System Clock Loses Time

What Happens and Why

There is a "CMOS clock" in your computer which is powered by a tiny battery. As long as the battery is good, this clock keeps the correct time, and each time your computer is restarted, Windows98 reads its initial time from the CMOS clock. However, while Windows98 is running, it keeps track of the time on its own without continuing to check the CMOS clock, and keeping track of the time is not the only thing Windows has to do. The busier your system gets, the more likely it is to lose time. Generally, the longer you use your computer, the further behind it gets. When you leave your computer on for an extended amount of time, the Windows clock (displayed on the taskbar) may lose from two minutes to an hour per day.

Likely culprits

Anything that makes your computer especially "busy" can take Windows' attention away from its time-keeping function and lead to this "losing time" symptom. If you're running lots of programs, or even just one or two very demanding programs, you may see the computer clock losing time. Furthermore, anything you are running which causes the computer to have to spend time "watching" for something to happen can also lead to a slow clock. Here are the most common culprits:

• Games and other video-intensive programs
• Screen savers and "scheduling" programs
• Internet chat programs (ICQ, IM, etc.)
• Playing MP3 files, CDs, or internet audio
• Anti-virus programs
• Processor-intensive applications

What you can do

• Restart your computer once a day to keep the time fairly close to accurate. This has the additional benefit of cleaning up any "memory leaks" that may take place as you open and close programs through the course of the day.
• Check the time when Windows starts. If it's not accurate, you need to set the CMOS clock.
• Check the time occasionally while Windows is running to be sure it's not getting wildly out of sync.
• Round up the usual suspects -- that is, try not to run too many of the types of programs listed above.
• Visit Microsoft's page about this problem for more explanation and information.
• If all else fails -- install an internet timeserver program such as Dimension 4. But note that this may aggravate a Windows98 shutdown problem, if any.

Setting the CMOS clock

If Windows displays the wrong time when it first starts, your CMOS clock may need to be set. If you have to do this repeatedly, your CMOS battery may need to be replaced (call the INTEK help desk at 314-596-8750 for assistance). Here's how to set the CMOS clock:

• Turn on (or restart) your computer
• Press the F2 key during the initial boot process to bring up the system setup screen.
• Check the date and time shown at the top of the screen. If it's incorrect, change it (see on-screen instructions for how to move around on this screen and how to make changes).
• Exit the system setup screen, being sure to agree to "save changes."
• After the computer finishes booting, check the Windows clock to be sure it's correct.