- Using Control Panel
- Setting the Window Color
- Turning off Aero
- Setting the Desktop Background
- Setting the Screen Saver
- Setting the Desktop Theme
- Configuring the Monitor
- Configuring the Mouse
- Configuring the Keyboard
- Configuring Sound and Audio Devices
- Setting the Date and Time
- Localizing Your System
- Accommodating Disabled Users
- Using Speech Recognition
- Using Alternative Mouse Behavior
- Conserving Power
- Managing Fonts
- Managing Visual Effects and Performance
- Restoring the Old Windows Look
- Getting General System Information
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Setting the Date and Time
Keep your system time accurate, because Windows uses it to time-stamp files and email, schedule tasks, and record events.
To set the date and time:
Choose Start > Control Panel > Clock, Language, and Region > Date and Time.
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Click the clock in the taskbar's notification area; then click Change Data and Time Settings.
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Right-click the taskbar clock and choose Adjust Date/Time.
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Choose Start, type date and time in the Search box, and then press Enter.
- On the Date and Time tab (Figure 4.37), click Change Date and Time (if a security prompt appears, type an administrator password or confirm the action), adjust the date and time as needed (Figure 4.38), and then click OK.
Figure 4.37 You have to be an administrator to change the date or time, but not the time zone.
Figure 4.38 To set the time in the Time box, type new numbers, press the up- and down-arrow keys, or click the small up and down arrows. Click the small arrow at the top of the calendar to change months.
- On the Date and Time tab, click Change Time Zone, choose your time zone from the drop-down list (Figure 4.39), and then click OK.
Figure 4.39 Windows assumes that you want to automatically adjust the clock for daylight saving time. Uncheck this box if you don't want to use daylight saving time.
- On the Additional Clocks tab, you can add more clocks that show the time in other time zones (Figure 4.40 and Figure 4.41).
Figure 4.40 Add clocks that show the time in other parts of the world and view them by...
Figure 4.41 ...clicking the taskbar clock.
On the Internet Time tab, click Change Settings (if a security prompt appears, type an administrator password or confirm the action), check Synchronize With an Internet Time Server to synchronize your computer clock with a highly accurate clock (Figure 4.42), and type or choose any time-server address in the Server box.
Figure 4.42 When your computer is shut down, the motherboard battery maintains the time.
Once a week is the only interval you get unless you click Update Now.
- Click OK (or Apply) in all open dialog boxes.
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- Internet-time synchronization occurs regularly only if you have a full-time internet connection such as DSL or cable. If you use dial-up, click Update Now while you're connected to the internet to synchronize your clock immediately.
- A time server won't synchronize your system time if your date is incorrect.
- Hover your mouse pointer over the taskbar clock to see the current day and date (Figure 4.43).
Figure 4.43 Additional clock times appear too, if you've set them.
- The sidebar has a Clock gadget. See "Using the Sidebar" in Chapter 2.
- For hyperaccurate system time, use Tardis 2000 ($20 U.S.; www.kaska.demon.co.uk) or Dimension 4 (free; www.thinkman.com) to synchronize the clock at fine intervals.
- For a registry hack that syncs your clock more often and adds more time servers, see www.worldtimeserver.com/atomic-clock.
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