system clock in UTC - Linux Forums

12-27-2005	#1 (permalink)
theguy0000 Just Joined! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 71	system clock in UTC Code: Is the system clock set to UTC? Will this answer actually effect the system itself? because i have no clue what to say here. I have windows XP with a clock set to the local time here. Does that matter?

12-27-2005

#2 (permalink)

St. Joe

Linux User

Join Date: Jun 2005

Location: USA

Posts: 271

Quote:

Originally Posted by theguy0000

Code:

Is the system clock set to UTC?

Will this answer actually effect the system itself?

No, it is just a timekeeping mechanism.

Quote:

Originally Posted by theguy0000

I have windows XP with a clock set to the local time here. Does that matter?

If you have a linux only machine you should generally set to UTC time. DST changes will be dynamically managed by Time Zone configurations. However, Windows handles time in a more primitive way than Linux. For Windows, BIOS time is allways your local time, so DST changes are more aggressive because they directly change hardware clock. And since both Linux and Windows initially get and set time from the hardware, when they are together, Linux must handle it in the same way. So set BIOS time to your localtime.

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12-27-2005	#3 (permalink)
budman7 Linux Guru Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Knee deep in Grand Rapids, Michigan Posts: 3,242	I always prefer local, as I don't really care what time it is 5 hours away from where I live. But, no it will not effect your system whether you have it set to local or UTC. __________________ How to know if you are a geek. when you respond to "get a life!" with "what's the URL?" - Birger New users read The FAQ

12-27-2005	#4 (permalink)
theguy0000 Just Joined! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 71	um....so I do not want UTC time?

12-27-2005

#5 (permalink)

techieMoe

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Join Date: Aug 2004

Location: Texas

Posts: 9,344

Quote:

Originally Posted by theguy0000

um....so I do not want UTC time?

If you're dual-booting with MS Windows, no, you want localtime. I generally go with localtime regardless.

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12-27-2005	#6 (permalink)
theguy0000 Just Joined! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 71	yeah! I successfully installed Debian on my first try with absolutely no linux experience. at 13 years old!

12-27-2005	#7 (permalink)
Unforgiven Just Joined! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Detroit, Michigan Posts: 10	You're 13? And you can make coherent and intellegent forum posts? Damnit, now I have to change all my insults for AOLer-type posters on various forums. Thanks a lot.