XP Pro failing to keep the right time

This will be like the 7th try at setting the time (the small box at the lower right). I set it, and a day or two later it is way off. Today it is 2:30, but the XP clock is saying 9:27 PM. This is how I set it:
click on the time
the clock popup appears at the upper left
I set the time
click okay
I have it on internet time (time.nist.gov). What am I doing wrong?

 

There's 3 tabs on the 'Adjust Date & Time' dialog.



After clicking on the second tab to ensure you are in the right time zone click the third tab. It should tell you when the last successful time sync occurred and when the next one is scheduled. I just leave it set to the default time.windows.com and it seems to work most of the time (time.nist.gov has given me problems in the past, apparently it's too widely used).

Alternately, you can use REGEDIT to add your own time servers to sync with and modify the sync interval (default is every 7 days).

http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/tune-17.html

Here's some other time servers I use when one fails:

time-a.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov
time-a.nist.gov
time-b.nist.gov
utcnist.colorado.edu

 

The coin-size CMOS battery in your computer may need to be replaced.

 

+1 to flavallee, that is usually the first symptom of CMOS battery failure is erroneous date/time

 

I had set the date and time right, according to some 'atomic clock at some website. The time zone I never touched, but it was on pacific time. The only other option for CA is Baja, California. I had it set for time.nist.gov, but when I just checked its on time.windows. So far the time is accurate, but then it usually takes 2 to 7 days to go wonky.

 

To flavallee and Elizabeth23, I'll begin looking for a CMOS battery to fit a OptiPlex 960. Thanks!

 

Most desktops/towers use a standard nickel-size CR2032 flat round battery, but check yours to make sure.

 

Usually, when the batt goes bad/dead, in my experience, bios clock goes to 01-01-2000 AM.

Another issue might be XP randomly re-setting time for DST. DST changes at a different time than when XP came on the market. (programed to adjust) I dont think there was a patch to re set DST change times. I have on ocassion, set my time zone to Phoenix time to maintain the right time.

 

So far the time has not messed up again. I left it on windows.time.com, and have it set for pacific time. We will see.

 

Yeah, it's back to the same old. Time now is 4am. Time on the XP Pro is 10:57 am. When I run MX Linux in Live CD mode, its clock shows about the same discrepancy. I suspect a new CMOS battery?

 

Actually, if you run any form of linux, & then run windows on the same computer, either swapping hdds, dual boot,or run off a CD/DVD, it will always screw up the clock.
Yeah, the 7 hours, I dunno about the 3 minutes, tho.

 

Never knew that. Interesting tidbit...I just reset the clock again, and time.windows.com thinks it is 12:58PM when Google says it is 10:59AM. Time.gov agrees with Google.I reset it by hand.

 

I was running this computer this morning with Mint Mate (I swap hdd's) This reminded me to reset the time!! Its 8:35 PM!! reset back to 1:35p, , , ,

 

I was very skeptical about Linux changing the time, as all I ever heard is that doing LiveCD mode leaves nothing behind, and does not affect the PC....but I put it to the test last night. You were right. Linux Mint is changing the time clock across the board. Needless to say, my enthusiasm for Linux in general, and LiveCDs in particular, has cooled. If Linux can do this in LiveCD mode, who knows what other changes it's also making. If installed to SSD will it do the same, or can it reach into my primary HDD and screw up my XP Pro? I think I'll be backing off Linux for now. Learning a secondary OS is not important enough to risk my primary OS.

 

https://www.linuxquestions.org/ques...ews-up-windows-time-date-settings-4175578187/

About ½ way down, , , ,

From another site:

edit: I would say, 'not to worry'

 

Actually this leads to neither of the OS showing the right time, as the time on the Linux Mint is five hours off every time it boots, which afterwards put the XP Pro time the same. I fiddled with the time for about an hour the last LiveCD session, and never could get Linux Mint to set the right time....even after setting it to Pacific Time, and 12 hour clock. I know it don't matter, as any change I had managed to make would of been undone at the end of session. The point being if I cannot even get the dang Linux clock set, I don't know what future this OS has on my PC....I certainly cannot afford to have a computer tech come by for every little thing. Possibly MX Linux will be better when installed. It still refuses to run in LiveCD mode anymore.

 

Hi Trimis, I think Linux Mint uses UTC time and Windows uses local time, you'll have to switch Linux Mint to use local time.

timedatectl to check current settings, 0 = UTC, 1 = local time.

Try this:
On Linux Mint 18 and above do this in the terminal to force Linux to use local time:
timedatectl set-local-rtc 1 --adjust-system-clock

On Linux Mint 17 or earlier, edit /etc/default/rcS file:
# assume that the BIOS clock is set to UTC time (recommended)
UTC=no

 

Thanks

 

I'm only using Linux Mint 18.3 MATE in LiveCD mode. No idea how to do this:
timedatectl to check current settings, 0 = UTC, 1 = local time.
I cannot even change the dang clock to the right time. Got it from 24 hour to 12 hour, and set to Pacific time, but it still refused to set to the right time after almost an hour of fiddling. So far as I know, one cannot make any changes to a LiveCD as it reverts to default at the end of session, and I don't use flashdrives so that is not an option. It looks like I'm stuck with resetting the PC clock everytime I use a LiveCD. The more I use Linux Mint the less I like it.

I have a new Dell OptiPlex 7010 MiniTower PC as upgrade from my current OptiPlex 960. MX Linux is set to be installed in the new PC, on separate SSD ( I have a Syba SY-MRA55006 mobile rack being installed in the spare 5.25 bay). I assume once installed, this will also be able to screw with the PC clock?

 

When you are on the Linux Mint Desktop, look in the bottom-left, right from the Menu there are few icons, click the black icon with ">_", that is the Terminal, open it, type: timedatectl and press Enter, and see what it says.

You can also try accessing the Terminal from: Menu > System Settings > Preferred Applications > Terminal. Or somewhere else in the Menu.