Strange Clock Problem

[lynx]

My clock is about 5 mins fast.

If I set it to the right time, then 24 hours later it is 5 mins fast again, but after that it doesn't seem to get more than 5 mins fast.

I've just tried fooling it by setting it 5 mins slow (about 4 hours ago), just to see what happens, but I won't know the result of that for a while yet. At the moment it is 4 mins slow.

Oh, and it only does this when DST is in effect, up until a week ago it was keeping perfect time. Just in case someone asks, Internet time synchronisation is OFF.

Anyone ever seen anything like this? It is driving me nuts. :unsure:

[tesco]

does it work fine if you change the time zone? :unsure:

[lee551]

i also have a strange clock problem, but mine is always slow! its never accurate. its always like 10-20 minutes behind. i never trust my computer's clock.

[lynx]

does it work fine if you change the time zone? :unsure:I take it you mean change the TZ rather than adjust for DST? I suppose I could just tell it not to adjust for DST.

I haven't tried that, but I'll wait to see what happens with the other method first.

THe clock is currently about 3 mins slow.

[zapjb]

That's why I use Atomic Clock Sync. Freeware.

[Peerzy]

Its fine here (and im UK) But my clock is set to sync with teh net (time.windows.com).

[TheDave]

a day last 24 hours regardless of where you are in the world, unless maybe you're in more places than one :unsure:

[Peerzy]

Infact most days only last 24 hours 59 minutes 57 seconds (Reason why we get the leap year i think, or different ammount of days in a month, one of the two)

[lynx]

Infact most days only last 24 hours 59 minutes 57 seconds (Reason why we get the leap year i think, or different ammount of days in a month, one of the two)Or even 23 hours 59 minutes 57 seconds :shifty:

[TheDave]

Infact most days only last 24 hours 59 minutes 57 seconds (Reason why we get the leap year i think, or different ammount of days in a month, one of the two)
that cant be right. :blink:

[Peerzy]

Or even 23 hours 59 minutes 57 seconds :shifty:



D'oh. T'was what i ment :crying:

[clocker]

Anyone ever seen anything like this? It is driving me nuts. :unsure:
Sure, it's actually very common.
Replacing your CMOS battery might help, but if it doesn't there isn't much you can do to fix the problem, although there is a workaround to semi-correct it.
This (http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_inet_time.htm) will allow you to change the frequency at which your clock is synchronized...default in Windows is once every 7 days, you can decrease the interval until the problem isn't noticable.
Obviously, you must enable the Time Service again.

It's odd that the computer clock (in general, not just yours) is so bloody innacurate given how time sensitive communications over a network can be.
I've read that domaine servers won't even accept requests from a machine who's clock varies from their own by more than 5 minutes.

[Barbarossa]

D'oh. T'was what i ment :crying:

Actually, the Sidereal Day is 23 hours, 56 minutes 4 seconds :cool:

[clocker]

That's useful info to know as I was considering a move to Sidereal in the near future.
How are the public schools there and is free parking available?

[lynx]

Sure, it's actually very common.
Replacing your CMOS battery might help, but if it doesn't there isn't much you can do to fix the problem, although there is a workaround to semi-correct it.
This (http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_inet_time.htm) will allow you to change the frequency at which your clock is synchronized...default in Windows is once every 7 days, you can decrease the interval until the problem isn't noticable.
Obviously, you must enable the Time Service again.

It's odd that the computer clock (in general, not just yours) is so bloody innacurate given how time sensitive communications over a network can be.
I've read that domaine servers won't even accept requests from a machine who's clock varies from their own by more than 5 minutes.I agree that general inaccuracies are very common. In actual fact though the clock chips have a mechanism built in to correct the inaccuracy, but it has rarely been used before the windows time service was introduced.

But none of that explains why the clock only goes wrong with DST in effect, it has been just about spot on for the last 5 months.

Thanks for the little prog, I actually analysed what it was going to do and changed it manually. While I was doing so I found all sorts of settings which the Windows Time Service uses, in theory to make the clock accurate, and I suspect one of these is at fault. I think I'll try to investigate what they do and possibly adjust them manually.

[Ariel_001]

There is no such thing as “5-10 min” behind. If it is constantly like that then you are setting it wrong or an app is causing the problem. Try turning on Internet time synchronisation. Here is a list of NTP you can try out.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q262680

[lynx]

There is no such thing as “5-10 min” behind. If it is constantly like that then you are setting it wrong or an app is causing the problem.Oh yeah, I forgot how to set a clock, how silly of me. :dry:

[clocker]

I agree that general inaccuracies are very common. In actual fact though the clock chips have a mechanism built in to correct the inaccuracy
Well yeah, they have to since we are dealing with cycles that include fractions and rounding to an even number is necessary.
I believe the corrections are called "offsets" and ( much like leap years) compensate for the inevitable discrepancies that accumulate.
Maybe the addition of such a large offset (one hour) is what throws the clock out of whack. If so, disabling the DST option and manually altering the time in BIOS might solve the problem.

[Storm]

Or even 23 hours 59 minutes 57 seconds :shifty:

actually its 23 hours, 59 minuits and 56 seconds.........

[clocker]

actually its 23 hours, 59 minuits and 56 seconds.........
Actually, it's "minutes". :P

[lynx]

I've discovered that there is a parameter used by Windows Time service called "Last Clock Rate" (along with MinClockRate and MaxClockRate). Apparently this figure is used as a counter by the RTC. When the counter reaches zero the RTC produces a "tick" (I believe there should be 100 ticks per second).

The accuracy of the RTC is maintained by adjusting this value. I've found that on my pc this value is set to the default, which should almost always not be the case - no RTC clock is that accurate. I suspect there is probably some other service which allows the RTC to be altered, but which I have disabled (probably as advised for "security" purposes) :ph34r: .