Reference number: CH000386

Time and date getting reset and/or losing time.

Issue:

Time and date getting reset and/or losing time.

Cause:

This issue could be caused by any of the below possibilities.

1. Windows 95, 98, or Windows ME user.
2. Third-party utility or program.
3. Computer CMOS battery failing or bad.
4. BIOS not Y2K compatible.

Solution:

Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows ME user

When changing the year in Windows 9x or Windows ME, the time will stop until the Apply button is pressed.

When changing the month or date in Windows 9x or Windows ME, the time may decrease by 5-10 seconds.

Third-party utility or program

Third-party utilities or programs and/or screen savers can cause the time to stop or decrease significantly. If you are running Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT or Windows 2000, close all screen savers and attempt to end task all TSRs and disable all screen savers to ensure your lost time is not being caused by this issue. Information about how to End Task all TSRs can be found on CHTSR.

If this does resolve your issue, reboot the computer and attempt to determine which TSR or screen saver was causing this issue. Once the culprit has been located, see if the program has any available updates to resolve your issue.

Issue with APM

APM, or Advanced Power Management, can cause issues with the computer keeping time. Verify this is not the issue by entering CMOS setup and disabling APM or Power Management. Additional information about entering CMOS setup can be found on document CH000192.

If this does resolve your issue consult with the motherboard manufacturer or computer manufacturer for a possible BIOS update.

Computer CMOS battery failing or bad

The date and time will commonly get reset to the BIOS manufacturer date or epoch, or a default date such as a 1970's / 1980's date. When this occurs, this is generally a good indication that the CMOS battery is failing or is already bad.

Before replacing the battery, attempt to set the date and time to the correct values in CMOS setup and save and exit the setup. Additional information and help about entering CMOS setup can be found on document CH000192.

If, after saving the values, the date and time are reset when turning your computer off and on, attempt to set the values again but this time leave your computer on for 2-3 days without turning it off. In some cases this can help enable the CMOS battery to retain its settings for longer.

If this doesn't resolve your issue you will need to replace your CMOS battery. Additional information about doing this can be found on document CH000239.

It is possible that older computers may not have a BIOS that is compatible with any year 2000 dates. If your computer was manufactured before 1995 it is recommended that you contact the manufacturer of the computer or motherboard manufacturer to determine if the computer motherboard / BIOS is Y2K compatible.