Time problems

[Tovi]

I intalled Knoppix on my harddrive and its great. I have a few problems though and maybe someone can help me out.

1. Everytime I turn on the computer and log on I have to set up the time and date. It's not being saved.

2. I can use the CD Player as root but if I try as knoppix user I get the message: CD ROM read or access error. Please make sure you have access permissions to: /dev/cdrom.

I've only been using Linux for 4 days so sorry if this are stupid questions.

Tovi

[Loper]

Everytime I turn on the computer and log on I have to set up the time and date. It's not being saved.

That's almost always a system/hardware problem. You may have a bad CMOS battery (the battery used to hold system settings and run the clock). Does it read the time correctly under Windows?

[Tovi]

Yes it does. This only started happening under Linux.

Tovi

[Stephen]

I intalled Knoppix on my harddrive and its great. I have a few problems though and maybe someone can help me out.

1. Everytime I turn on the computer and log on I have to set up the time and date. It's not being saved.

2. I can use the CD Player as root but if I try as knoppix user I get the message: CD ROM read or access error. Please make sure you have access permissions to: /dev/cdrom.

I've only been using Linux for 4 days so sorry if this are stupid questions.

Tovi

Open a root console adduser < user name > cdrom to get access to cdrom by adding your user to the group.
Add yourself to the floppy group too if you want to write to the floppy.

Your system probably has the time on your clock set to CET (central european time) change the time zone to your zone. Right click on the clock in the system tray to change.

[sireasoning]

Everytime I turn on the computer and log on I have to set up the time and date. It's not being saved.

That's almost always a system/hardware problem. You may have a bad CMOS battery (the battery used to hold system settings and run the clock). Does it read the time correctly under Windows?

Nope this problem also appears on my system. My hardware clock is set to gmt, however even if I set a root password and go into kde and change to my time zone (cst/cdt) the hours are way off (even after syncing with a time server). However if I reboot into Mandrake the time is correct again.

[RockMumbles]

Everytime I turn on the computer and log on I have to set up the time and date. It's not being saved.

I've also seen this problem on some of my debian systems, I don't think I've seen it with Libranet though, although I don't dual boot much anymore so maybe that's why.

rock

[sireasoning]

I intalled Knoppix on my harddrive and its great. I have a few problems though and maybe someone can help me out.

1. Everytime I turn on the computer and log on I have to set up the time and date. It's not being saved.

2. I can use the CD Player as root but if I try as knoppix user I get the message: CD ROM read or access error. Please make sure you have access permissions to: /dev/cdrom.

I've only been using Linux for 4 days so sorry if this are stupid questions.

Tovi

Open a root console adduser < user name > cdrom to get access to cdrom by adding your user to the group.
Add yourself to the floppy group too if you want to write to the floppy.

Your system probably has the time on your clock set to CET (central european time) change the time zone to your zone. Right click on the clock in the system tray to change.

two problems with the above approach:

one: knoppix should already have access to cdrom and floppy (although one would have to have 2 cdrom drives for this to be a real issue I would think)

two: You would have to set a root password before you can change the time via the kde taskbar (open a root console and type: "sudo passwd" (without quotes) then enter the root password you want.). Then you would need to kill the kicker process ("ctrl + esc" will bring up the kde task manager) and then rerun kicker ("alt + F2" will bring up a command line and then type "kicker") for the proper time change to be seen on the taskbar. I am also uncertain as to if it will be saved after "save Knoppix configuration" has been run. I don't believe that it is (although the root password will be saved).

[Stephen]

two problems with the above approach:

one: knoppix should already have access to cdrom and floppy (although one would have to have 2 cdrom drives for this to be a real issue I would think)

two: You would have to set a root password before you can change the time via the kde taskbar (open a root console and type: "sudo passwd" (without quotes) then enter the root password you want.). Then you would need to kill the kicker process ("ctrl + esc" will bring up the kde task manager) and then rerun kicker ("alt + F2" will bring up a command line and then type "kicker") for the proper time change to be seen on the taskbar. I am also uncertain as to if it will be saved after "save Knoppix configuration" has been run. I don't believe that it is (although the root password will be saved).

