System date resetting when rebooting (FC4)

Kam Leo kam.leo at gmail.com
Fri Jun 16 23:03:31 UTC 2006


On 6/16/06, Aaron Konstam <akonstam at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
> On Fri, 2006-06-16 at 15:51 -0500, Stéphane Bruno wrote:
> > Mikkel L. Ellertson wrote:
> > > Stéphane Bruno wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hello,
> > > >
> > > > I installed FC4 on several Dell PowerEdge servers (PowerEdge 850, SC420,
> > > > etc.), but I notice that every time I reboot the server, the system date
> > > > is changed. The system cannot retain the current date. I did not choose
> > > > the option 'My System clock uses UTC' when installing Fedora. I have no
> > > > idea whether the system clock uses it or not. Is that the problem ? And
> > > > how to fix this date problem?
> > > >
> > > > I cannot observe any pattern on the way the date is changed.
> > > >
> > > > Thank you.
> > > >
> > > > Stéphane
> > > >
> > > >
> > > The hardware clock is read when the system boots, and updated when
> > > the system shuts down. So unless you set the hardware clock
> > > elsewhere, a wrong setting of 'My System clock uses UTC' will not
> > > cause random data changes.
> > >
> > > What date values are you seeing? It may be you have a hardware
> > > problem with the hardware clock.
> > >
> > >
> > I notice that when I shutdown I see an error printed on the screen
> > like "Syncing hardware clock to system time... timeout or something"
> > and it prints that the operation failed. Also, at startup, I notice an
> > error message, something about a timeout occuring for clock tick.
> >
> > Stéphane
> Well it seems to me you have identified where the problem lies. For this
> whole reboot cycle to work the hardware clock must update the software
> clock and reverse must happen at shutdown. If that cycle is failing you
> will get the time screw up you. are noticing.
>
> That error message you are seeing is the thing that must be
> investigated. I have seen this problem on other Dell machines but I
> can't remember the cure at this time.
> --
> Aaron Konstam <akonstam at sbcglobal.net>
>

Disabling UTC will probably fix your problem.  I had a similar problem
on my system. I first had to disable NTP in the Date/Time Properties
applet., uncheck UTC in the Time Zone tab,  adjust the hours to match
local time, and then re-enable NTP.




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