Solved How to stop computer from randomly changing times

[alpalpa]

Hey guys,
The system time on my computer changes randomly, often times to the last time/date that I set to resynchronize it with the actual time. I've switch the CMOS battery with the one in my laptop. but the problem persists. I also manually added windows time (W32Time) in services.msc.
I also tried stopping it from synchronizing with internet time servers, and also changing it from the windows time server to a .gov time server, but the problem persists!

Additionally, I ran full scans with AVAST and MBAM, but they both came up clean.

Do you guys have any suggestions?

Thanks,
alpalpa

 

[richc46]

Welcome
It does sound like the battery, even though you tested. Can the computer contacts for the battery be dirty or defective?

 

[alpalpa]

I just cleaned out the CMOS area, and I bought another brand new CMOS battery, but am still being affected by this.

 

[dtxx]

Quick question, are you dual booting more than one OS? Say linux and MS?

 

[alpalpa]

No, not at the moment, but I am planning to add a Ubuntu partition to see if it might be something to do with windows.

 

[Britton30]

Try your BIOS time and set it to the correct time if it is off. You need to keep the sync with time servers on. Try a manual server time update.

 

[alpalpa]

I did both of the suggestions you posted Britton, as I had previously turned off automatic syncing thinking that was problem. Unfortunately, neither syncing with a time server nor changing system time in BIOS prevented the time from changing.

 

[richc46]

You may have to boot the computer from time to time to have the correct time.

 

[alpalpa]

Lots of time after booting the time is already off. It gives all the symptoms of a bad CMOS battery, but several replacements/ cleanings are indicating that this is not the case.

 

[Sardonicus]

Make sure the year in the BIOS and the OS is correct.

 

[alpalpa]

Yeah the date and time keep reverting to what I manually changed it to. (I would set the time at 4:21, and at 6:30, the time would revert to 4:21 again)

Edit: The year is also correct

 

[Sardonicus]

Is the time zone correct and the "Daylight Saving Time" box checked?

 

[alpalpa]

Yep, both correct, but it wouldn't be that because it changes in increments other than 1 hour.

 

[Layback Bear]

Check the MSI Site and Forum to see if anybody with your motherboard is having this problem. Motherboard time will rule over Windows time. Check for a bios update that addresses this problem.

 

[Sardonicus]

Check to see if there isn't a problem with the voltage. Although you may be using a good 3V CR3032 battery, you want to make sure that the voltage readings are good.

Download and instal HWiNFO32
http://www.hwinfo.com/http://www.hwinfo.com/download32.html
Click on the yellow Sensors tab.
Look for VBAT.
The voltage should be at a constant 3.00 to 3.3 Volts.

 

[F5ing]

I would think you would be able to find events getting logged for this problem. Might check there to see if it can help you identify the cause.

Does the BIOS time always match the OS time? Even when it's out of whack?

Finding the time set to the same value you last set it to sounds like a clock that's simply not running or incrementing (but not like it lost power at one point and restarted at 0:00).

 

[alpalpa]

I checked VBAT, it was at 3.2 volts.
I also looked online, I can't find anyone with this problem on the MSI forums.
@F5ing, the time does revert back to a time in the past, but I can't figure out why the clock would stop working intermittently, then revert back to a previous setting.

Also went to event manager, but I dont see anything that seem to be affecting it. (I noticed windows time failed, but only once in the past 7 days, but the time resets around every 1-1.5 hours)

 

[richc46]

After the initial reset, does it keep good time?

 

[alpalpa]

Yes, it keeps time fine until the next reset occurs.

 

[Sardonicus]

Windows is set to automatically synchronize the time every Sunday at 1:00 AM, every week, at least on Windows 7, Home Premium.
It can be changed, of course.

In Search, type taskschd.msc, run it.
Under Active Tasks, scroll down to "SynchronizeTime" and double click on it.
Under the Name field, double click on "SynchronizeTime".
Select the "Triggers" Tab.
Select Edit.
Change the Start hour from 1:00:00 AM to a time that your PC is most likely, turned on.
Change "Settings" to Daily, Repeat task every: 1 hour, for a duration of: Indefinitely.
Make sure that Enabled is checked, OK, OK.

Monitor it for a few days and see if it works for you.
You can, of course, check the Event Viewer for any errors with the scheduler.

Good Luck.