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My Windows Time is Not Accurate and Gets a Few Minutes Behind

Anonymous
2022-09-18T11:43:09+00:00

The Windows workstation I'm using won't have its time stay put. I tried going to the time settings and changing the time to the correct time and it won't stay put. After a while it gets behind by a few minutes.

My computer is older, even on a newer computer you can still access some of the old settings.

There are two settings now, one from the start settings menu with the search side bar and other random settings I've seen people use on newer computers with weird computer kung fu.

How do I put my time to the correct time and get it to stay put? My computer is Windows 7 if you must know but I don't want to upgrade, I already have a newer Windows 11 which came with S mode.

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Accessibility

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-09-18T14:52:27+00:00

    There is a small shiny coin cell battery in your computer.  It is almost always the standard 2032 .  This battery is recharged by your computer but has a life of about 5 to 8 years.  This battery keeps constant power to the memory that contains today’s date & time as well as a lot of the features in your system.  When it starts to fail, it commonly will start asking you to re-enter the date each time you startup.

    For Notebook PCs it is likely going to be difficult to find the battery and will require a special part, requiring the services of a technician.

    For Desktop computers, this is an easy change:

    1. Unplug the power to your computer
    2. Hold the ON button in for 7 seconds
    3. Lay the computer on its side with the side where the wires are, down
    4. Remove the side panel
    5. Peer in there and you will see a shiny silver battery about 1/2″ in diameter.  It looks like a quarter.  That’s the battery
    6. Go to just about any store and buy a 2032 coin cell battery.  They cost less than $5
    7. Find a very tiny flat bladed screw driver (like one used for your eyeglasses)
    8. Very carefully pry the battery loose.  It will pop up so be prepared to catch it.
    9. Press the new battery in with the embossed markings on the up-side facing you.
    10. Close the side panel
    11. Turn it up vertical again
    12. Start up the computer

    Your computer will now need to have the date and time set but only once more — at least for this 5 years.  You need to enter the BIOS, which you do by pressing F2  immediately on startup  in most systems to get to the place where the date and time is stored.  Put in current time and date.  Close this the way it tells you to save what you did.  You may hear more whirring and chugging while some of the stuff is again set up.

    Once Windows is up and running again

    1. Click once on the time/date in the bottom right corner
    2. Click on Change date and time settings
    3. Click Internet time
    4. Click change settings
    5. Select time.b.nist.gov and click the Update button — this will synchronize the computer clock with the US govt time labs system
    6. Close
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  2. Anonymous
    2022-09-18T17:09:05+00:00

    Hi Canadian Tech,

    Thank you for this concise and answer. I'm going to mark it as correct.

    In this thread for those anxious about command prompts and batch files (maybe powershell one day), Jimmy Salian has a concise answer about setting internet time from the command prompt. https://free.blessedness.top/en-us/answers/questions/1012498/windows-time-service-and-ntp-wont-start-troublesho.html

    For the USA, I would use [...] /manualpeerlist: 0.us.pool.ntp.org 1.us.pool.ntp.org 3.us.pool.ntp.org 4.us.pool.ntp.org time.nist.gov

    For Canada, I would use /manualpeerlist: 0.ca.pool.ntp.org 1.ca.pool.ntp.org 3.ca.pool.ntp.org 4.ca.pool.ntp.org

    You can use the nist.time.gov server outside the USA but you will be transmitting data across an international border. Should be ok for most people. NIST has servers in Global, Maryland and Colorado.

    NTP (click continent then nearest country) https://www.ntppool.org/zone/@

    NIST Time https://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/servers.cgi

    Similar to the laptop or non 2032, if you have to go with the long answer on the other thread you might want to hire a tech.

    Awesome answer, Dont forget the anti static gloves and anti static mat (computer tech mat). Those are required when touching the inside of a computer if you are a Microsoft MCSA or CompTIA GFL A+ certified before 2011.

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  3. Anonymous
    2022-09-18T17:24:14+00:00

    Was this a test????

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  4. Anonymous
    2022-09-18T21:21:31+00:00

    No, I was actually having problems with my time syncing. Thanks for the great answer.

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