sudo error because of time error

[dhallar]

When I try a "sudo" command in console I get this message: "timestamp too far in the future." The time this message reports is 3 hours later than the time showing on the desktop. Unfortunately, I can't do anything using sudo.
I'm sure that this is a simple problem to fix, but I'm a newbie. Help, please.

[askrieger]

Re: sudo error because of time error

Congratulations, you have found the answer the ever popular question "Why do I need Administrative privileges to do something as simple as fixing the clock?" Wait 3 hours and try again. If that doesn't work, (or you didn't change the time right before this started) then the problem has to do with the difference between the way that M$ and Linux treat time.

Basically, on a pure Linux system the hardware clock is set to Universal Time (and can be configured to be reset every day, so you're never more than a few milliseconds off). But Big Bill or one of his minions figured out that it would be easier to just set the Hardware clock ONCE to the local time zone and adjust it once a year to take account of the switch to daylight saving on the appropriate date.

So what's a poor dual booter to do? One answer is to start a konsole (K>System>Konsole) and enter the command "sudo tzconfig". Give your password when requested. Then answer tzconfig's questions. Another answer is to start Konqueror, navigate to the /etc/default/ directory and right click on the file named "rcS". Choose Actions>"Edit As Root". Enter your password. At the bottom of the file, find the line

UTC=yes

change "yes" to "no". Yet another answer is to get rid of M$, your machine probably won't run Vista, anyway.

[dhallar]

Re: sudo error because of time error

Thanks for your reply. Strange things:
I tried the Konqueror "etc/default" maneuver, and it was already set to "no" for UTC.
I did "sudo tzconfig", and reset my locale to Chicago. [It never asked me for my password] That seemed to work.
Then I did an Adept update. It never asked me for the root password, and installed the update.
Then, when I went to open Automatix, first it wouldn't open, then I got a message to the effect that 'sudo' failed. I tried again, and Automatix never did open.
So something is not right. It's so frustrating because I know so little about Linux.
Anyway, Vista is exactly why I'm dual-booting Kubuntu. I'll never spend a dime on Vista if Ican help it. Thanks, again--

[askrieger]

Re: sudo error because of time error

The reason sudo didn't repeatedly ask you for your password is that the system will remember your password for 15 minutes after the first time that you give it, so that if you have a buch of administrative tasks to run you only to enter your password once.

As to Automatix, I take the attitude that you're probably better off if it doesn't start. Automatix and other similar post-install scripts seem to new users like a good way to get a bunch of tasks that nearly everyone has to perform done for them automatically. If it works, that's great, but there is not so small minority of machines that do not correspond to the assumptions of the people who wrote the scripts. In these cases, it is possible that you'll wind up leaving your machine in a condition from which it will be difficult to recover without doing a lot of work. If you're trying to install multimedia software look at the Restricted Formats page on the Ubuntu Community Help wiki.