XP Clock Problem

See if there's anything useful here.

 

Ron 

Thanks for this... I sympathized with the title, haha...

 

Unfortunately, all of the programs that this post recommended USE the XP clock server.  Or, mine has taken over the world and won't let me customize it.  Grrr.

It won't sync with anything.

 

It won't allow me to CHANGE the time manually either.

 

I can customize it with the programs - change all the colours, backgrounds, fonts, etc. - but I can't change the TIME.

 

These have the clock on the desktop, clocks on the folder address bars, clocks everywhere... All wrong.

 

Anyone else have a suggestion?  

 

Guess I'll just have to put a clock on my desk beside the computer... The old fashioned way:smileyindifferent: 

 

 

<>Try a windows system file check. 

Click start>run

Type in: sfc /scannow

(space between sfc and /)

<>Click OK

<>Insert XP CD if sfc requests it and reboot when it's done.

 

Ron 

Wow ~ thanks so much for that. 

It said I was lacking files so I went to XP update and - mid-update, the 2nd time I've tried - now it is working.

Maybe it'll stick to the right time now:D 

Not sure I understand. If sfc said you were missing files, you were supposed to insert XP CD, not go to the MS update site.  So what did you actually do? And is the clock correct now?

 

Ron 

I'm thinking the check fixed on problem, and the update fixed another, adn the two together messed up the clock.

Larry_R,

You're as confused as I am. The clock was messed up before the system file check. And I don't know where MS updates came into this mix (mess).

 

And you don't proofread your posts...

:D :D :D

 

Ron 

Heh, yeah, it was a long day yesterday; rereading my post its not as clear as I'd like it to be.

 

But ... If between sfc and the Windows Update the problem has been resolved (it has been resolved, right? :)) then I think we can consider this a job well done.

Actually, the clock is back to being incorrect... now it is 11:46am and it reads 5:44am.

 

Sorry about the confusion.  When I ran the script mentioned above, it asked for the XP Service Pack 2 CD, which I didn't have.  I found it online on Microsoft.com.  However, in order to get it, I had to download other "updates" as it would not let me isolate and download JUST SP2.  

 

SO ~ as I was updating, the clock was temporarily correct.

 

Thank you for continued help on this mystery! 

 

 

Sorry ~ this issue is no longer resolved.  I appreciate the help:)

Do you have a network time protocol (NTP) client installed?  If you did, I'd say check the configuration and make sure its not trying to "fix" your time to a different timezone.

 

Does the time drift slowly off, or sudden jump to being hours off? 

And have you scanned for malware lately?

 

Ron 

How do I find out if I do have NTP?

 

It will be randomly in a different time - several hours off. It is not a drifting process. I cannot change it manually. (see previous posts.)  It is perpetually on the wrong time.

 

Yes, I have checked for malware, etc.

You have already made sure the clock in the BIOS is set correctly, yes?  If not, see if that makes a difference.

 

Most OSs read the system time from teh BIOS when they start up, and write the 'current time' to the BIOS when they shut down.  If that clock is off, for whatever reason, it could be messing up the clock in Windows. 

Yes, the BIOS clock is correct.  Have checked several different times.