Windows 7: Wrong date and time

Hi guys,

I have windows 7 proffessional x64 on a dell studio laptop and my problem is this;

When I shutdown my laptop and turn it back on again the time and date are wrong. I have had dell replace my motherboard twice and had 2 new CMOS batteries installed. This did work for a while but then it started again. I have tried using a different server for the internet sync but that had the same problems. I have been looking through forums and can't seem to find anyone who has found an answer for this particular problem.

I am sure that someone out there knows what the issue is.



Please help me

Hiya pal & welcome to the forums.

This isn't a fix but maybe a workaround. Have you tried a third party app like time sync etc. Here's a link to a free one that might help you out SP TimeSync. synchronize your computer's clock with any high precision atomic time server

Here's another one but I don't know if it works with 64bit atomic-clock sync

Hi jumpyprawn and welcome to Windows 7 Forums

When you say the time and date are wrong when you boot up, are they always reverting back to the same time/date? If you enter your BIOS, does it show the same time/date each time?

You may need to reset your BIOS.

If you only pulled the CMOS battery long enough to replace it with a new one, try waiting for at least 5minutes or longer to make sure all the power has drained.

You could even pull the plug or if you have one turn the rocker switch to the power supply off, then press the start button to clear any residual power.

Forgot you have a laptop. Are you able to get into it to change the CMOS?
I know some laptops are hard to open.

Thnaks for the replies,

Pooman UK
That sync is working really well and is very helpful for the mean time while I try and sort it out properly. I have tried the atomic clock sync before and it does not work on the 64 bit version but the other is great. Thanks

Dwarf
They revert back to the time when I shut down the computer and the BIOS is normally set to that time as well.

Anak
I can but I don't want to risk it as the laptop is still technically under warranty and if I meddle they may remove it.

Cheers for the help my computer actually is keeping the time...

No probs pal, only to glad to help. Whilst the workaround is a temporary resolve I would periodically check back from time to time just incase someone has a more permanent fix

@jumpyprawn my friend who also owns dell laptop had the exact same problem as yours.When we went to dell service center they changed the motherboard and CMOS battery but after shutdown the last shutdown date and time was shown.We again went to the dell service center and the problem they said was that the connection between the CMOS battery and the motherboard was somehow damaged internally.They opened the back case and fixed it and now laptop is working properly

I hope this helped and maybe you can visit DELL service center once more and tell them about this solution,maybe they will look into it.

It does sound to me like a CMOS battery problem. Normally on a desktop PC you would get an error message and all your BIOS settings would be lost including the date and time. On a laptop though its a little different setup. The actual settings are stored in a different type of chip, they are not lost if you remove the CMOS battery. This is done so you can't easily get past the BIOS password if the laptop is lost or stolen. Instead of a eprom its an eeprom, electronically erasable programmable memory. You have to apply power to erase it or reprogram it. Anyway in a laptop all the CMOS battery really does is maintain the date and time (run the clock) when you shut it down. If its still under warranty I would go after them again to fix it properly. I don't know about Windows 7 but in windows XP if your clock was messed up windows update wouldn't work correctly.

Jp glad to hear pooman's work-around is helping, but I would hope you follow dreamer's advice.

I know it can be exasperating, but if you keep after Dell to fix this they either will or else give you a new one.