Re: Computer clock is slow

The answer must fit the problem and the perceived ability level.. some don't
learn from extended answers.. they merely get confused, in which case no
service has been provided..

If they want to know the "why's", they come back and ask.. more advanced
users will do that, or e-mail if an address is provided..

--
Mike Hall
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User



"Bill Ridgeway" <info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:ebcs4t$glp$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ken Blake wrote <<I tried to avoid too many details for someone who
appears to be a computer novice>>

I have had a few years providing solutions, procedure manuals and the like
and this is a bit of a dilemma. Include a bald instruction of do this, do
that and the inexperienced reader can get the job done. On the other hand
by including a bit of background information the inexperienced reader has
the option of just doing the job or just doing the job and learning about
the issue whilst the experienced reader can just jump to the essential
bits. Experienced users also read this NG so I feel, on balance, a bit of
additional information may be useful.

Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23cW%237DkuGHA.1504@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Bill Ridgeway wrote:

Ken Blake wrote <<These are setting that are kept in a special memory
chip on the motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the
system, and contain the time and date, among other things. The
battery we've been talking about keeps all of those settings correct,
as well as the time and date.>>

Perhaps this needs fleshing out a bit. When a computer is off it is
nothing more than a collection of metal, plastic etc.


Well, I tried to avoid too many details for someone who appears to be a
computer novice, but I guess your additions don't hutrt.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup


It doesn't
'know' anything about anything. except the CMOS (complementary metal
oxide semiconductor). This chip stores the very basic parameters of
the computer. These include the date, time and a technical
description of the such things as the hard disk drive - and many
others. Obviously when the computer is not connected to the mains it
needs something to maintain this information and that is the job of
the CMOS battery. Now CMOS batteries like any other have a life. If
the computer is stored unused (in a shop or whilst you are on a long
holiday) the power is being drained from the battery. A charge in a
CMOS battery can last for, say, 3 or 4 years. When you turn on you
computer it first looks to information in the CMOS to tell itself
what it is before looking to the BIOS and then the hard disk to load
the operating system (Windows) and other software. Think of it as a
bit like you waking up on the first morning of a holiday and having
to work out why the sun is now coming in from the opposite direction
etc before you try to work out what you will be doing that day.
Regards.

Bill Ridgeway
Computer Solutions

"Ken Blake, MVP" <kblake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23yEco9iuGHA.428@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jyeshta wrote:

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:03:47 -0700, "Ken Blake, MVP"
<kblake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

You're welcome. If the clock is losing time while turned off, just
replace the battery. It's cheap and easy.

If you don't, sooner of later you'll lose all the CMOS settings.

By the way you usually have at last 15 minutes to replace the
battery before losing the settings, but it's prudent to have a hard
copy of what they are before beginning, just in case you have to
put them back manually.

Thank you, Ken. What are the CMOS settings? Sorry for being so
ignorant.

These are setting that are kept in a special memory chip on the
motherboard. They are the basic hardware settings on the system, and
contain the time and date, among other things. The battery we've been
talking about keeps all of those settings correct, as well as the
time and date.

--
Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
Please reply to the newsgroup






.

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