Computer Clock

Boy, I'm using the crap out of this new forum!

Just curious, anybody else's clock in their computer losing time? Mine loses about 3 minutes a month. Sheesh, you'd think of all the clocks (most battery operated) I have in the house, the computer clock would be the LAST one to not keep accurate time! And no, I don't unplug it. It's a laptop & has battery backup anyway.

[QuicksilverDon]

I could be wrong, but I think problem may be onboard battery on motherboard. If that starts to go, clock goes off. If battery goes dead, you get asked all sorts of questions on start-up. How old is laptop? Battery I'm talking about should be good for a couple years.

[Sci-Fi]

Every computer either loses time or gains time. Do a search for atomtime or atomic clock at ZD net, Cnet, etc. and just install it. Plenty of atomic clocks around the country (world) to choose from if you don't like the default one (usually the U.S. one in Colorado). I use the one at MS, not too many hits and let the program adjust my clock once a week.

Don, the laptop is about 2 1/2 years old and the battery indicator shows that it's fully charged. I very seldom run it on the battery, 99% of the time it is plugged in. Basically I just unplug it if there is a thunderstorm coming so a lightning strike doesn't fry everything.

I set the time online at the "official US time site" once a month so thats how I know it's losing time.
It's a minor aggravation, but just wondering why?
The clock in both the Jeep & PT don't lose (or gain) time, but the computer does.

Ah well, another mystery of life,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thanks Sci-Fi, your post hit as I was doing mine. Will try that.

QuicksilverDon (14 Nov, 2001 02:20 p.m.):
I could be wrong, but I think problem may be onboard battery on motherboard. If that starts to go, clock goes off. If battery goes dead, you get asked all sorts of questions on start-up. How old is laptop? Battery I'm talking about should be good for a couple years.

My computer at work was purchased in April of this year, and for the past several months has done the question thing at startup, which drives me nuts. A computer tech who was there to correct some other problem told me it was probably the battery, but didn't bother to replace it. (I didn't know there WAS a battery in there.) Anyway, all the questions drive me crazier than whether or not the clock keeps decent time (which it doesn't). >(

[QuicksilverDon]

MotownPT - the battery indicator tells you the charge for powering your whole laptop - not the battery I'm talking about. All computers (not just laptops) have a small battery - smaller than AAA size - that keeps power to certain system settings (and keeps the clock alive). The battery placement and type vary from maker to maker, some are rechargeable, most aren't - all I've run into are mounted somewhere on the motherboard. When the battery runs low, clock goes sour, and the system 'forgets' some of it's settings - I had an old PC that 'forgot' what monitor it had every time I started it up until I replaced the battery. I'd say to take the excellent advice above to 'synch' your clock - if problem persists, hunt for a web site for your computer & locate battery & replace it - at 2 1/2 years, it may be going - can't hurt.

Talk about learning something new every day!
I had no idea either that there is a battery like that in computers. Gonna check out the Fujitsu website. Thanks!

p.s. no doubt this will be a "special" battery not generally available, so I might as well prepare to bend over }