2008/3/30, Gerhard Brauer <gerhard.brauer@xxxxxx>: > Hello, > > i've done a bit more testing. > First i think it's not a bug in any package. It's only a mismatch > between clock set on install machine and the timezone which is later set > during config. > > 1. I guess there is absolut no problem on machines where the hardware > clock is set to UTC by default. > > 2. If the clock is set to localtime there is a mismatch directly after > booting the kernel. The time is read from bios and then the timezone is > UTC per default what is a wrong time. Ex. > My localtime is 13:46 (= machines hardwareclock) but this time is > CEST(UTC+2) > So date on the machine itself shows: > Sun Mar 30 13:46 UTC 2008 but it must be > Sun Mar 30 11:46 UTC 2008 or > Sun Mar 30 13:46 CEST 2008 > > Solutions: > a) set the time by hand (KISS, maybe put a hint on installation guide?) > date -s "13:46 CEST" result in: > Sun Mar 30 11:46 UTC 2008 > which is the now correct UTC time. > b) put tzdata package on ISO, so the user could use tzselect. Hint could > also be given in instalation guide. Or we make it more comfortable > (handholding the user) and put this as a menu in installer("Set your > timezone"). The $TZ env var could then also used by the installer to > initial set TIMEZONE in rc.conf as we do it with KEYMAP. As a side > effect we could reduce a lot of postings in forums where users not set > this correctly. But that need perhaps discussion, i feel it a little bit > to handholding. > > Personally i will use a) in the future. > As a solution which maybe should be discussed i would prefer b), tzdata > on ISO and a entry in installer menu. > > What do you think? Other ideas? Aha, it seems now I've got it. It looks like the issue silently reappeared after it was fixed - because tzdata was splitted from glibc and then not included on install CD, thus effectively making the fix useless. In my opinion a separate km-like utility is needed instead of hardcoding the fix in installer (if you see the code - you'll understand why it's ugly hack), because timezone selection should be done before any read-write mounting to avoid the issue (e.g. when using install CD to recover the system - when instaler is not run and the hardcoded fix is not working). I blame myself for failing to do this for a looong time. :-( I didn't know (or forgot) about tzselect (*facepalm*) - thanks for pointing me that. -- Roman Kyrylych (Роман Кирилич)