check out:
mscallisto
Technical User
cdogg is correct as always!.. but if it is your cmos battery your technical manual that came with your laptop/desktop should show how to change the battery.
Most cmos type batteries can be purchased in the radio shack type stores.
If you have no manual tell us what you have for a computer and maybe we can help.
Much Luck
Most cmos type batteries can be purchased in the radio shack type stores.
If you have no manual tell us what you have for a computer and maybe we can help.
Much Luck
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- #6
Info from Microsoft may be relavent, at least you can test it:
Windows Clock on Taskbar and in Date/Time Tool Loses Time
------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
------------------------------------------------------------
SYMPTOMS
When you use the Date/Time tool to select a different year, the clock may stop until you click Apply or OK and the clock does not compensate for the length of time it was stopped.
or
When you use the Date/Time tool to select a different month or date, the time may be decreased by 5-10 seconds.
or
When you leave your computer on for an extended amount of time, the time may lose two minutes up to an hour per day.
IMPORTANT: The CMOS does keep the correct time and if you restart the computer, the Windows clock is updated. Also, if you start your computer in Safe Mode, Windows does not lose time.
NOTE: If either of the symptoms listed in this article occur, the Windows clock on the taskbar and in the Date/Time tool in Control Panel may experience a loss of time.
CAUSE
This last symptom listed in this article can occur for either of the following reasons:
Advanced Power Management (APM) settings are enabled in the BIOS.
You configure your computer to use third-party anti-virus, system utility, and screen saver programs.
RESOLUTION
To resolve the issue for the last symptom listed in this article, use one of the following methods:
APM Settings
Disable APM in the BIOS and configure Windows to manage APM. For information about how to disable APM in the BIOS, please contact the manufacturer of your computer.
To configure Windows to manage APM, follow these steps:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Power Management icon, select the settings you want for APM, and then click OK.
Disable Third-Party Programs and Utilities
Disable the following types of programs and utilities:
Anti-virus
Screen savers
System utilities
Clean Boot
Configure your computer to start with a clean boot. For additional information about configuring a clean boot, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98
Q243039 How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 95
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.
MORE INFORMATION
If your computer loses time, use the Date/Time tool to set the correct time. To do this, follow these steps:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Date/Time icon.
On the Date & Time tab, configure the correct time, and then click OK.
To determine if the time loss is a result of a weak computer battery, follow these steps:
Click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt.
At the command prompt, type time, and then press ENTER.
Compare this time with the time reported by the clock on the taskbar.
Type exit, and then press ENTER.
If the computer's time and the time on the clock are different, the computer's battery may be too weak to keep accurate time, and it should be replaced. For information about how to replace the battery, refer to the documentation included with your computer.
NOTE: This problem does not affect the clock in your computer's CMOS.
reghakr
Windows Clock on Taskbar and in Date/Time Tool Loses Time
------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 95
Microsoft Windows 98 Second Edition
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition
------------------------------------------------------------
SYMPTOMS
When you use the Date/Time tool to select a different year, the clock may stop until you click Apply or OK and the clock does not compensate for the length of time it was stopped.
or
When you use the Date/Time tool to select a different month or date, the time may be decreased by 5-10 seconds.
or
When you leave your computer on for an extended amount of time, the time may lose two minutes up to an hour per day.
IMPORTANT: The CMOS does keep the correct time and if you restart the computer, the Windows clock is updated. Also, if you start your computer in Safe Mode, Windows does not lose time.
NOTE: If either of the symptoms listed in this article occur, the Windows clock on the taskbar and in the Date/Time tool in Control Panel may experience a loss of time.
CAUSE
This last symptom listed in this article can occur for either of the following reasons:
Advanced Power Management (APM) settings are enabled in the BIOS.
You configure your computer to use third-party anti-virus, system utility, and screen saver programs.
RESOLUTION
To resolve the issue for the last symptom listed in this article, use one of the following methods:
APM Settings
Disable APM in the BIOS and configure Windows to manage APM. For information about how to disable APM in the BIOS, please contact the manufacturer of your computer.
To configure Windows to manage APM, follow these steps:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Power Management icon, select the settings you want for APM, and then click OK.
Disable Third-Party Programs and Utilities
Disable the following types of programs and utilities:
Anti-virus
Screen savers
System utilities
Clean Boot
Configure your computer to start with a clean boot. For additional information about configuring a clean boot, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q192926 How to Perform Clean-Boot Troubleshooting for Windows 98
Q243039 How to Perform a Clean Boot in Windows 95
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.
MORE INFORMATION
If your computer loses time, use the Date/Time tool to set the correct time. To do this, follow these steps:
Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Control Panel.
Double-click the Date/Time icon.
On the Date & Time tab, configure the correct time, and then click OK.
To determine if the time loss is a result of a weak computer battery, follow these steps:
Click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt.
At the command prompt, type time, and then press ENTER.
Compare this time with the time reported by the clock on the taskbar.
Type exit, and then press ENTER.
If the computer's time and the time on the clock are different, the computer's battery may be too weak to keep accurate time, and it should be replaced. For information about how to replace the battery, refer to the documentation included with your computer.
NOTE: This problem does not affect the clock in your computer's CMOS.
reghakr
mscallisto
Technical User
Yes CMOS settings will be lost.
On boot some will restore default settings, some won't and you will have to enter cmos to restore defaults.
You would of course have to reset any non-default bios settings previously made.
Prior to battery removal you can enter bios and record all settings to paper for reference.
muck luck
On boot some will restore default settings, some won't and you will have to enter cmos to restore defaults.
You would of course have to reset any non-default bios settings previously made.
Prior to battery removal you can enter bios and record all settings to paper for reference.
muck luck
capnmidnite
Technical User
My sons computer New Dell dimension w/win98 lost time at his place, he left it on all the time. I turn it off everynite and it keeps time. He joined the army.
Pagel,
Unfortunately, that's always the downside of being forced to replace the battery. Like mscallisto said, you should be fine as long as you record all the settings in the BIOS. If you miss a setting, the default will be used. Did you make sure that the problem was your battery? You didn't mention that you tried the DOS test to verify that...
Unfortunately, that's always the downside of being forced to replace the battery. Like mscallisto said, you should be fine as long as you record all the settings in the BIOS. If you miss a setting, the default will be used. Did you make sure that the problem was your battery? You didn't mention that you tried the DOS test to verify that...
capnmidnite,
Yes, it makes perfect sense that a reboot helps to keep time. Every time Windows loads, the "windows" clock syncs up with the RTC on the motherboard. This only happens during the boot process or when you "update" the windows clock. Unfortunately in Windows 95/98, this doesn't occur automatically while Windows is running. Check out that post above with the link to beaglesoft.
cdogg
Yes, it makes perfect sense that a reboot helps to keep time. Every time Windows loads, the "windows" clock syncs up with the RTC on the motherboard. This only happens during the boot process or when you "update" the windows clock. Unfortunately in Windows 95/98, this doesn't occur automatically while Windows is running. Check out that post above with the link to beaglesoft.
cdogg
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