Simple clear advice in plain English

Make your PC's clock remember the time

If your computer's clock keeps restarting it's likely the battery has run out of power

q-a-logo

Q When I first switch on my PC, the date is always stuck on December 2003 and I have to change it to the current time and date before I do anything else.

When I am finished I switch off the PC but when I return to it later and switch it on again, the date has returned to December 2003. I cannot seem to make the computer remember the correct time, can you help?

David Taylor

A This is a common problem with older PCs. Computers have to use a battery to keep the internal clock running when they are switched off at the mains.

Like any battery, these will run out of power after time and need replacing. Rather than a typical AA or AAA battery used in most electronic devices, the type used on motherboards is a small battery resembling a coin.

They can be purchased from some computer shops, chemists and watchmakers and are fairly cheap.
Many motherboards use a battery called the CR2032, but check the manual or old battery.

To replace the battery you will need to open your PC and look on the motherboard for the slot where the old battery is, and then replace it. Although it’s a fairly easy procedure, it does mean having to poke around inside your PC, and this can be confusing. Watch our video for advice.

Baffled by jargon? See our free online jargon buster

Article tags

Reader Comments

   

Add your comment

All fields must be completed. Your email address will not be displayed or used to send marketing messages.

All messages will be checked by moderators before appearing on the site.

See our Privacy Policy for more information.

Related articles

Hard disk illustration

How to buy upgrades that are compatible with your computer

Upgrading parts of your computer, such as hard disks, graphics cards and memory, is easy as long as you research exactly what you need

f-340-hifi-spotify

Rip and save music in high-quality formats to listen to on your PC

How to keep the sound quality high using a lossless format

np-335-psteed

Find out why your computer's time and date keep resetting

The internal battery that keeps time when the mains power is off may have run flat

Question & Answer

Q.Why can't my browser find the website address I typed...

> Read the answer

Q.All updates have been downloaded, so why won't Windows...

> Read the answer

Q.How do I stop Windows 7 search?

> Read the answer

Best deals on the web

img

Apple MacBook Pro (MC724LL/A)

£999.99- Buy it now

img

Sony Vaio VPCF23P1E/B

£679.98- Buy it now

img

Samsung 300E5A-A01DX

£449.99- Buy it now

Great benefits for subscribers!

Most popular articles

Poll

Which is your preferred web browser

Jargon Buster

Computing terms explained in plain English

VGA

Video Graphics Array. Standard socket for connecting a monitor to a computer.

Great shopping deals from Computeractive