An update, for those who are interested:

It seems that Ubuntu Linux - which I ran from a CD - has a problem
with certain Dell laptops wherein something is written to the RTC that
stops it from being a clock anymore. I'm thinking I've got the same
issue.

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=149565

The new problem becomes resetting the BIOS on this notebook - it has
no visible backup battery, and leaving it unplugged and without main
battery for ~8h did nothing.

So at last a reason. Now all I need is a solution.

-Randy

On 10/25/06, Tony Smith <ajsmith@rivernet.com.au> wrote:
> > > system clock seems to stop dead whenever I put the machine
> > to sleep or
> > > in hibernation. Also, its system clock will lose 50 minutes
> > randomly
> > > while using the machine.
> > >
> > > Has anyone had a problem like this before? Any solutions?
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > I'll focus on the NTP side of things. Keeping your system
> > clock accurate is easy if you enable NTP as a system service.
> > I use Win2000, but XP should be similar.
>
>
> XP only syncs once a day, not sure if you can change that.  There are plenty
> of little apps out there that do this.
>
> The default server is time.windows.com, I wonder how may hits a day that
> gets.
>
> Doesn't really solve you problem I know...
>
> Tony
>
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-- 
-Randy Glenn
Computer Eng. and Mgt. Year V, McMaster University
Regional Student Representative, IEEE Canada

randy.glenn-at-gmail.com - glennrb-at-mcmaster.ca
randy.glenn-at-computer.org - randy_glenn-at-ieee.org
http://www.randyglenn.ca
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