Stump the PC Club is a free tech-advice column written by members of the North Orange County Computer Club, which has been in existence since 1976. Visit the club’s site at noccc.org.
QUESTION: We have relatives in France and I’d like a convenient way to show both local time and the time in France. Is there a way to have this on the desktop using Windows 7?
PC CLUB: There are several ways to do this. The built-in clock in Windows can support up to two additional clocks, each with their own time zone. To add additional clocks click the time indicator in the lower right of your Taskbar select Change date and time settings. Next, select the Additional Clock tab and select the time zone for the clock you want to add. Place a check in Show this clock, enter a name for the clock such as Paris and click OK. Now, when you hover over the clock on the Taskbar, you will see the additional time zone clocks and the day of the week and date also.
Another way to do this is to right click the Desktop and select Gadgets. To add clocks to your Desktop just drag one to where you want it. You can also double click a clock to add it to your Desktop. You can drag these clocks around to any position on the Desktop. Next, hover over the clock and select the middle icon which looks like a wrench. Select the time zone, add a name and click OK. Using this method you can add as many clicks as you want. To remove a clock, hover over it and click the X.
When the properties of the clock in the System Tray are open you can select the Internet Time tab, click Change settings and click Update now. This updates your PC’s clock to the correct time. You can find out the time in any city including your own by going to http://www.timeanddate.com/.
The main part in your PC that is responsible for keeping time is a little battery mounted on your motherboard. These have a life expectancy of 5 to 7 years and when they wear out your PC can do some strange things, even refuse to start up. If you’re inclined to do so, you can turn off the PC and remove the cover and carefully pry the battery loose with a non-metallic object such as an orange stick and replace it. These batteries are readily available at most stores that sell batteries.
Ed Schwartz is a member of the North Orange County Computer Club. To send in a question, go to edwardns.com and click the Contact Me menu. Archives of previous columns are also on the website.