[Bug 37383] Re: [Dapper] time-admin doens't switch off synchronisation with time servers

[Erich Pawlik]

Your question is related to my issue about debian-installer (bug #37380). I will answer your question in a post at that bug.

However, there seems to be another issue related to the Gnome time-admin panel or the Gnome clock panel:

Have a look at the following scenario:

1. /etc/default/rcS UTC=yes (set by the installer)
2. In the "Time and Date Settings" panel, "Periodically synchronize clock with Internet servers" is checked off.
3. Ubuntu interprets the system clock (which is local time) as UTC
4. Ubuntu somehow finds out that the system clock deviates from UTC 
5. After booting again, the clock remains unchanged until I boot into Windows again (and set the clock) or change the clock in the bios settings.

My basic issue is that Ubuntu somehow knows the correct UTC and doesn't accept the time returned by the system clock. I guess that this is only possible by contacting a time server (but I am not sure). I would expect that this doesn't happen if I switch off synchronization with Internet servers. 

You might argue that this option only switches off "periodic" synchronization and that a sychronization at boot time (or whenever else) is ok. However, there should be a way to tell Ubuntu to stay away from the system clock. In a dual boot configuration, it is otherwise impossible to have a consistent clock setting.

One observation that mystifies me: When I check the option "Periodically synchronize clock with Internet servers" on and off, ntp.conf remains unchanged; however ntpd, will be started and stopped as I would expect (and when stopped, ntpd will not show up after reboot again). Taking ntpd out of the equation obviously doesn't solve the problem.

There could be something with the Gnome (or Ubuntu) clock applet. I have tried the following settings:
- /etc/default/rcS UTC=yes
- Periodically synchronize clock with Internet servers = off
- clock applet: Use UTC=off
If my system clock is "17:11" and my timezone is "Europe/Berlin" (currently UTC+2h), the applet should show "19:11". However, it shows "17:11". And after leaving Ubuntu, the bios clock is set to 15:11.

Regards

Erich


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[Dapper] time-admin doens't switch off synchronisation with time servers
https://launchpad.net/malone/bugs/37383