A dying CMOS battery on the motherboard may be the cause of your computer's lagging clock.
The clock in your computer is useful for checking time. It is also necessary for executing scheduled tasks like virus scans and backups. A slow clock could be either a software or hardware issue, and may require urgent action.
Software
The clock may be running slow because a program is drawing heavily on available memory. The memory draw might be from foreground applications that you are actively using, or from background applications loaded on start up. Reducing the number of programs running simultaneously could free up enough memory to get the clock running normally.
PC Hardware
A portion of the motherboard called the CMOS is responsible for maintaining your computer's basic system information, such as hardware settings and the time and date. The CMOS is powered by a battery that ensures these settings are not lost when the computer is detached from a power source. A low CMOS battery will cause a slow-running clock. If the battery dies, the clock and hardware settings will be lost, so you should attend to it quickly.
Apple Macintosh Hardware
Apple Macintosh computers store system information in a location called the PRAM, which functions similar to the CMOS. When the PRAM battery is low, it affects the clock's performance. Take care of a low PRAM battery as soon as possible to avoid losing system settings.
Tags: your computer, Apple Macintosh, clock running, CMOS battery, hardware settings