this old computer@#$%^&

[Ed Fenwick]

Aloha y'all,

Day before yesterday, I noticed that the time was wrong on the desktop. Yesterday it had reset itself back to 2004! I wonder what today will bring? The computer is many years old and I assembled it from used parts. Do you think the problem is the battery? Or is this a slow death?

'hope that yesterday was a blessing to all the Veterans and God bless You Ed

 

[Richard McAlister]

If you have the coin type battery on the motherboard, I'd change it first and see what happens. Doesn't cost much..

 

[Travis Stevens]

more tan likely your computer is dying due to age and use... either your hard drive is beginning to fail or your motherboard is... either one is not good... but if you want you can always build a new one that is really good for arround $300 if you buy the parts from newegg.com

 

[Richard L]

If the only problem the computer has is remembering the time/date, it's the CMOS battery that is no longer holding a charge when the PC is turned off. Just replace the battery (only a few dollars), reset the time/date and run your setup routine to insure that all you CMOS setting are correct



You did not say exactly how old the PC is, but anything over about 5 years is a prime candidate for replacement. As the software gets more sophisticated it requires more memory, and faster processors. Old computers can't keep up and are often not worth the cost to upgrade so it's usually better to just retire them and buy a new computer with all the newest technology to get you through the next 5 years or so...:grin:



Of course if you are happy with the computer you have now and do not plan on getting more new software, etc., then just replace the CMOS battery and you should be good to go for a little while longer. Just remember that most harddrives have a life expectancy of 3-5 years, which kind of corrosponds with the usefull life of the existing computer technology so you might want to start looking for your next computer before your old friend dies and leaves you stranded without your data...:cry:



....Rich

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Ed, do you by chance unplug the computer from the wall when not in use? I only ask because some PCs and their power supplies keep a small charge to the motherboard even when off. Not all, but some do. Those that do will be more forgiving of the lithium battery that is being discussed if it is starting to go. I had just one such computer. I left it unplugged for more than a week and it lost the date. Plugged it in for a few days, then it would hold the date for a few days unplugged.



Just a thought, but as others have said, look for and replace the battery and if the computer is otherwise serving you then keep it in service.



TJR