Clock changes every 10 minutes?

[Conal]

I've got my first freelancer job tomorrow at 1800.

My client has Windows 8 installed (with Windows 7 desktop, lolwut?), it's connected to the internet.

The clock changes every 10 minutes, despite being synchronised to internet time.

Any heads up?

Edit:

Here's some extra, straight forward information;
Machine - HP Pavilion G6
Time setting - London
Problem - Clock (System Time) keeps changing incorrectly after about 10 to 30 minutes.

 

[topgundcp]

Replace the Battery on the MB.

 

[Conal]

Replace the Battery on the MB.

Aright, thanks. That's what everyone else was saying. So is this a well known & understood symptom?

 

[topgundcp]

Battery serves:

1. To feed the configuration memory (CMOS)
2. To feed the real time clock of the computer.

Make sure to replace it with correct type. They physically look the same but the types are different. Look at the number stamped on the battery for correct type.

 

[Ex_Brit]

Your BIOS will most likely reset to default...if you have any settings that are setup differently from when it was installed.

 

[CountMike]

If the battery dies, not only the time but all the settings will revert to default so most probably it would not boot either. Also the settings would not change while computer is on. Most likely problem is in time zone setting in windows, every time it synchronizes time over internet, hence the 10 minute interval.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Battery serves:

1. To feed the configuration memory (CMOS)
2. To feed the real time clock of the computer.

Make sure to replace it with correct type. They physically look the same but the types are different. Look at the number stamped on the battery for correct type.

I never had to perform this, but I had a friend back in the mid 90's that had to. He stated that one had to reflash the BIOS if the battery is removed. I never did follow up on how it went for him. By what you're saying and ExBrit's post that's not true > It just erases any changed settings? Has the technology changed since then so far as BIOS chips and I missed it?

Via my friend's statement I assumed they're needed to be an electrical feed to hold the memory of the "whole" BIOS file. Then again today I know we have all sorts of flash memory that doesn't need an electrical feed.

 

[Ex_Brit]

To be honest I've never had to do it....yet....! I don't think it reverts the BIOS to the original version but it will certainly cause the settings to revert to factory. So if any have been altered make note of their settings if possible.

 

[Dwarf]

That is correct. Removal of the battery only causes the configuration settings to reset themselves to their defaults as encoded in the ROM file. The ROM file is not erased, nor is it reverted back to the initial version. Updating it, if you have done so like me (I have updated mine several times), replaces the existing file with the new one, and so the previous code is no longer present, although you will have to change the configuration settings to suit your system after updating (at the very least, the time/date).

 

[CountMike]

Have to change CMOS batteries all the time. It does not erase BIOS so that you would have to change it, it just looses all the manual settings done to it (That memory is stored in CMOS, something like RAM that battery keeps alive until dead or removed) but only puts everything in the BIOS to factory default. Any changes to BIOS settings are "remembered" in CMOS only.
BIOS, proper is EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Read Only Memory) that does not need constant power but could be changed by special program and new code written to it. Some even have 2 of them so in case of corruption of one, the other one could be used to correct it.
I suggest you try with Time Zone settings in windows first. Those batteries for CMOS are supposed to last very long time (like in years).

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Thanks for your answers, fellow members.

Somewhat familiar with BIOS tech, but I find I'm always learning more on any subject.

Somewhat familiar with these terms, but in reading up I see CMOS has been around since the early 60's and EEPROM since the late 70's so I'll assume my friend didn't lose all the BIOS file, just manual setting changes. Not that there was a whole lot of changes one could make back then. BIOS flash files have become rather sophisticated nowadays, especially since the introduction of UEFI.

I thought too that these batteries lasted for years, but I guess in some instances they don't. Perhaps just bad apples out of the barrel from manufacturing? More like a lemon? Another thing that came to mind is battery bad battery contacts. Probably highly unlikely, but then there's Murphy's law.

Anywho, hopefully all went well with the OP's "first freelancer job". Perhaps he or she will post back with the results.

 

[CountMike]

Well, you can still loose the BIOS settings the "old way" and yes the contacts on battery can get loose or coroded too, seen some of that too.
Wandering which kind of freelance job OP's got, hope it's not with computers.

 

[labeeman]

My bet it is not the battery as it is not in use when the computer is on, you can take the battery out and change it when the computer is on and not lose the settings the clock part is only read at boot time.

 

[CountMike]

Funny thing happened to me too. Used a Linux Mint to boot may computer from USB, there time zone was not set for my country but for some USA time zone and every time I booted from it, it changed my clock in BIOS so when I got back to my windows it kept updating time thru internet. Took me few times to catch what was happening and change time zone on Linux distro.

 

[topgundcp]

My bet it is not the battery as it is not in use when the computer is on, you can take the battery out and change it when the computer is on and not lose the settings the clock part is only read at boot time.

