Can the psu throw the system clock off?

[cubby1223]

I built a new htpc since I got an hdtv earlier this year. I grabbed some use parts to put a system together, but it was losing ~3 minutes a day, and for a system that's set to record, that's not good. I can set time sync to update more often, but it still bothered me.

So I replaced with a new, albeit cheap motherboard, and it's been doing the same thing! Losing ~3 minutes a day! This board & cpu (PC Chips, I know, it was a particular product that no other manufacturer made, so I took a chance) was under-performing in another area so I've got an AM2 combo on its way with an Asus motherboard.

But the whole losing time really, really bugs me. With the swap of components above, and compared to my original htpc before all this, the only component that was not a part of the computer that kept good time, and present in both that lost time, is the power supply. Does that make sense? I don't know... I picked up a smaller case to better fit in the tv stand, so it doesn't use a standard atx power supply, so I'd be replacing out the whole case.

Well, I'll find out when the new parts arrive, but does that make any sense, that a power supply can cause loss in time, yet no other effects?

 

[TheStu]

I am fairly certain that the system clock is controlled by the CMOS battery on the board, because that provides a constant supply of electricity, at a specific hertz, so that should allow the system clock to be regulated properly.

It is possible that this is not true, that the CMOS battery is used to maintain the system clock while the system is unplugged, and if that is the case, then the power would have to come through the PSU. If the PSU is fluctuating, within spec, it could still be sufficient to throw off the system clock. If the system clock is tuned to recieved X volts at 120Hz and is instead receiving x volts at 119Hz, that could be causing the problem.

However, this is all speculation that happens to fit your situation.