Time in Computers and Consoles

Started by Sabby, July 10, 2010, 12:51:27 PM

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Sabby

I've never understood how something like a laptop remembers the time. Sure, it knows it's 5pm right now, but when you turn it off and unplug, how does it record the passage of time, so it knows what to set it's clock as when it powers back on?

Yes, that sounds like a dumb question even to me, but I'm curious :/

Hunter

There's a micro battery built into the motherboard.

Vekseid

Every motherboard built since the 80's has a small nickel-cadmium battery (like a watch battery) on the motherboard. This keeps the moderboard's timing crystal powered even while the system is off, even though this isn't quite as accurate as pulling timing information from an atomic clock.

Oniya

While this battery lasts a very long time, it is possible for them to eventually drain - although most people don't keep their computers long enough anymore for that to be an issue (we're talking about over 5 and possibly 10 years).  If you turn your machine on and it's suddenly showing the time as midnight on Jan 1, 1901, then the battery (CMOS battery) is probably dying and should be replaced ($5 or thereabouts for a replacement.)
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NotoriusBEN

which explains why your NES, SNES, Sega, Gameboy, and early N64 cartridges now, will no longer remember your saved games. Their CMOS battery is ka-put. If your brave enough to pop that stupid little 8-hex-gear-bolt-thingy in the back off to pop open your cartridge, you should have easy access to the microboard inside to replace the battery and viola! Your cartridge will last another 15years... better life-span than the crummy xbox 360's and ps3's.

kimbersee

If you open your computer case look for the flat battery like the ones in watches on the motherboard. It powers the computer clock just like a regular clock.

DrFier

Quote from: NotoriusBEN on July 10, 2010, 05:31:53 PM
which explains why your NES, SNES, Sega, Gameboy, and early N64 cartridges now, will no longer remember your saved games. Their CMOS battery is ka-put. If your brave enough to pop that stupid little 8-hex-gear-bolt-thingy in the back off to pop open your cartridge, you should have easy access to the microboard inside to replace the battery and viola! Your cartridge will last another 15years... better life-span than the crummy xbox 360's and ps3's.

Played Ocarina of Time a couple of months ago, everything was still there.  But like you say, it's only a matter of time I guess.
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grayfoxz

In most gamecardriges is depends in how much it is used to. (frequent savin or loading and stuff like that) so some can keep going for a bit longer. Don't excpect too much though.

Drake Nightwing

Heh. Almost makes me wanna plug up my old NES and just check to see if my old cartridges are still running properly.

I'd hate to have to redownload all my favorite games through the Virtual Console or the XBLA. Hell, I'd rather just emulate my games. >_> Although, yeah, that's....something I probably shouldn't be stating on here.

grayfoxz

Still, if you own the cartridges, then emulating would be legal. You are allowed to own copies if you own the original. (only for home use of course) ;)

Talk2meguy

Interesting, I always assumed that the NES and SNES worked essentially like a flash drive or HD where it actually saved the file since it wouldn't be constantly changing (like the time is) it could be done that way. Glad I checked this out.

Wolfy

Hmm..so I assume Rom's just save the file right to your hard drive, then? o3o

grayfoxz

Yes, normaly they have the same name as the rom with a different extension. Both in the same folder (most of the time)