Ubuntu
sysvinit package

In /etc/default/rcS, UTC should default to no

Bug #278429 reported by Joanmarie on 2008-10-05

This bug affects 1 person

Affects		Status	Importance	Assigned to	Milestone
	sysvinit (Ubuntu)	Won't Fix	Undecided	Unassigned

Bug Description

Binary package hint: initscripts

Steps to reproduce:

1. Set your system clock to the local time
2. Boot into Ubuntu
3. Reboot and check the system time

Expected results: The system time wouldn't have been changed to UTC.
Actual results: The system time was changed to UTC.

I've several machines which are dual boot (Ubuntu Intrepid and OpenSolaris 2008.11). OpenSolaris assumes the system time is the local time -- an assumption which I think is reasonable. Unfortunately, Ubuntu keeps coming along and stomping on the time, changing it to UTC.

Had I wanted my system time to be UTC, I wouldn't have set it to the local time. :-)

I don't recall being presented with a dialog in which I could indicate that I did/did not want my system time changed on my behalf, nor do I see this option in the Time and Date Settings. Fortunately a bit of searching this evening led me to /etc/default/rcS and changing UTC to 'no' solved the immediate problem. It might be nice (i.e. more user friendly) for the Time and Date Settings dialog to have an option about UTC vs. local time. In the meantime (and perhaps permanently), I think /etc/default/rcS should default to UTC=no. (What is the advantage of it defaulting to yes, anyway?)

Thanks!

Revision history for this message

Scott James Remnant (Canonical) (canonical-scott) wrote on 2008-10-06:

UTC=yes is the correct and sane default: the only reason you would ever store any other time in your system clock is when dual-booting.

The desktop installer detects a dual-boot situation and will automatically set UTC=no, albeit not always quite as often as you'd want.

The alternate installer will ask you whether you wish the clock to be set at UTC or not.

Otherwise you can always change it.

But the default shall remain as "Yes"

Changed in sysvinit:
status:	New → Won't Fix

Revision history for this message

Joanmarie (joanmarie-diggs-deactivatedaccount) wrote on 2008-10-06:

Then would an appropriate bug/RFE that you WILLFIX be that the desktop installer would detect OpenSolaris? I typically install OpenSolaris first and then install Ubuntu and I have this problem every time. Now that I know about /etc/default/rcS, I can add it to my list of post-config tasks but it would be nice not to have to do this. (Especially for folks who, like me, had no idea about /etc/default/rcS.)

Thanks for your time/help!

Revision history for this message

Scott James Remnant (Canonical) (canonical-scott) wrote on 2008-10-06:

Absolutely.

Revision history for this message

Joanmarie (joanmarie-diggs-deactivatedaccount) wrote on 2008-10-06:

Thanks Scott. In the spirit of documentation, for anyone who has the same issue and finds this bug first:

1. Bug 279065 has been opened for the detection of OpenSolaris by the live CD installer.

2. When I went to open a bug against gnome-system-tools (for adding an option to the Time and Date dialog), I discovered someone had already done so: http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=357989. Interestingly enough, that bug is the result of an RFE originally filed against Ubuntu (bug 53132).

Revision history for this message

kira (kyrandesa) wrote on 2008-11-14:

Comparison of help-file and dialog in Intrepid Ibex Edit (72.8 KiB, image/jpeg)

I've got the same problem - an updated Intrepid and the changing clock in windows. The help-file (see attachment) does say there is an option to change the utc-setting in the time-preferences, but the picture clearly shows it's missing.