One problem with your approach is that he has installed to the Hard Drive and Knoppix then becomes standard Debian. If you want to access the cdrom you have to belong to that group, audio the same and so on for other devices unless you do like I did on my first install and you change a lot of permissions from what they are set too, I have since found the "Debian" way of setting up the system and it works well.

[sireasoning]

two problems with the above approach:

one: knoppix should already have access to cdrom and floppy (although one would have to have 2 cdrom drives for this to be a real issue I would think)

two: You would have to set a root password before you can change the time via the kde taskbar (open a root console and type: "sudo passwd" (without quotes) then enter the root password you want.). Then you would need to kill the kicker process ("ctrl + esc" will bring up the kde task manager) and then rerun kicker ("alt + F2" will bring up a command line and then type "kicker") for the proper time change to be seen on the taskbar. I am also uncertain as to if it will be saved after "save Knoppix configuration" has been run. I don't believe that it is (although the root password will be saved).

One problem with your approach is that he has installed to the Hard Drive and Knoppix then becomes standard Debian. If you want to access the cdrom you have to belong to that group, audio the same and so on for other devices unless you do like I did on my first install and you change a lot of permissions from what they are set too, I have since found the "Debian" way of setting up the system and it works well.

oops... didn't catch that. For future reference, there is a seperate forum for install to hard drive issues.

[rickenbacherus]

Rock makes a good point about dual booting. I suspect this is where your problem lies. You actually have 2 clocks to maintain, the CMOS or 'hardware' clock (battery powered) and the OS or 'system' clock which dies every time you reboot right? Then when you boot again the hardware clock resets the system clock.

In Linux you can set the clock to UTC/GMT time OR your own local time zone. If set to UTC/GMT then daylight savings will be adjusted automagically. Unfortunately DOS is not as smart as Linux (tell you something else you didn't know eh?)and can only think in local time which is what creates these time discrepancies. So I would set your Linux clock to Local time if you are dual booting windows. That should clear things up.

[Tovi]

Well, it's not only the time that is reset, it's also the date. Whenever I reboot the time is 12:00 and the date is 01/01/88.

Sorry for not posting this in the Hdd Install section. I will next time. I didn't think it would be any different.

Thanks
Tovi

[rickenbacherus]

Well, it's not only the time that is reset, it's also the date. Whenever I reboot the time is 12:00 and the date is 01/01/88.

You mean to tell me that it ISN'T 1988 any more?? (where have I been?)

On a serious note, if your clock ALWAYS resets to 12:00 it would appear that your CMOS is getting reset. After this happens do you go into your BIOS and set the correct time? And if so when you reboot does it screw the time up again?

I'm not certain but I think it would be worth your time to replace the CMOS battery even though it works correctly in other OS's. Batteries are strange things sometimes but fortunately they are cheap.

[Stephen]

Well, it's not only the time that is reset, it's also the date. Whenever I reboot the time is 12:00 and the date is 01/01/88.



That is a cmos problem as was suggested above then, either the battery is dead or more likely a bad cmos, I have one computer here with a dead battery and as long as it is plugged in it keeps the settings if it is unplugged then I have to re-enter. Do you get any bad cmos errors on boot.


Sorry for not posting this in the Hdd Install section. I will next time. I didn't think it would be any different.

More of a hardware question really. :wink:

Have you added yourself to the cdrom group to see if that eliminates the cdrom problems?

[Henk Poley]

Everytime I turn on the computer and log on I have to set up the time and date. It's not being saved.
That's almost always a system/hardware problem. You may have a bad CMOS battery (the battery used to hold system settings and run the clock). Does it read the time correctly under Windows?
Nope this problem also appears on my system. My hardware clock is set to gmt, however even if I set a root password and go into kde and change to my time zone (cst/cdt) the hours are way off (even after syncing with a time server). However if I reboot into Mandrake the time is correct again.
You should have booted Knoppix with " knoppix gmt" if your hardware clock is GMT...
See the CheatCodes (http://www.knoppix.net/docs/index.php/CheatCodes).

