External RTC Support
With the latest release of UEFI (Version 1.2), we are introducing support for the external NXP RTC PCF85263A, enabling more accurate and reliable timekeeping.
While Windows typically synchronizes the time using an NTP (Network Time Protocol) server over Ethernet, this may not be possible if the board is used without an Ethernet connection. In such cases, the external RTC can be utilized to maintain accurate time without the need for network synchronization.
How does ist work?
First, for Windows to use the RTC time instead of retrieving it from a network server, the Windows Time Service must be disabled. This can be done manually by going to the Date and Time Settings, where the option “Set time automatically” should be turned off.
Once this is done, the system will rely on the external RTC for timekeeping.
Now, the time can be easily set through the Windows settings, which will automatically configure the external RTC, allowing it to manage the time even when the system is powered off.
On next system boots, Windows will read the time from the external RTC after a brief delay and adjust the system time accordingly.
NOTICE:
To ensure that the time is preserved in the external RTC even after the system is powered off, it is crucial to provide a continuous 3.3V power supply to the RTC. This simple measure ensures that the time is reliably stored and correctly set on every boot. Additionally, the current time will be output via the serial port during boot.
We believe this feature greatly enhances the use of precise time synchronization in a variety of your applications. Should you have any questions or need further assistance, our support team is always available.
