what's wrong with my computer's clock?

[ButterflyBlood]

Lately it's always been getting a few minutes early and then I reset it to my cell phone's time and the next day it's off again. Why's it started to go slow?

[GOPisEvil]

1. It needs a new battery.

Somewhere on the motherboard is a battery that needs to be replaced.

[lenidog]

2. That is bizarre mine has

been doing the same thing.

[Misunderestimator]

3. A CMOS battery likely... How old is your PC?

CMOS batteries usually last about 10 years.

[ButterflyBlood]

4. I think it's about 7 years or so

n/t

[Misunderestimator]

6. I would guess it would be the cmos battery then.... and it's probably

about $20 to replace (it's on the motherboard).

[Cornjob]

5. It's that nickel-sized lithium battery!

Usually located somewhere that is next to impossible to access on your motherboard!

[nine23]

7. And keep your box plugged in when you change the battery.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

8. ...and it probably looks a little something like this

http://www.infopackets.com/graphics/cmos+battery.gif

[emulatorloo]

9. If you are in Ohio, call Triad and they will replace your CMOS battery

or so I hear.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/121604Z.shtml

<snip>

A representative from Triad Systems came into a county board of elections office un-announced. He said he was just stopping by to see if they had any questions about the up-coming recount. He then headed into the back room where the Triad supplied Tabulator (a card reader and older PC with custom software) is kept. He told them there was a problem and the system had a bad battery and had "lost all of its data". He then took the computer apart and started swapping parts in and out of it and another "spare" tower type PC also in the room. He may have had spare parts in his coat as one of the BOE people moved it and remarked as to how very heavy it was. He finally re-assembled everything and said it was working but to not turn it off.

    He then asked which precinct would be counted for the 3% recount test, and the one which had been selected as it had the right number of votes, was relayed to him. He then went back and did something else to the tabulator computer.

    The Triad Systems representative suggested that since the hand count had to match the machine count exactly, and since it would be hard to memorize the several numbers which would be needed to get the count to come out exactly right, that they should post this series of numbers on the wall where they would not be noticed by observers. He suggested making them look like employee information or something similar. The people doing the hand count could then just report these numbers no matter what the actual count of the ballots revealed. This would then "match" the tabulator report for this precinct exactly. The numbers were apparently the final certified counts for the selected precinct.

<snip>