PC clock runs fast always!

[Trevor Schell]

Computer Question.
Why does my computer clock always run
2-3 hours ahead of the actual time.
I can reset it but eventually it
jumps ahead gradually.
How does one fix that?

Thanks for any input!

[P-Dub]

I've got the same question as well.

My PC clock doesn't speed up as much as Trevor's, but it does get faster by a few minutes every month.

[Lex]

Are your CPUs overclocked? LOL.

[Kevin P]

Is your time zone set correctly? If it's set wrong and the XP time synchronization service is running, it will resync to the wrong time.

A few minutes' drift over the course of a month is pretty much par for the course. PC clocks are notoriously inaccurate. Especially the CMOS clock that keeps time when the PC is off. I rarely see one that's anything resembling accurate.

A dying motherboard battery can cause the CMOS clock to lose time pretty quickly.

[P-Dub]

No my PC isn't overclocked. That was the plan and my old PC that was overclocked, never had time drift off as much.

I hardly ever turn my PC off, so I don't think it's the battery. Just the inappropriate shut downs. Come to think of it, I've had my PC for just over 2.5 years. Time to look for an upgrade.

[Lex]

Thanks for seeing the humor in my joke Paul. I have noticed a tendency for one of mine to wind up fast as well. I figure since a clock is not what I really need the computer for, I don't pay a whole lot of attention to it other than not trust it for official time.

[Trevor Schell]

Lex!
Overclocked! :scratchhead:
The only thing overclocked right now is my Pelvic muscles..
:alol:

Kevin,,it's not a few minutes etc..
Example , I had syncronized my time with Windows.com, say about
3 days ago.
Today it is running 3 hrs and 34 minutes faster than actual correct time.
Weird.
But it could be the battery like you said.
I will have to upgrade my MOBO..Then that will cause me to
upgrade my Processor..Then I will end up having a Kevin Krusher on my hands. :alol:

[mtw]

I use WinSync to keep my PC's clock accurate.

[Sim reality]

Yeah... use WinSync or some other NTP based freeware (I use NIStime from... Well, the NIS website)

I believe the problem is because motherboards of anything besides servers do not use quartz crytals to keep time... I am not sure why... Probably has to do with latency to keep it in sync with the processor clock which would slow the processor down, but that is a wild guess.