[Keda]

My Dual 2.5 G5 has an inaccurate clock. For some reason, it runs about 5 minutes slow. I don't get it. I have the Date&Time control panel set to auto update, but no luck. Any ideas?

[ghporter]

While your settings are for auto update, do you KNOW that's actually happening? What time server are you using? Is your time zone set correctly?

[Keda]

1) Yes the time-zone/city is accurate (this would result in a much larger discrepancy).
2) My server is 'Apple Americas/U.S. (time.apple.com)'

I'm not sure what you mean by your first point. I don't exactly what is happening when the the time updates, but I imagine that it queries a remote server and downloads the correct time. I have verified that the clock is off, by looking at several other machines here (including my PowerBook that is sitting next to the G5).

[Keda]

DP...sorry

[Apfhex]

I think what ghporter meant was, although you have it set to auto-sync with Apple's time server, do you know that that it actually happening? I have my PB set to auto sync, if I didn't, it would easily start running minutes slow (you'd think they could make the clock better than that!).

[TETENAL]

Turn off the time synching, then set a wrong time and turn on synching again. Verify that the time is being set correctly. If it doesn't, you are having a firewall problem.

[Keda]

Im not at work right now (where the G5 is...wish it was mine). I have screwed around with the time settings, as you mentioned, and the time is still 5 min slow. Will you please explain the firewall issue.

The G5 is on a corporate (windows) network. If there are any details that might help, I can try to get the info.

TIA

[Fonzie]

You could try using the European timeserver. My clock was set wrong one day too- it had magically put itself on the American timeserver. I do live in Europe though. Have you looked on your watch or teletext to verify the correct time. Maybe all your computers are wrong *lol* I dunno.

[Keda]

Yes, I have verified the time (cell, other Macs/PCs).

Unfortunately, all timeservers are the same...slow.

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by Keda

Unfortunately, all timeservers are the same...slow.

If you verified that it indeed synched the time with the time server, then that is the correct time. There is no way that the time server is 5 minutes off. It's more likely the time on your cellphone is wrong.

[Big Mac]

Check your console log for relevant messages.

[Keda]

One cell might be off, but this problem has been persistent and I've checked on multiple devices. The problem is the Mac.

Can some elaborate on the Firewall issue? This seems the most likely course to pursue.

I've looked at the logs, but nothing jumps out at me. What should I be looking for?

[TETENAL]

Originally Posted by Keda

Can some elaborate on the Firewall issue? This seems the most likely course to pursue.

A Firewall could prevent your Mac from connecting to the time server, but it would not "change" the time to 5 minutes late.

Turn off synching the time with the server, then set the time to a wrong date and a wrong time (off by some hours so you sure know it's wrong). Then turn on time synching again (with the server on your continent) and see whether it sets the correct date and time. This should happen within a few seconds. If it sets the time from the server, this can't be 5 minutes late. Apple's server isn't late for anybody else. The only other thing that affects the time afaik is the time zone. If it's still wrong switch to the time zone panel and change the time zone to something else. See whether it displays the correct time for that zone. If it does switch back to your time zone.

Also checking the Console log for possible relevant messages is a good idea.

[Keda]

Thanks, but I've done that. I can't think of any good reason why this would happen. A larger time difference would be easier to explain, but why 5 min. What makes this stranger is that my PB will be set up right next to my G5...the PB has the correct time, but the G5 is off. I have no clue about this.

Here's a stab in the dark...could it be related to PRAM?

[Fonzie]

Try creating a new user ... This is really odd. If all else fails you may have to set all the other clocks to match your Mac's clock. *LOL*

[Keda]

I was asking people here at work, and found a woman down the hall who has the same problem. She is on a G4 (1ghz upgrade), 10.4.3.

Here's a theory...what if this is some kind of latency caused by the network. It seems odd, but I don't have much else to go on.

BTW, I made another user and it is 5min behind as well

[ghporter]

Unless you're connected to a network with more lag built into it than the whole Internet put together, it ain't the network per se or the Internet. Time servers provide time in (at the worst) hundredths of a second. It would take horrendous problems throughout the entire Internet, and the whole world would be having problems.

I think that your network has its own time server and that the network redirects ALL time requests to that time server. Have you asked your IT folks about that? I have a strong feeling that the network's time server is off by approximately 5 minutes.

[Keda]

Thanks. Thats sounds like a good theory. I can ask or IS guys about it. They HATE Macs, and will probably be completely unhelpful, but its worth a shot.

