CrunchBang Linux

frostfire

Member

Registered: 2009-06-13

Posts: 12

[Resolved] UTC and localtime

I've recently had some issues with certain distros setting my hwclock, statler alpha 1 was one which I fixed by installing with no internet, so I'll ask this here. I have a multi boot linux box with a wireless connection,I want to know, should my hwclock be set to UTC or localtime? I'd like to keep it local time, as my tz does not move for daylight savings. You know this is very frustrating, and might be an issue if I were on a deserted isle with a solar powered laptop, but I can see the time on my phone, microwave, stove, wall, tv, alarm, etc, , and find this rather perplexing that it is so difficult to get certain distros to comply. I did notice sidux has you configure it at boot (nice idea! ) . I have noticed many posts here pertaining to alpha 1 , and yes, I did try all those fixes, and thought I'd ask before installing Statler alpha 2. Thx

winotree

#! Die Hard

Registered: 2010-03-26

Posts: 548

Re: [Resolved] UTC and localtime

I leave my hardware clock on UTC and when asked during the Statler insall I set my timezone to US Central which does change.  But that's just me. 

frostfire

Member

Registered: 2009-06-13

Posts: 12

Re: [Resolved] UTC and localtime

This problem seems to have just recently developed, and I'm thinking it's related to changes in the kernel on newer distro's. It's happened 3 times now where it's off by 7 hrs, and changes my hardware clock when I reboot. Thats a problem when you have 4 operating systems installed. One article mentioned setting one to UTC and the rest to local. This seems a lot harder to deal with than just checking the hwclock. Manually changing the clocks doesn't work, and gui tools don't either. It seems to happen on reboot, and I did find the script that controls that. I've spent way to much time looking into this, and was wondering if I'm going about it the wrong way. One problem I foresee is at the daylight saving time change if I have it set to UTC because despite setting my time zone, I could see it then being off an hour. I could buy a rooster, and not look at the clock.

winotree

#! Die Hard

Registered: 2010-03-26

Posts: 548

Re: [Resolved] UTC and localtime

Are you running Microsoft Windows on your computer?  Ain't an expert but I do know it reads time one way and Linux reads it another.    There was a recent thread here that addresses this -- perhaps you can find it.  I can't just yet...

winotree

#! Die Hard

Registered: 2010-03-26

Posts: 548

Re: [Resolved] UTC and localtime

Does this help?

http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/topic … e/?login=1

frostfire

Member

Registered: 2009-06-13

Posts: 12

Re: [Resolved] UTC and localtime

This is only linux, and no windows. I did know you need it as local time for ms. Just seems it's pretty strait forward, as even after install you should be able to manipulate the time. It's only on a few distros I've tried I've had this issue. Changing the time from whatever settings panel, using the command line with "date" and "hwclock" changes the time, but at reboot it adjusts the hardware clock, and yes all done as su or sudo. I can deal with it, but just wondered if someone has had this same issue, and found a viable solution.

frostfire

Member

Registered: 2009-06-13

Posts: 12

Re: [Resolved] UTC and localtime

Just to follow up for anyone searching this, Statler alpha 2 has a screen during install to choose local or UTC. Big thx to corenominal! I had this issue on 4 seperate unrelated distros, so for anyone wanting to keep their system as local time, I found an easy way. If you get stuck in an endless loop of your hwclock changing, set the tz, set the sytem time, and then edit these files:
/etc/default/rcS  and set utc=no
/etc/default/ntpdate and set NTPDATE_USE_NTP_CONF=no ( that's the one I was missing)
reboot and set the hwclock .Done!
If you choose local during install of Statler alpha 2 , the ntpdate file will not be generated. I did learn some new tricks with date --help, and hwclock --help.

xtra5

New Member

Registered: 2013-05-10

Posts: 3

Re: [Resolved] UTC and localtime

Just to follow up for anyone searching this,.......................................................................... I did learn some new tricks with date --help, and hwclock --help.

this will solve all utc,time missmatch with windows dualboot,thanks.