Clock of my Windows NT 4 lose time

[jfchui]

The clock of my Window NT 4 workstation lose time occasionally- about 2-3 times every week.

Characteristics:
- It only lose time, never gains time
- so far there was only 1 instance that it lost one whole calender day. The hours and minutes were correct when I noticed it lost time.
- there were numerous occasions that the clock lose 3 hours exactly. The date and the minute were always correct. This could happen on any day (Monday, Tuesday, ... Friday)
- The day it lose the time is random. I do not mean it always lose time on a Monday.

For reasons I need my computer to stay powered on all the time. Sometimes I notice the time is off for 3 hours when I return work on a Monday morning.

I suspect it is caused by software problem, rather than hardware. What is your opinion?

Today I checked some websites, and it says it could be some kind of software that I run at night time (like Norton Antivirus) that may alter the time randomly. I am going to disable it (Norton) for a week or two as a test. But how can I prove it is the guilty man or it is not.

It would help more if someone has the same experience as I am having now. If so, please let me know. Thanks a lot.


Jerry

[iceblue]

the battery on your motherboard needs a spankin;)

[jfchui]

Originally posted by iceblue
the battery on your motherboard needs a spankin;)

Hi iceblue,

There are more than 10 different clues I am given via the following link:

http://support.dell.com/us/en/kb/document.asp?DN=1016518

Can you give explanation as to why you were so definite to associate the problem with the battery but not others?

I couldn't find the word spankin from my dictionary. Personally it will be my last resort to do anything to my battery.

Cheers.

)-|

[Midknyte]

if your battery is low, the bios clock can't keep time properly. it's a cheap part to replace.

are you in a domain? if so, then the admin might be running a script to sync your time to the server. if the server time is off, it will make your time off too.

look for this command in your login script:
net time \\computername /set /yes

[Strider714]

If he keeps his PC powered 24/7 I thought the Mobo is not running off the CMOS.
Is that right?
I like the idea of establishing a network time server. I did that with our workstations running Unix and am satisfied every time I look at all those happy clocks displaying the same time!!!

[jfchui]

Originally posted by Strider714
If he keeps his PC powered 24/7 I thought the Mobo is not running off the CMOS.
Is that right?
I like the idea of establishing a network time server. I did that with our workstations running Unix and am satisfied every time I look at all those happy clocks displaying the same time!!!

Yes, I use the same logics as you, Strider.

My PC is never ever powered off. So I think there is nothing to do with the battery that keeps the time of the CMOS.

I am in a domain, true. But my PC keeps its own time - something I am very. So it shouldn't due to any script that sync my to the server.

On the other hand I would like to learn how to establish my PC (window NT 4 WS) to keep time according to the network time server (which is a Window NT Server).

Thks.