Date/Time keeps going wrong.

Question

I use Windows 7, 64 bit version, and recently the clock time keeps going wrong and sometimes the date also. I reset the date/time manually and by Updating the Internet Time option but the time soon falls behind and is wrong again. I cannot change the default setting which updates the Internet Time weekly. Can you help please?

Answer 1

Auto time set only works if the current time in your system is close to actual.

It is likely the small coin cell battery (usually a 2032) has failed.  They are constantly being recharged but last from 5 to 7 years.   

If yours is a laptop, changing that battery is usually quite difficult (requires a lot of disassembly) and a special part from the OEM.

There is a small shiny coin cell battery in your computer.  It is almost always the standard 2032 .  This battery is recharged by your computer but has a life of about 5 to 8 years.  This battery keeps constant power to the memory that contains today’s date & time as well as a lot of the features in your system.  When it starts to fail, it commonly will start asking you to re-enter the date each time you startup.

For Notebook PCs it is likely going to be difficult to find the battery and will require a special part, requiring the services of a technician.

For Desktop computers, this is an easy change:

1. Unplug the power to your computer
2. Hold the ON button in for 7 seconds
3. Lay the computer on its side with the side where the wires are, down
4. Remove the side panel
5. Peer in there and you will see a shiny silver battery about 1/2″ in diameter.  It looks like a quarter.  That’s the battery
6. Go to just about any store and buy a 2032 coin cell battery.  They cost less than $5
7. Find a very tiny flat bladed screw driver (like one used for your eyeglasses)
8. Very carefully pry the battery loose.  It will pop up so be prepared to catch it.
9. Press the new battery in with the embossed markings on the up-side facing you.
10. Close the side panel
11. Turn it up vertical again
12. Start up the computer

Your computer will now need to have the date and time set but only once more — at least for this 5 years.  You need to enter the BIOS, which you do by pressing F2  immediately on startup  in most systems to get to the place where the date and time is stored.  Put in current time and date.  Close this the way it tells you to save what you did.  You may hear more whirring and chugging while some of the stuff is again set up.

Once Windows is up and running again

1. Click once on the time/date in the bottom right corner
2. Click on Change date and time settings
3. Click Internet time
4. Click change settings
5. Select time.b.nist.gov and click the Update button — this will synchronize the computer clock with the US govt time labs system
6. Close

Answer 2

how old is your computer?

Answer 3

Hi Canadian Tech,

Many thanks for taking the time to post such a comprehensive reply. Unfortunately, I do have a laptop and it seems probable that it would be very difficult to replace the 2032 battery. The system does not ask me to re-enter tha date on start-up and it does not affect the date/time shown on incoming or outgoing emails. However, filed emails pick up the date/time which is in the bottom right-hand corner of my screen and, as this is usually, wrong, these emails are not filed in date/time order (but I can live with that).

Once again,

Many thanks,

David (in England but owning a German laptop).