Is this a virus, or what???

[S-Des]

I've had this intermittent problem with my computer for over a year. Once in a while, I'll start it and the date or clock will be wrong . . . not a little wrong, but hours off, the wrong date, 10 years in the past, or the future. My tech (who built it) said it's probably the battery on the motherboard, but the damn thing has been working for months again, then suddenly started messing up again a few days ago. I reset it again this morning, then while I was on line, it changed from the correct time & date to 11:50 PM, Dec 1999. WTF???

I have Microsoft XP on my system (a 1.6Ghz Athlon Pentium).

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Do you have it set to update the time over the net? It could be that the time sync web site is having a problem.

Here's the site that my computer uses no problems: time.nist.gov

 

[S-Des]

Do you have it set to update the time over the net? It could be that the time sync web site is having a problem.

Here's the site that my computer uses no problems: time.nist.gov

I never thought of that . . . I did have it checked. I unchecked it, so we'll see if that fixes it. Thanks Zeb!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I never thought of that . . . I did have it checked. I unchecked it, so we'll see if that fixes it. Thanks Zeb!

No problem.

 

[kendo1]

Every PC contains a Real Time Clock (RTC) implemented in the hardware. This clock runs continuously and provides time to the operating system clock when the computer is booted. The RTC runs off the same power source as the system BIOS.

The System BIOS has information saved in a little piece (64 bytes) of CMOS RAM . The CMOS power is supplied by a small battery, so its contents will not be lost after the PC is turned off. Therefore, there is a battery and a small RAM memory on board, which should never lose its information. The memory was in earlier times a part of the clock chip; now it's part of a highly integrated circuit . CMOS technology needs little power so the computer's battery is not in use much. Actually, there is not a battery on new boards, but an accumulator (Ni-Cad in most cases). It is recharged every time the computer is turned on. Some new motherboards have a technology called Dallas Nov-Ram which eliminates having an on-board battery as there is a 10 year lithium cell epoxyed directly in the chip.

If your BIOS is powered by external batteries, be sure that they are in good operating condition. Also, be sure that they do not leak - that may damage the motherboard and cause your BIOS to suddenly "forget" its configuration (and its time) and you may be looking for a problem elsewhere.



Other causes:
Symptoms

* When you first turn your computer on, the time as shown in the taskbar clock is correct.
* After you leave your computer on for an extended amount of time, the time may lose from two minutes up to an hour per day.

Cause

* You configure your computer to use third-party anti-virus, system utility, and screen saver programs.

Resolution

Disable the following types of third-party programs and utilities:

* Anti-virus
* Screen savers
* System utilities

Another thought, if the above is causing a problem:

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.

 

[scheherazade_79]

Or maybe you're computer's just turned into a time travelling machine... Have you looked out of your window when the date suddenly changes? Does everyone still look the same, or is there something dated / futuristic about their appearance?