Windows clock accuracy problem - please try it

Message

Puppy · #1 Post by **Puppy** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 6:37 pm

I've noticed the Windows clock is usually behind by few minutes during several hours. It seems to be caused by applications using DirectX but I'd like to confirm it first.

Could you please try following steps:

1. Close all running applications
2. Run PC-Doctor for Windows (installed by default)
3. Click on System icon (or Device Categories - System in the left menu)
4. Click on Motherboard Device RTC "Run Test" link to start the RTC test

Results for both tests should be "Pass"

5. Run DirectX Diagnostic Tool (by typing "dxdiag" and Enter in Start -> Run dialog)
6. Wait until it starts and checks WHQL signatures (if enabled), do not start any DirectX test but do not close it
7. Go back to PC Doctor and run the RTC test again

You should get "Fail" for "Test the accuracy of the RTC" now. My system is Windows XP SP2 with ATI Mobility Radeon 9000, DirectX 9.0c.

Can anyone else reproduce it ? Thanks.

krma-thkpds · #2 Post by **krma-thkpds** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 8:19 pm

I reproduced the problem mentioned.

My system is Windows XP service pack 2 with ATI FireGL v3200, DirectX 9.0c.

davidspalding · #3 Post by **davidspalding** » Sat Dec 24, 2005 8:39 pm

the RTC Accuracy and RTC Rollover tests pass both times for me, according to your recipe.

betabill · #4 Post by **betabill** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 7:00 am

I'll have to try this on mine.

Puppy · #5 Post by **Puppy** » Sun Dec 25, 2005 9:20 am

Additionally you can get more detailed result by editing PcdrSystemBoard.ini file (C:\Program Files\PC-Doctor for Windows\Diagnostics):

change iShowDetails=0 to iShowDetails=1

And run PC Doctor.

In my case typical "Fail" result looks like this:

Optimal Milliseconds:5000, Allowed Milliseconds:25, Elapsed Milliseconds:4957

dvorak · #6 Post by **dvorak** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:12 am

I got my motherboard changed a few months ago due to the RTC errors, the error rate was just too extreme, few minutes every couple of hours.

The new mothreboard seems a bit more accurate, but my NTP software reports it still way over avarage (about 50-75 points per million vs a Toshiba laptop at 15 PPM). That means for every second it'll be wrong 50/1,000,000s.

But when testing it manually, I get varied results -- syncing it once every two days, the drift is only a second (very good),then again sometimes the drift is a second for a couple of hours, so a very suspicious RTC in these Thinkpads.

As IBM's site is very difficult to navigate, could anyone be so kind and point me to the place there where I could download the Windows XP version of PC-Doctor? I found a DOS version, but that's no good.
I remember it DID came with a factory installation, but I've done a clean install myself, so no PC-Doc.

#7 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 8:18 am

dvorak wrote:As IBM's site is very difficult to navigate, could anyone be so kind and point me to the place there where I could download the Windows XP version of PC-Doctor? I found a DOS version, but that's no good.
I remember it DID came with a factory installation, but I've done a clean install myself, so no PC-Doc.

AFAIK, PC-Doctor for Windows is commercial software that IBM includes on the ThinkPad. To prevent unauthorized downloading of commercial software, this software is not available on IBM's site. WinDVD is likewise not available.

If you have a copy of the C:\IBMTOOLS\APPS\PCDRWIN\ folder on a backup, you can install PC-Doctor for Windows from there.

You can download the bootable CD version of PC-Doctor for DOS from the driver matrix page for your model. If you want that link, I can find it for you.

dvorak · #8 Post by **dvorak** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 8:37 am

GomJabbar wrote:Doctor for Windows is commercial software that IBM includes on the ThinkPad. To prevent unauthorized downloading of commercial software, this software is not available on IBM's site. WinDVD is likewise not available.

If you have a copy of the C:\IBMTOOLS\APPS\PCDRWIN\ folder on a backup, you can install PC-Doctor for Windows from there.

Unfortunately I don't have these files any more.

