I dual-boot XP-OpenSuSE 11.0...about two weeks ago I noticed my clock in either OS was not correct...after several resets of the clock I finally replaced the battery on my motherboard and have checked the voltage twice since replacing the battery...the voltage measures 3.275V for a 3.3V battery. I have not changed any hardware or software in either OS...I go into my BIOS and the date is correct but not the time.

I correct the time while inside the bios and boot into both OS and everything is on time until I shutdown...as soon as I reboot either OS the time is incorrect again.

Is there another motherboard setting that might be causing this? As I mentioned previously I have not changed any configuration either hardware or software. All programs in both OS work fine...access to the internet is fine. Thoughts please???
Thanks in advance!

You didn't say how much it is off by, but if it's hours (3, 4, etc.), then it's probably related to a sysclock/hwclock setting (man hwclock). If only a few minutes, maybe the bios is buggy, or you need to implement something like ntp or openntpd.

If you are setting your bios clock to local time your linux distro might be reseting it to UTC.

currently running igniteux and i am having the same problem. i replaced my cmos battery and when i change the time and reboot... it changes the time back to i guess what would be called the UTC time. i think its odd cause if i let it be it will progress in time. i really dont feel like doing a software reload. oh yeah...its off by months...not minutes.

btw- this is a (classsified).... and the fact that this fault is not covered in any pubs or tech bullietins but was able to find something here relating to it, makes me proud to be a member of this website.

thanks.

Hi

Testing the voltage of the cell using a multimeter out of circuit is not a fair test of the battery. Since the voltage across the cell will drop with the current drawn from it depending upon its condition.

May I suggest a very simple test:

Take the activities of the Linux distributions out of the equation.

#1 Enter the CMOS and (Temporarily) reconfigure the CMOS to boot from a diskette drive (or equivalent) and boot the system using a simple OS - eg. MS DOS, FreeDOS, etc.

#2 In the CMOS set the date and time (make the time match a reliable external timepiece nearby (eg. a reliable digital clock);

#3 Boot the system

#4 Periodically check the time.
...
Allow the system to run for some time and monitor the system time to see if the time is drifting.
...
#4 Then turn off the PC and leave it for an extended duration (eg. over night, a day, etc)
--
#5 Boot the system, enter the CMOS and check the date and time for drift


If you observe that the system date and time have substantially drifted, then you can focus on factors other than the Linux Distros (eg. CMOS battery with low charge, etc).

If the date and time are stable then it may be that the Linux distros have been configured to reset the system clock based on an external reference (eg. the time can be set to follow an external time reference source site on the Internet, etc).

Another thing to observe is whether the drift is cumulative. (ie. the drift gets longer and longer, as opposed to sometimes presenting a large error, and at other times a smaller error - the latter could indicate that something in software is periodically resetting the system clock).

In most cases I have encountered it is either the CMOS battery that is failing, or the motherboard clock circuitry that is at fault in these circumstances. The batteries don't last forever, and the stocks you buy might be years old.

Hope that helps

C.

I try to set the date and time even after installing the new battery (and several times with the old one) but when I exit the BIOS, even after pressing F10 to save the changes, the date/time still reverts to 10/01/2007 at 12:00 AM, which I know it's not, and a "CMOS Date/Time Not Set" error keeps coming up.

Hi

Nods (ponders)

Did you clear the CMOS settings using the jumper on the motherboard ?
(turn off the system, close the jumper, turn on the system, turn it off, and restore the jumper to its normal position)

It sounds like the BIOS is corrupt if the battery is good, and the settings are not saved when you elect to do that on exit from the CMOS setup.

Please post the motherboard manufacture name and model number to assist.

C.

It is an ECS A770M-A motherboard and AMD Phenom X4 9750 CPU.

Hi,

Load the cell out of the holder by using a 1-10kΩ resistor then read with a DVM/Multimeter.

BTW, look at the date of OP.

@Kenny_Strawn look at your other post pertaining to BIOS problem. In addition since you moved the MB. What type of standoff for the MB mounts. Sometimes some MB place a mount point close to the CMOS. I always use a plastic or nylon when possible to prevent a problem in that area. Sometimes a insulated washer on both sides of the screw (top & bottom of MB) when a brass or steel standoff is used in that area to prevent shorting.