coming from bootcamp windows back to osx... the clock is off!

FWIW,

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303572#faq1

Why is the time different between Mac OS X and Windows XP on my computer?

This issue is addressed in Boot Camp Beta 1.1.

With earlier versions of Boot Camp Beta, the Windows XP and Mac OS X operating systems handle your computer's date and time information differently, so the date and time may be different when you switch operating systems. For best results, use a network time server and resync the date and time whenever you switch operating systems. In Mac OS X, use the “Set date & time automatically” option in the Date & Time preferences. In Windows XP, click the Update Now button in the “Date and Time Properties” control panel.

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I have the same problem - would be curious to see any suggestions (other then going into the date&time preferences panel)

aye5882 said:

does anyone know how to automatically change the clock back to the right time after being in windows (from bootcamp, not parallels). i need to be in windows to run a couple of programs... but whenver i get back on osx, the time is always 4hrs behind... when i click on the clock setup menu, the time goes back to normal. but its annoying.

any info is welcomed!

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You might check what time zone MacOS X and Windows think they are in. If they think they are in different time zones (MacOS X thinks it is in New York, Windows thinks it is in Seattle), that might cause problems.

The problem probably results from how OS X/Windows store the time in BIOS/EFI... But I haven't found a solution, and I doubt there will be one. If you only use Windows for games or something like that, then time doesn't matter. If you want it to auto-correct itself make sure you turn on the time lookup in both OS X and Windows.

My guess is that each OS changes the hardware clock differently. The way that OS X leaves it isn't read correctly by Windows, and vice-versa.

SRSound said:

I have the same problem - would be curious to see any suggestions (other then going into the date&time preferences panel)

Click to expand...

You can hack your registry to increase the frequency of time syncing, so you don't have to do it manually.

http://www.pctools.com/guides/registry/detail/985/

kingjr3 said:

You can hack your registry to increase the frequency of time syncing, so you don't have to do it manually.

http://www.pctools.com/guides/registry/detail/985/

Click to expand...

nah, im not sure it's worth the effort - i cringe everytime i see the XP boot screen on my cinema display anyway...

Mac OS expects the time in EFI/BIOS to be universal time while Windows expects it to be local time. Basically, Mac OS is adjusting the time for your time zone while Windows thinks that the time shouldn't need to be adjusted, hence the difference.

The lastest version of Boot Camp (drivers CD) includes a small app that corrects the time when you boot into Windows. I believe it is called Windows Time. You can see it in HKLM->Software->Microsoft->Windows->Current Version->Run.

I actually have fewer problems with Windows having the correct time than Mac OS. Windows always corrects itself within a few minutes of starting up. Sometimes, on the Mac side, I have to open the Date & Time properties at which point the time corrects itself.