Knoppix 6.7.1 Setting The Right Time?

[jacksbutler]

Hi, just downloaded and installed the cd version of 6.7.1. All successful, but cannot set the time? I have tried doing "time-admin" through the root terminal but nothing happens. It comes up with : "command not found". Any ideas? Thanks. By the way, this is a lot better than 6.4!

[krishna.murphy]

You could always set the time in the BIOS...

The big trouble I ran into in the past was having a dual-boot system, where Windows and Knoppix both have to interpret the time correctly. Knoppix has a tendency to clear out stuff that you'd rather have set ongoingly, like the timezone (because it's essentially based on a system philosophy that assumes it is loaded from a non-writable medium.) So, I ended up changing some stuff in the startup script(s) to make it work better for me. That's the beauty of the Linux approach!

Let us know what you decide to do, and if you need help doing it, we're ready to help.

Cheers!
Krishna

[jacksbutler]

Hi there and thanks for the reply. I am only running Knoppix on this Dell Inspiron 1545 so would very much lie to know how to set the time right. I could install the dvd version, but that has an awful lot of stuff on it that I never use. This cd version is just about perfect for me! Thanks once again.

[jacksbutler]

Hi there, solved the problem by going into boot system and setting the clock right there. Thanks a lot.

[Werner P. Schulz]

I always use in BIOS Greenwich time (UTC). For Linux you need in '/etc/default/rcS' the item: "UTC=yes" and within the kernel line the item "tz=..". Change "tz=.." as you need for your region; I have "tz=Europe/Berlin". Possible items for "tz" you'll find in '/usr/share/zoneinfo'.

To avoid trouble in case of Dualboot with Windows, you must force Windows also to use UTC.
Go to the registry key

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\TimeZoneInformation]

and create a dword-entry
RealTimeIsUniversal=1

Greetings Werner * http://www.wp-schulz.de/knoppix/summary.html
Own Rescue-CD with Knoppix (Knoppix V6.7.1 remaster)

[utu]

There are contrarians like myself that go for tz=localtime,
keep the hw clock on local, Windows happy & lxpanel clock happy,
only date= is off by difference between local & utc.

I've never found a way to set the hw clock that lets you have
Windows happy, date= on utc & lxpanel clock on local.
tz=/America/New_York is NOT for me.

I'm not sure, but I think KK sets up the EN version of Knoppix
this way.

[Werner P. Schulz]

If you use UTC within BIOS and let Linux and Windows do the job, to calculate your local time, all are happy

You'll get right time (also summertime and wintertime here in Europe) and the right date in the panel display either of Linux or of Windows.

KK uses "tz=localtime" within Knoppix as default in the hope, users are clever and change it to timezone of their region.

[vkrishn]

I've never found a way to set the hw clock that lets you have
Windows happy, date= on utc & lxpanel clock on local.
tz=/America/New_York is NOT for me.

If you using persistent storage, then
1. Change in '/etc/default/rcS' the line 'UTC=no'
2. Then use tz=/America/New_York during boot process

I would suggest 'UTC=no' to be default option in future distros OR
Make 'noutc' option in bootprompt ( I hope its not available currently)

[Werner P. Schulz]

... that's not the UNIX/ Linux way and you'll run in trouble in case of dualboot systems.

Greetings Werner * http://www.wp-schulz.de/knoppix/summary.html
Own Rescue-CD with Knoppix (Knoppix V6.7.1 remaster)

[utu]

Seems to me vkrishn's way is the Debian way.
Works for me. I prefer NOT to modify my Windows install in any way.

My only adaptation here (now) is ALSO to modify ALL instances of tz=localtime
in /mnt-system/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg to tz=America/New_York.

Dual booting that chains through or modifies my HDD's MBR have always been
a problem for me. My Dell laptop has a nice boot management feature
that allows one to select from its menu what device to boot. If my
Linux's are always self-bootable on USBs or CDs I never have to modify
the Windows install in any way.

I like fixing broken Linuxes, but I cringe at the thought of trying
to fix a broken Windows system.