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Faulty motherboard clock circui on Windows PC
My PC keeps losing the correct time, even after I manually fix it, which points to a faulty motherboard clock circuit. The battery has been replaced and Windows time sync is on, but the clock still resets or drifts every time I power off the machine completely.
2 Replies
Fast Startup saves system state to a hibernation file instead of doing a true shutdown, which can prevent the system clock from properly syncing with the hardware clock on boot.
Because the clock resets after a complete power-off, first separate firmware clock loss from Windows synchronization. Enter UEFI/BIOS, set the correct time, shut down, disconnect AC power for 10 minutes, then enter UEFI again before Windows starts. If the firmware time is wrong, Windows Time is not causing the reset. Recheck the replacement battery’s type and polarity, inspect the battery-holder contacts, load firmware defaults, and install any firmware update supplied by the PC or motherboard manufacturer. If the fault persists, the RTC circuit or board needs manufacturer or repair-shop service.
If UEFI retains the correct time, troubleshoot Windows. In Settings > Time & language > Date & time, enable automatic time, confirm the time zone, and select Sync now. Then run w32tm /query /status and w32tm /resync in an elevated Terminal. Check Event Viewer’s System log for Windows Time-Service errors if resynchronization fails.
