computer date and time resets to random dates and times

googler

Saint_Andrew wrote: »

Most likely your Motherboard (BIOS) is set to another time-zone since most PCs are made in America.

If that was the case, it would be consistently wrong, but the OP says it's resetting to random values, which isn't explained by your solution

macman

donnajunkie wrote: »

i guess that will be expensive? i've never heard of this with computers before.

It happens to all PC's eventually, certainly after 5+ years. Not expensive at all.
The battery is about £2 and the job takes 5 minutes to DIY on a PC. It's as described-no more complex than changing a battery on any other appliance.
If it's a laptop, access can be very easy or very tricky, depending on the make and model.

donnajunkie

thanks for the advice everyone. i dont think i will be taking it apart as i am not confident about doing this myself. i would be likely to mess something up and cause a bigger problem than the one i am solving. i am going to just have to put up with it. at least it is set to automatically synch with the net when it is turned on. i am just relieved that its not malware as i was fearing.

Oblivion

donnajunkie wrote: »

thanks for the advice everyone. i dont think i will be taking it apart as i am not confident about doing this myself. i would be likely to mess something up and cause a bigger problem than the one i am solving. i am going to just have to put up with it. at least it is set to automatically synch with the net when it is turned on. i am just relieved that its not malware as i was fearing.

I think you've missed the point here donna. The motherboard backup battery ensures that your CMOS bootup configuration is retained safely. Once the battery dies, the CMOS data dies with it and your computer will no longer boot up.

I respectfully suggest you need to change that battery now.

lonestarfan

I thought I couldn't do it but I did it for a desktop pc and it was very easy. If its a desktop machine you are talking about then I'm sure it'll be very easy for you. It's as easy as putting a battery in an alarm clock.
If you look on youtube I suspect you'll be able to find a film of someone doing it. Actually seeing it on film may make you less nervous as at the moment you can't visualise it.
If its a laptop then I can't comment as I've no expertise of repairing them.
Now I always google and look at youtube first whenever I have a problem with my pc and then come on here for support.

sickofusernames

OMG, £2 for a cr2032 battery? That's not very money saving is it, pop down to your nearest pound shop and you can get a pack of batteries for that which will prob include 3 or 4 cr2032's...

Spank

How to change the battery http://pctechnotes.com/how-to-change-your-cmos-battery/

2 for 73p http://www.amazon.co.uk/CR2032-Battery-pack-Panasonic-Lithium/dp/B002U00ZNK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367267912&sr=8-1&keywords=lithium+battery+cr+2032+3v

lonestarfan

Spank wrote: »

How to change the battery http://pctechnotes.com/how-to-change-your-cmos-battery/

2 for 73p http://www.amazon.co.uk/CR2032-Battery-pack-Panasonic-Lithium/dp/B002U00ZNK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367267912&sr=8-1&keywords=lithium+battery+cr+2032+3v

I think I got mine from amazon. Well down for posting a link as that'll help the op visualise it as I don't know how to post links!

lonestarfan

sickofusernames wrote: »

OMG, £2 for a cr2032 battery? That's not very money saving is it, pop down to your nearest pound shop and you can get a pack of batteries for that which will prob include 3 or 4 cr2032's...

Very funny. The point being the figures £2-£4 demonstrates its not as expensive a repair as the OP imagined.

googler

donnajunkie wrote: »

thanks for the advice everyone. i dont think i will be taking it apart as i am not confident about doing this myself. i would be likely to mess something up and cause a bigger problem than the one i am solving. i am going to just have to put up with it. at least it is set to automatically synch with the net when it is turned on. i am just relieved that its not malware as i was fearing.

Don't you want to LEARN new stuff as you make your way through life ...?