The system clock keeps resetting back to days gone by

Date and time is important to a computer, and the wrong date and/or time can cause a host issues that appear to be software-related, such as broken software licenses and confused browser cookies.

To an end user, this looks like the end of the OS as they know it. Luckily, it’s a cinch to fix. 

The motherboard’s CMOS battery, which powers the onboard Real-Time Clock (RTC), is too low or dead, and needs to be replaced. 

In practically all motherboards, regardless of brand, it’s a ‘CR2032’ 3V button cell battery. 

Keep a stash of these batteries in your Geek Bag and make this common hardware issue a non-issue.