[ghporter]

Fortunately for you, this is a NETWORK question, NOT a Mac question. "Does the network have its own time server on it?" After that, (when they say "Yes it does") ask them to check into how the time server is synchronized... I personally like time.nist.gov, as it's REALLY close to NIST's standard.

I think any IT or IS drone that "hates Macs" needs his smugness inseam adjusted, rudely if necessary, but that's just me. If my theory is right, this should do just that. (BTW, "hates Macs" is semantically equivalent to "knows absolutely nothing about Macs," and implies "isn't interested in learning squat outside Microsoft certifications." Neither of these is "professional" behavior.)

[IamBob]

My iBook is 20 minutes slow. It's set to auto-sync like the other machines on the network (pair of iMacs and a G5) but it's the only one that's off. The latency on the iBook is a little higher (express->router->G5->net) but 20 mins.?!

I gave up months ago and mentally add the 20 minutes...not worth the troubleshooting/worrying over.

[Keda]

Well, our "network guy" is on vacation until next week. I have placed a call to his VM and will update this thread when we speak.

BTW, I noticed that another Mac in an adjacent office is on time.

[Watson]

If you are familiar with the terminal, try:
sudo ntpdate -q time.apple.com time.nist.gov

This will not reset your clock, it will just tell you what the time should be. You will see the offset from the servers listed after each server's IP address. This offset is the number of seconds your computer is off based on the response from those servers. You can try it without the "-q" to see if it will adjust your clock to the correct time.

[Keda]

Here is the output at 3:22 (my Mac's time)

server 0.0.0.0, stratum 1, offset 0.000000, delay 0.00003
server 17.254.0.31, stratum 0, offset 0.000000, delay 0.00000
server 17.254.0.31, stratum 0, offset 0.000000, delay 0.00002
server 192.43.244.18, stratum 0, offset 0.000000, delay 0.00000
15 Dec 15:22:17 ntpdate[2121]: adjust time server 17.254.0.31 offset 0.000000 sec

I think that is saying the time is synched. This is weird. Why are two Macs, on the same desk and synched to the same server, showing different times?

[Keda]

and...just 5 minutes few minutes later on my PB...

server 0.0.0.0, stratum 1, offset 0.000000, delay 0.00003
server 17.254.0.31, stratum 0, offset 0.000000, delay 0.00000
server 17.254.0.31, stratum 0, offset 0.000000, delay 0.00002
server 192.43.244.18, stratum 0, offset 0.000000, delay 0.00000
15 Dec 15:32:28 ntpdate[14504]: adjust time server 17.254.0.31 offset 0.000000 sec

Both Macs seem to show no offset, but if you look at these data, it appears that 10 minutes elapsed between sample. In fact, only five minutes went by

[Watson]

Hmm, you might check the contents of your /etc/ntp.conf file to see if there are any significant differences. Here is what mine says:

server time.apple.com minpoll 12 maxpoll 17

oh, and you might want to see if ntpd is running:
ps axc | grep ntpd

[Keda]

Here is the G5's ntp.conf contents:
server time.apple.com minpoll 12 maxpoll 17
in response to the ps... 158 ?? Ss 0:38.52 ntpd

Here is the PB's (correct time) ntp.conf contents:
server time.apple.com minpoll 12 maxpoll 17
in response to the ps... 181 ?? Ss 1:04.55 ntpd
BTW, there is also an ntp.conf.applesaved & ntp.conf.applesaved2...both have the same contents.

Thoughts?

[SS3 GokouX]

I had a very similar problem just a few weeks ago on my G4 running Panther, except that my clock was 10 minutes slow (and made me late for work). I turned off auto update. A few weeks later (today) I found this thread and turned auto-update back on. The time is now correct... I expected an extremely long latency as well, since my wireless USB network adapter is a piece of crap and lags like crazy. Hopefully this issue won't pop up again...

[Keda]

Ok, "the guy" is back in. He says that we are using a time server, but could not tell me what time it was synched to. He said that it is tied in with a server "somewhere on the internet."

I've entered this address into the D&T pref pane, and it seems to be back on time.

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Keda

Ok, "the guy" is back in. He says that we are using a time server, but could not tell me what time it was synched to. He said that it is tied in with a server "somewhere on the internet."

I've entered this address into the D&T pref pane, and it seems to be back on time.

Your "IT guy" is not much of a geek if he can't remember where on the Internet his entire network's time is synched to. Grumble and gripe! At least your time is correct now. Congratulations.

[Keda]

LOL! I know, this is what I have to deal with here. Some may call it gross incompetence, we say its business as usual.