[ntp:questions] Re: NTP, Unix and the 34-year itch (better read this)

Rob MacGregor me at privacy.net
Thu Jan 22 21:13:09 UTC 2004


Terje Mathisen wrote:
> Even if the TOY clock breaks (battery stops working after ~5-10 years), 
> simply demanding that the initial time is >= the build time would suffice.
> 
> Alternatively, use the file system level timestamp of the ntpd deamon:

How about the following...

If the system date is (much) older than the creation date of the ntpd 
binary then look to the last modification date of the drift file as a 
reference.

As the drift file will be getting updated regularly anyway you don't 
have to modify anything external.

Of course, caution is advised with anything like this.  What if somebody 
builds a system with the clock set 40 years into the future and then 
sets the date correctly when they next reboot it?  I've already seen 
systems where the default date in the CMOS is wrong when you power the 
board up for the first time - I've even had one set for somewhere 
towards the end of this century.

-- 
   Rob MacGregor (BOFH)        Oh my God! They killed init! You bastards!
       The light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming dragon.



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