Set The Correct Time On Your Computer Automatically

Q. The clock in my computer is always losing time. Is there a way to fix it?

A. First, check the internal battery. If it’s OK you can download a file from the Web that will adjust the computer’s clock every time you go online. I’ll tell you more about that later.

If you have Windows 2000 or later, Windows can be set to automatically adjust the clock’s time for you. Every time you connect to the Internet, it will search out the exact time and reset your clock. To program Windows to do that, just right-click on the time in the systems tray and go to Date and Time Properties and click on the Internet Time tab, placing a check in Automatically synchronize with an Internet time server (see screenshot at right).

If you have an older version of Windows, you can still get your clock to run on time. There are a bunch of free applications that link to the Bureau of Standards atomic clock in Boulder, Colorado, and, with a click or two, will adjust your computer’s internal clock. To get connected, go to http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~ntp/software/index.html .