computer date and time resets to random dates and times

NowRetired

pop down to your nearest pound shop and you can get a pack of batteries for that which will probably include 3 or 4 cr2032's

I bought a pack of these for a digital thermometer, the original A13 battery lasted 2 years, the ones I got form the £ shop for a £1, I have to keep changing it every month so one battery for £2 or 12 for £1, I'd rather buy one for £2.

macman

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.

If you can take the cover off and use a screwdriver, then you can fix it in 5 minutes. There's nothing at all to 'mess up'. If you post the make and model then someone will provide a link to a pic or diagram of the mobo showing exactly where to find the CMOS battery.

StuC75

Thats a Tad OTT, the bios will just revert to default settings, and may take slightly longer or pause at the POST stage. So only issue if OP has dabbled and tweaked in the BIOS for overclocking (which is unlikely if they are wary of opening the case).

If the PC is always connected to broadband then set the pc to synch with a windows timeserver..

Oblivion wrote: »

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.

donnajunkie

googler wrote: »

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

not if a !!!! up puts me a few hundred quid out of pocket. however i will look at some links.

donnajunkie

macman wrote: »

If you can take the cover off and use a screwdriver, then you can fix it in 5 minutes. There's nothing at all to 'mess up'. If you post the make and model then someone will provide a link to a pic or diagram of the mobo showing exactly where to find the CMOS battery.

compaq presario sr5129uk.

donnajunkie

i have noticed how when the computer is shutdown there is a green light on behind it until i turn the power off at the wall. when i shutdown last night i left the power on at the wall. when i turned the computer on today the date and time were still correct. i am wondering if leaving the power on at the wall made a difference. i do acknowledge i could be talking nonesense here. whatever the case maybe the fact is the time and date were still correct when i turned it on today.

espresso

donnajunkie wrote: »

i have noticed how when the computer is shutdown there is a green light on behind it until i turn the power off at the wall. when i shutdown last night i left the power on at the wall. when i turned the computer on today the date and time were still correct. i am wondering if leaving the power on at the wall made a difference. i do acknowledge i could be talking nonesense here. whatever the case maybe the fact is the time and date were still correct when i turned it on today.

By leaving the mains on last night you have proved that the real time clock battery does need to be replaced.

Download the Upgrading and Servicing manual from here

Follow the instruction and fit a new CR3032 battery - job done!

donnajunkie

espresso wrote: »

By leaving the mains on last night you have proved that the real time clock battery does need to be replaced.

it doesnt prove anything for sure does it. i tried it to see what would happen thats all. the issue coincided with my security flashing up a vulnerability with adobe reader. so it may well be connected to that for all i know. although i have updated it since.

espresso

donnajunkie wrote: »

it doesnt prove anything for sure does it. i tried it to see what would happen thats all. the issue coincided with my security flashing up a vulnerability with adobe reader. so it may well be connected to that for all i know. although i have updated it since.

Yes it does, leaving the mains on overnight maintained the voltage supply to the real time clock chip allowing it to keep working.

When mains power is removed, normally the battery that now needs to be replaced would supply this voltage.

Easy cheap fix that will solve your date, time issue.

Kernel_Sanders

I'd be very surprised if it does reset to a random time. Mine resets to either the last time the PC was switched off at the mains or 1st January in the year of manufacture.

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...

Yes, I think Poundland's have 8, half of which are CR2032s. Home Bargains also sell a cheap card.

Oblivion wrote: »

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.

I've been manually resetting my clock for months, now; haven't yet got around to that job! Are you saying there will come a point when the battery replacement will be too late?