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Why is my PC's clock wrong?

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how do one contact Microsoft when a country has extended the daylight saving time and Microsoft has not updated the change?

MS dont really have a bug/issue reporting forum. the only work around seems to be not synchronizing the time. (past experience tells they do release updates when they come to know)

Posted by: novice at September 6, 2008 2:44 PM

I'm surprised to hear someone say the networks' timekeeping is off. Before household "atomic" clocks (which are very accurate, when they can successfully update themselves often) became so prevalent, I built a Heathkit GC1000 "Most Accurate Clock", which translates the time signal broadcast by NIST from Boulder, CO. My first observation was that the networks were dead on with their timekeeping. You truly could (and can still) set your clocks by the networks. I've found, too, that computer clocks are notoriously inaccurate when not updated frequently.

I think it's likely that the TV network clocks are dead-on correct. However the timing of their programming is another matter. I regularly lose the "tail" of TV shows that I know I've recorded from X:00 to X:59:59 on a correctly set box.

-Leo

Posted by: Julian Adams at September 9, 2008 7:29 AM

With a laptop and desktop running Vista, only the laptop will syncronize internet time through my provider (Hughes.net). The desktop, regardless of which server I select, always gives me the same message (An error occurred while Windows was syncronizing with time-nw.nist.gov (etc.)). What is wrong with the desktop?

Posted by: Mark Forshee at September 9, 2008 8:43 AM

When I click on the Task Bar clock, then select Adjust Date/Time, the pop up window does not have the Internet Time tab. It seems that I have the Plain Jane version. How do I get the Elegant Ellie version with the Internet Time tab?

I suspect it depends on your version of Windows. I don't think it was there in Windows 9x, for example.

-Leo

Posted by: Gary Poore at September 9, 2008 10:16 AM

Why not just install Dimension 4 it will solve ALL
your time problems and it is free

Posted by: Mel at September 9, 2008 11:36 AM

Gary, the Internet Time tab will not appear if you are part of a domain - instead the Domain Controller is your time source.

Mark, see this link: http://tinyurl.com/3yp5qt
that may help you.

Posted by: Ziggie at September 10, 2008 8:33 AM

There is a program ,nistime-32bit, that queries the National Institute of Standards and Time (NIST) server and updates your computer clock. A google search for "nistime-32bit" should find the program.
I did not know Windows updated the clock as Leo writes above. I checked and have this option active, but still once a month or so when I run nistime-32bit, my computer clock is always off by half a second or so.

Posted by: Kenneth Crook at September 13, 2008 4:53 PM

I use "AtomTime Pro" myself (http://www.atomtime.com). Works like a charm.

I'm surprised to hear that the USNO keeps U.S. time -- I thought that was the province of NIST? Oh, well...

The main thing I wanted to say, is that once I'd installed AtomTime, and set my watch by it, I found that I could actually COUNT DOWN to the start of "Jeopardy!", and my Mom always gets a kick out of it -- the commercials would be going, the station announced, etc., and it would seem that it wasn't going to make it, but ALWAYS, just after I would say "zero" -- "This Is Jeopardy!" would boom out from our T.V.'s speaker! :)

But, yes, I too have noticed that not ALL networks synchronize their programs to the exact time. Some run "early" or "late". "Jeopardy!" simply happens to be, apparently, on a network (offhand I forget which one) which just happens to use "the precise time". :)

Posted by: Glenn P. at September 13, 2008 10:16 PM

Thank You Ziggie! I found your answer to my problem further down the page, today 9-16-08. The time protocol port was setup in McAfee, however the inbound and outbound UDP ports had no numbers in them (123). Adding the 123 to each, allowed the time to be updated with no error message! Thanks Again! Mark

Mark, see this link: http://tinyurl.com/3yp5qt
that may help you.

Posted by: Ziggie at September 10, 2008 08:33 AM

Posted by: Mark Forshee at September 16, 2008 9:27 AM

I have GP policy for the time on the servers. Have a few computers not registering the right time. I reset it as local admin and it just goes back to the prior hour in a few minutes. What is up w/ that?

Posted by: D B at March 12, 2009 8:05 AM
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