I'll try to get them by other means, but would you be so kind and post the MD5 sums of the files inside that folder, so I can verify that the files are identical?

#9 Post by **GomJabbar** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 8:53 am

dvorak wrote:...would you be so kind and post the MD5 sums of the files inside that folder, so I can verify that the files are identical?

I am unsure how to get the MD5 sums. If I have to check each individual file, and the files in the subfolders; I don't have the patience for that. Too many files.

dvorak · #10 Post by **dvorak** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 9:23 am

GomJabbar wrote:
dvorak wrote:...would you be so kind and post the MD5 sums of the files inside that folder, so I can verify that the files are identical?
I am unsure how to get the MD5 sums. If I have to check each individual file, and the files in the subfolders; I don't have the patience for that. Too many files.

How many files are there in there in total, and what would the size of the whole thing be, if I may ask?

The first app that I remember which could do whole folders is Md5Summer (http://md5summer.org/)

Thanks.

Puppy · #11 Post by **Puppy** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 9:38 am

It must be a software issue because it occurs if an application uses DirectX only.

Is there any way to contact IBM support for this issue ?

Puppy · #12 Post by **Puppy** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:46 pm

Grrr, still can not resolve this issue. Am I really alone with it ?

dvorak · #13 Post by **dvorak** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:51 pm

Puppy wrote:Grrr, still can not resolve this issue. Am I really alone with it ?

You might want to take it a Service Center, they'll give it a testing of their own for a day, and then most likely decide to change your motherboard. Then you'll get the new, and most likely the clock on that one will 'suck' too, but if it doesn't, please let me know :)

Puppy · #14 Post by **Puppy** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 3:57 pm

Well, if it was a motherboard issue it would not work all the time. Again, it happen only if an application initializes anything from DirectX family (DirectDraw etc). Also notice the first reply by krma-thkpds who can reproduce it as well. I suspect it is something caused by an IBM driver or Microsoft update. That's why I asked to do the same test.

dvorak · #15 Post by **dvorak** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 4:14 pm

Puppy wrote:Well, if it was a motherboard issue it would not work all the time. Again, it happen only if an application initializes anything from DirectX family (DirectDraw etc). Also notice the first reply by krma-thkpds who can reproduce it as well. I suspect it is something caused by an IBM driver or Microsoft update. That's why I asked to do the same test.

I'd do the test, if I had the software for it :)
I presume I'd fail anyways, with or without DirectX:

Code: Select all

07/16/2006 00:08:09 Received time (ping 190 ms), error 85928 ms.

Just discovered my NTP software hasn't synced since 8th of July, and my clock was behind 86s. So that's... 9.6s a day. And the normal should be around 1.3 seconds a day, at least that's what other, Toshiba etc., laptops get.
Didn't think it would be that far behind, must've gotten even worse now.

Puppy · #16 Post by **Puppy** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 4:18 pm

dvorak wrote:I'd do the test, if I had the software for it

The software is preinstalled by default.

dvorak · #17 Post by **dvorak** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 4:20 pm

Puppy wrote:
dvorak wrote:I'd do the test, if I had the software for it :)
The software is preinstalled by default.

dvorak wrote: I remember it DID came with a factory installation, but I've done a clean install myself, so no PC-Doc.

;)

Puppy · #18 Post by **Puppy** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 5:31 pm

More observations on this issue. Precisely said it is caused by using a Multimedia Timer by an application, not DirectX itself. I wrote simple test application to prove it. It might be related to following MS KB article:

The system clock may run fast when you use the ACPI power management timer as a high-resolution counter on Windows 2000-based, Windows XP-based, and Windows Server 2003-based computers
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/821893/en-us

dvorak · #19 Post by **dvorak** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 4:08 am

And I just discovered that my clock was off by 28 seconds this morning :) Last sync was 3:41 in the night, and now it's noon.
Machine was in hibernation the whole time, so I'm afraid I've got to schedule another appointment with a service center in the near future.

Windows clock accuracy problem - please try it

Windows clock accuracy problem - please try it

Who is online