[Channeal]

Just recently, I have noticed that the clock on our Dell Dimension 9150 computer has been gaining time. I thought I was imagining it at first, as when I looked the next day the time was correct. Now I have realized that it gets the correct time (from the internet?) at the start of the day, but then often gains. One day it was 20 minutes fast, although other days it has been only about 5 or 10 minutes. Yesterday it was 5 minutes fast, although today it rather oddly does not seem to have gained at all.

 

I Googled the problem and saw something about it possibly being caused by a chip in the motherboard. Is this correct..... and if it is, would it mean that the motherboard is on the way out altogether? The computer is very old (approaching its10th birthday soon) so I guess its days are probably numbered anyway! :-(

 

Thank you,

Chris.

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If this is a recent change, I would suggest replacing the battery and see if that solves it. When the voltage drops in the battery, it can cause it to run fast.

[Kemasa]

If this is a recent change, I would suggest replacing the battery and see if that solves it. When the voltage drops in the battery, it can cause it to run fast.

[iammykyl]

Gday.

In case you are not aware, Kemasa is referring to the CMOS battery.   Follow the instructions from the How To  bellow.

Before you begin.   Turn off the PSU and press in the case power button, > hold for about five seconds >  then open the case side panel, > briefly touch a bare metal part of the case, this is to discharge any static electricity from you body. Click the Motherboard link in the How To.

> http://www.computerh...es/ch000239.htm

[Channeal]

Thank you both for your replies. I guess I will try to get a new battery and attempt to put it in..... although I think the present one hasn't been in for a great deal of time. The last time the computer went into a shop for fixing, we asked them to replace the battery (we had to buy one ourselves and give it to them). Unfortunately, I seem to remember that we tried to do it ourselves, but couldn't remove the old one..... so no doubt we will have a lot of fun trying to replace it again :-)

Please can I ask you iammykyl what the purpose of pressing the computer on/off button for 5 seconds when the power supply is turned off is? Am just curious to know what it actually does?

Also, if I do succeed in replacing the battery and it fails to solve the problem and will therefore presumably implicate the chip in the motherboard (I think that is what I read might be the problem)..... please tell me if it then will mean that the whole motherboard is beginning to fail?

Sorry for asking so many questions. Have a happy new year, by the way!

Chris.

[iammykyl]

No worries with questions, ask away, and a happy new year to you and yours.

 

 what the purpose of pressing the computer on/off button for 5 seconds

 

A safety precaution to discharge any residue current that may still be present in some parts, i.e. PSU.

 

The "new" battery you got may have been very old stock and already below par.

 

After the new battery is installed, you should enter the BIOS to make sure the correct time and location are correct, then save changes and exit.

Then double click the clock in the Taskbar, check time and time zone, > click the internet time tab, > tick the Automatically sinc with a server. > select the server, > click Apply. 

 

 

 

 

[123Runner]

 

Also, if I do succeed in replacing the battery and it fails to solve the problem and will therefore presumably implicate the chip in the motherboard (I think that is what I read might be the problem)..... please tell me if it then will mean that the whole motherboard is beginning to fail?

The answer to this is a most definitely a yes. Generally anything dealing with the time setting will either be the battery or the board.

[Channeal]

Thank you both for your replies.

I guessed that that was probably the case 123 Runner. :-(

For the time being, I have just had a clean around inside the case and rather strangely, the clock seems to have been okay all day. Who knows, maybe that will last for a while!

Many thanks,
Chris.