Free software keeps PCs in time

Martin Rowe, Senior Technical Editor -- Test & Measurement World, 3/13/2008 7:45:00 AM

PCs, especially those that run Windows, are notoriously bad at keeping time. Fortunately, you can update your PC's clock with SymmTime 2008, a free download from Symmetricom.

SymmTime lets you synchronize your PC's clock to a network time server, one probably manufactured by Symmetricom. The default time server, in fact, is at Symmetrociom's headquarters in San Jose, CA. I changed my server to one at the University of Massachusetts, one of the choices that SymmTime provides.

When you install SymmTime, you'll get an icon in your Windows Toolbar. Clicking on the icon opens the clocks, which you can then set to stay on top, hide behind other windows, or disappear simply by right-clicking on any clock. Closing SymmTime won't make your Windows default clock disappear.

Besides letting you synchronize your PC clock, SymmTime lets you display the time just about anywhere in the world. I customized my display to show four analog dial clocks, each with a digital display below, but you can display many more. You can place your clocks in any order and make them analog or digital or both. Just right click on any clock to add, delete, or change a clock.

SymmTime 2008 contains a database of all world time zones and their current dates for daylight-savings time. Symmetricom updates the database with each new version of SymmTime, but you can check for updates yourself with a right click on the clock. You can also disable auto-update check.

If you have an older version of SymmTime on your PC, the install program will ask you if you want to remove it before installing the latest version. The uninstall will, though, retain your settings and preferences. Symmtime 2008 supports Windows NT 4, Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. You don't need administrator privilages to install SymmTime.

Symmetricom; www.ntp-systems.com.