[Tovi]

I can listen to CDs, thanks but...

if I put a music CD-ROM in I can listen to it fine now, but I cant browse it's contents or a floppy's. Where do I do this? Do I need to mount it? On the root directory I can see a floppy and cdrom directory but when I go into them, there's nothing in them. On the mnt directory I have a hda1 and hda2.

Thanks all again
Tovi

PS. I will shut down my laptop and leave it plugged to see if the battery settings remain.

[RockMumbles]

if I put a music CD-ROM in I can listen to it fine now, but I cant browse it's contents

You cannot browse a music cd as it doesn't have any "data" on it.

as far as your KDE floppy icon, do a search here, I just posted how to make a proper floppy icon for a hd install.

rock

[Stephen]

I can listen to CDs, thanks but...

if I put a music CD-ROM in I can listen to it fine now, but I cant browse it's contents or a floppy's. Where do I do this? Do I need to mount it? On the root directory I can see a floppy and cdrom directory but when I go into them, there's nothing in them. On the mnt directory I have a hda1 and hda2.

Thanks all again
Tovi

PS. I will shut down my laptop and leave it plugged to see if the battery settings remain.

Create a link to them on the desktop and they will be auto-mounted when you click on them. Don't forget to right click and umnount them when your done using them.

[Tovi]

UPDATE ON TIME PROBLEMS

I shut down my laptop and turned it back on, without unplugging it, and the time and date where reset anyway. I think it's safe to assume that it's not the CMOS battery and on boot up Linux is somehow resetting this to 12:09 (to be speficic) and 01/01/88. Any ideas?

Tovi

[Tovi]

if I put a music CD-ROM in I can listen to it fine now, but I cant browse it's contents

You cannot browse a music cd as it doesn't have any "data" on it.

as far as your KDE floppy icon, do a search here, I just posted how to make a proper floppy icon for a hd install.

rock

Thanks.... I created an icon to the floppy and the cd-rom and they work great.

Now, anyone got anymore ideas on why the time is all screwed up?

[Dave_Bechtel]

--Actualy you can browse an audio CD's contents (in windows) because MS created a "kludge" filesystem hack for Explorer. There might be something on sourceforge or freshmeat that enables you to do this in Linux.



if I put a music CD-ROM in I can listen to it fine now, but I cant browse it's contents

You cannot browse a music cd as it doesn't have any "data" on it.

as far as your KDE floppy icon, do a search here, I just posted how to make a proper floppy icon for a hd install.

rock

[rickenbacherus]

UPDATE ON TIME PROBLEMS

I shut down my laptop and turned it back on, without unplugging it, and the time and date where reset anyway. I think it's safe to assume that it's not the CMOS battery and on boot up Linux is somehow resetting this to 12:09 (to be speficic) and 01/01/88. Any ideas?

Tovi

"...to be specific.." Please- always be specific.

I didn't see any mention of whether or not you've entered the BIOS and reset the HARDWARE clock first. Sometimes I miss things tho.....

If that doesn't get you fixed then it's gotta be a buggy BIOS. You know that the Linux kernel runs on your box right? Maybe a BIOS flash would help but I really don't think that's it.

[Tovi]

UPDATE ON TIME PROBLEMS

I shut down my laptop and turned it back on, without unplugging it, and the time and date where reset anyway. I think it's safe to assume that it's not the CMOS battery and on boot up Linux is somehow resetting this to 12:09 (to be speficic) and 01/01/88. Any ideas?

Tovi

"...to be specific.." Please- always be specific.

I didn't see any mention of whether or not you've entered the BIOS and reset the HARDWARE clock first. Sometimes I miss things tho.....

If that doesn't get you fixed then it's gotta be a buggy BIOS. You know that the Linux kernel runs on your box right? Maybe a BIOS flash would help but I really don't think that's it.

How can I check out my BIOS now????????
I used to have a "Press Esc/F1/Del to enter the BIOS" but after installing Knoppix on the HD it's gone.

How do I do it now?

[rickenbacherus]

Since everything in the BIOS is hard-coded it didn't really change although it is possible to bypass the prompt that tells you what keys to press in order to access the BIOS. You can still use the same keys, just press and hold them immediately on seeing the BIOS splah screen. Barring that you could reset the CMOS which would force you to enter the BIOS.