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    Clock keeps changing on my m17...

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by Hamish33, Jan 30, 2009.

  1. Hamish33

    Hamish33 Notebook Consultant

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    Hey Folks

    I've had my m17 for a week now - everything is working great except the system clock keeps changing...a few days ago it was wrong so I updated with time.windows.com, then it changed again, so I manually set it, and it changed again. :confused:

    Yesterday I noticed it was behind by 20 minutes, today it is only behind by 10...has anybody else had similar problems?

    It occured to me that maybe the CMOS battery was faulty...any thoughts?

    Thanks
    :elvis:
     
    Hamish33, Jan 30, 2009
    #1
  2. CooLMinE

    CooLMinE Notebook Deity

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    Yeap seems like a battery issue. Except if every clock in your house is wrong :D
     
    CooLMinE, Jan 30, 2009
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  3. whizzo

    whizzo Notebook Prophet

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    hmmm... well, your house could have been teleported to the bermuda triangle...
     
    whizzo, Jan 30, 2009
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  4. Hamish33

    Hamish33 Notebook Consultant

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    I think I'm gonna try replacing the CMOS battery for starters...hopefully I can source one out locally...I would hate to have to send this rig back for something as small as that....
     
    Hamish33, Jan 30, 2009
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  5. dcsobob

    dcsobob Newbie

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    Having the same problem with my M17 as well. I hope the battery is not to difficutl to replace.
     
    dcsobob, Jan 30, 2009
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  6. Hamish33

    Hamish33 Notebook Consultant

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    really eh...it shouldn't be too hard, I haven't gotten around to it yet...

    I hope it's just a simple fix.
     
    Hamish33, Jan 30, 2009
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  7. Hamish33

    Hamish33 Notebook Consultant

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    well...about 6 hours since I changed the CMOS battery and the time seems to be correct...I have a burned-out m9750 (full machine I got from eBay) that I pilfered the CMOS battery from...I verified the voltage was correct...in fact they are the exact same battery....so, I guess I'll find out tomorrow if it's keeping accurate time or not

    the change was easy, the battery is located underneath the crossfire bridge cable, just fastened to the chassis by an adhesive patch.
    :elvis:
     
    Hamish33, Jan 31, 2009
    #7
  8. The_Moo™

    The_Moo™ Here we go again.....

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    nice :D

    Hamish you need to read my horror story in the offical m17 thread it will make you ROFL.....lol

    alright who wants to be rickrolled
     
    The_Moo™, Jan 31, 2009
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  9. Hamish33

    Hamish33 Notebook Consultant

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    dcsobob....looks like the battery was the issue, clock has been bang-on since Friday when I changed it...I'm sure AW will send you one...it's super easy to change...
     
    Hamish33, Feb 1, 2009
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  10. E-wrecked

    E-wrecked BANNED

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    Wow..odd - never known a CMOS battery to go out that quick.
     
    E-wrecked, Feb 1, 2009
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  11. Hamish33

    Hamish33 Notebook Consultant

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    first time I ever saw it as well...I took the CMOS battery out of a 9750 I got off eBay for parts...it's more than a year old for sure - must have been a dud I guess.

    I'm happy it was only the battery though...

    ps - how are you liking the quad core? I'm kicking myself in the pants for not shelling out the extra few bucks and getting it instead of the x9100...oh well, the x9100 is still pretty sick just the same....
    :elvis:
     
    Hamish33, Feb 1, 2009
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  12. Mystik

    Mystik Notebook Deity

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    exactly why I think network error is more likely.

    the whole windows updating the time from time.microsoft.com or whatever... probably bunk. try pool.ntp.org probably give more accurate times.
     
    Mystik, Feb 1, 2009
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  13. CooLMinE

    CooLMinE Notebook Deity

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    Windows dont really update the time that frequently. Got mine enabled and the last time it updated was two months ago. Doubt thats the problem. Cant think anything else than the battery.
     
    CooLMinE, Feb 1, 2009
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  14. Hamish33

    Hamish33 Notebook Consultant

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    yeah...I've never had a time error before....not on any of my machines, and I've had a few. I have heard of a bad CMOS battery causing the clock to malfunction...looks like I've experienced it...I'm sure there must be a few dud batteries produced in each batch at the factory that manage to get through quality control...

    word.
    :elvis:
     
    Hamish33, Feb 1, 2009
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  15. pumaro

    pumaro Notebook Enthusiast

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    My clock was off by some odd number of minutes also. I think I changed the time zone 3 times and now its good. I don't know why it happened but its fixed now.
     
    pumaro, Feb 2, 2009
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