I am sorry but this is a very bad advice. Never, ever replace anything in your PC while it is running, you can fry the MB by touching or accidentally dropping the battery on the MB.

Most people think BIOS/CMOS are the same thing and they are not. Let me elaborate a little bit more on BIOS/CMOS business:

There are 2 separate chips on your MB. One is the BIOS (EPROM=Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and the other is CMOS (RAM=Random Access Memory).

1. BIOS(Basic Input/Output System): contains a special program that helps the CPU interact and control the other components such as video cards, sound cards, network cards, USB ports, hard drives etc... and can only be updated via the BIOS update utility. BIOS chip does not require any power once it has been programmed into the EPROM.
2. CMOS(Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor): lets you change the time and date and settings for how devices are loaded at start up and are read by the BIOS at boot up.
   Since it is a RAM chip, CMOS battery on the motherboard supplies constant power to that CMOS chip. If the battery is removed or Dead, the CMOS would lose the information stored in it including the time and date. Any settings you made in the CMOS setup would be lost, and you would need to make those settings changes again by entering the BIOS (using DEL or whatever the function Keys assigned by your MB manufacturer).

I am always hungry for speed, so I overclock all my PC's and often I have to get into BIOS and make modifications in the CMOS.

 

[Conal]

I did the job. I set the timer correct. I changed and checked the time via Windows GUI, CMD, BIOS; they all seemed consistent (even after shutting down the computer) after I reset the timer. The client told me he already changed it in Windows, and that it will revert back after a certain length of time (10 minutes to 30 minutes) but it didn't seem to happen with me and I was there a good 30 minutes after correcting the time.

One more detail; he's using a HP Pavilion G6 notebook PC. If the clock reverts back to an incorrect time again then I may try replacing the CMOS battery.

 

[topgundcp]

One more detail; he's using a HP Pavilion G6 notebook PC. If the clock reverts back to an incorrect time again then I may try replacing the CMOS battery.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00530488.pdf

Look in the section on how to replace CMOS battery (Also known as RTC(Real Time Clock) Battery)

 

[CountMike]

My bet it is not the battery as it is not in use when the computer is on, you can take the battery out and change it when the computer is on and not lose the settings the clock part is only read at boot time.

I am sorry but this is a very bad advice. Never, ever replace anything in your PC while it is running, you can fry the MB by touching or accidentally dropping the battery on the MB.

Most people think BIOS/CMOS are the same thing and they are not. Let me elaborate a little bit more on BIOS/CMOS business:

There are 2 separate chips on your MB. One is the BIOS (EPROM=Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and the other is CMOS (RAM=Random Access Memory).

1. BIOS(Basic Input/Output System): contains a special program that helps the CPU interact and control the other components such as video cards, sound cards, network cards, USB ports, hard drives etc... and can only be updated via the BIOS update utility. BIOS chip does not require any power once it has been programmed into the EPROM.
2. CMOS(Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor): lets you change the time and date and settings for how devices are loaded at start up and are read by the BIOS at boot up.
   Since it is a RAM chip, CMOS battery on the motherboard supplies constant power to that CMOS chip. If the battery is removed or Dead, the CMOS would lose the information stored in it including the time and date. Any settings you made in the CMOS setup would be lost, and you would need to make those settings changes again by entering the BIOS (using DEL or whatever the function Keys assigned by your MB manufacturer).

I am always hungry for speed, so I overclock all my PC's and often I have to get into BIOS and make modifications in the CMOS.

If I may ad just one more thing, Never do any work on the MB, like changing batteries, ad on cards, memory etc, or reset BIOS while the power is connected to PSU or it's switch is ON. There's always some paths in MB that are under power. Most MBs have some kind of warning light just because of that.
I too fiddle with BIOS a lot, so I just installed a momentary switch on BIOS reset contacts so I can reset it without sticking my fingers in the case. I find it really handy for experimenting.

 

[topgundcp]

If I may ad just one more thing, Never do any work on the MB, like changing batteries, ad on cards, memory etc, or reset BIOS while the power is connected to PSU or it's switch is ON. There's always some paths in MB that are under power. Most MBs have some kind of warning light just because of that.

@CountMike
Good additional Info. However, with the power cord unplugged and the PSU switch off, the status/warning lights on the MB are still on, that means there's still some power on the MB. To discharge completely from the MB, you also need to press and hold the power button until all lights are out.

 

[CountMike]

If I may ad just one more thing, Never do any work on the MB, like changing batteries, ad on cards, memory etc, or reset BIOS while the power is connected to PSU or it's switch is ON. There's always some paths in MB that are under power. Most MBs have some kind of warning light just because of that.

@CountMike
Good additional Info. However, with the power cord unplugged and the PSU switch off, the status/warning lights on the MB are still on, that means there's still some power on the MB. To discharge completely from the MB, you also need to press and hold the power button until all lights are out.

Yeah that's a good precaution too but depending on PSU and it's capacitors it will bleed in few seconds but I do it anyway.