I am running debian. Sometime in the past month, when I received a kernel upgrade and also a tzdata upgrade, I noticed that the time was wrong on my system.

Today, I saw (apt list --upgradable) that another tzdata update was coming. Before I ran apt upgrade, I checked the following:

/etc/localtime -> pointed as shortcut to correct timezone
/etc/timezone -> contained the correct timezone

I watched the apt upgrade run. When it came time for tzdata to reconfigure, it said:

Current default time zone: 'America/Indiana/Indianapolis'

Which is wrong.

/etc/localtime and /etc/timezone were both now pointed to Indianapolis, which is wrong and not what they said right before the upgrade.

So I ran dpkg-reconfigure and got it fixed again.

Out of curiousity, I also ran dkpg-reconfigure and then selected "cancel" without making any choices. Guess what? tzdata set me back to "Indianapolis"!

This is happening on every debian/devuan/raspbian system that I have, and it started happening sometime during the past month or six weeks after I received a kernel/tzdata update.

I thought the time zone was saved in the two above places in /etc. Is there some other place that tzdata is reading from that I need to look at so that, in future, whenever tzdata gets updated I don't have to remember to go back and manually fix the time zone each time?

Thanks!
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Hi Mike,

On 2025-04-01 14:36:39, you wrote to All:

I am running debian. Sometime in the past month, when I received a
kernel upgrade and also a tzdata upgrade, I noticed that the time was wrong on my system.

Today, I saw (apt list --upgradable) that another tzdata update was coming.
Before I ran apt upgrade, I checked the following:

/etc/localtime -> pointed as shortcut to correct timezone
/etc/timezone -> contained the correct timezone

I watched the apt upgrade run. When it came time for tzdata to reconfigure, it said:

Current default time zone: 'America/Indiana/Indianapolis'

Which is wrong.

/etc/localtime and /etc/timezone were both now pointed to Indianapolis, which
is wrong and not what they said right before the upgrade.

So I ran dpkg-reconfigure and got it fixed again.

Out of curiousity, I also ran dkpg-reconfigure and then selected "cancel" without making any choices. Guess what? tzdata set me back to "Indianapolis"!

This is happening on every debian/devuan/raspbian system that I have, and it
started happening sometime during the past month or six weeks after I received
a kernel/tzdata update.

I thought the time zone was saved in the two above places in /etc. Is there
some other place that tzdata is reading from that I need to look at so that,
in future, whenever tzdata gets updated I don't have to remember to go back
and manually fix the time zone each time?

On Ubuntu I've only once set /etc/localtime to symlink to /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Amsterdam (in my case). As described in 'man 5 localtime'. I've never touched or editted /etc/timezone. That might be set automatically (on boot, but I don't really know), from where /etc/localtime links to...

This is on multiple servers, that have been running for years, and are kept up to date regularly.


Bye, Wilfred.

--- FMail-lnx64 2.3.2.4-B20240523
* Origin: FMail development HQ (2:280/464)

Re: Re: tzdata question
By: Wilfred van Velzen to Mike Powell on Tue Apr 01 2025 21:54:17

On Ubuntu I've only once set /etc/localtime to symlink to /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Amsterdam (in my case). As described in 'man 5 localtime'. I've never touched or editted /etc/timezone. That might be set automatically (on boot, but I don't really know), from where /etc/localtime links to...

This is on multiple servers, that have been running for years, and are kept to date regularly.

Yes, I also did that and it was also working until the recent update I mentioned. Now, I can symlink /etc/localtime to the correct timezone and it will only stay set until the next time tzdata is updated. tzdata ignores what is in the /etc/localtime symlink and resets it to point to "America/Indiana/Indianapolis."

So it is reading that information ("America/Indiana/Indianapolis") from somewhere that is not /etc/localtime and is also not /etc/timezone. I would like to figure out where from so I can squash it.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)

Hi Mike,

On 2025-04-01 15:16:50, you wrote to me:

On Ubuntu I've only once set /etc/localtime to symlink to
/usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Amsterdam (in my case). As described in 'man
5 localtime'. I've never touched or editted /etc/timezone. That might
be set automatically (on boot, but I don't really know), from where
/etc/localtime links to... This is on multiple servers, that have been
running for years, and are kept to date regularly.

Yes, I also did that and it was also working until the recent update I mentioned. Now, I can symlink /etc/localtime to the correct timezone and it
will only stay set until the next time tzdata is updated. tzdata ignores what
is in the /etc/localtime symlink and resets it to point to "America/Indiana/Indianapolis."

So it is reading that information ("America/Indiana/Indianapolis") from somewhere that is not /etc/localtime and is also not /etc/timezone. I would
like to figure out where from so I can squash it.

Sorry, then I have no clue...


Bye, Wilfred.

--- FMail-lnx64 2.3.2.4-B20240523
* Origin: FMail development HQ (2:280/464)

Hello Mike!

01 Apr 25 14:36, you wrote to all:

This is happening on every debian/devuan/raspbian system that I have,
and it started happening sometime during the past month or six weeks
after I received a kernel/tzdata update.

I did a deep dive search on three different search engines and I could not find anything for Debian but I did see talk in Ubuntu forms about a bug in tzdata.

I'd recommend going to a good Debian forum and seeing what kind of answer you get. I didn't see any in the Devuan forum about this. That is an odd problem though.

Wish I could offer more help.

-- Sean

... Time flies like an arrow but fruit flies like a banana.
--- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20240209
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Johnson City, TN (1:18/200)

On Tue, 1 Apr 2025 15:16:50 -0500
"Mike Powell" (1:2320/105) <Mike.Powell@f105.n2320.z1.fidonet> wrote:

Re: Re: tzdata question
By: Wilfred van Velzen to Mike Powell on Tue Apr 01 2025 21:54:17

On Ubuntu I've only once set /etc/localtime to symlink to /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Amsterdam (in my case). As described in
'man 5 localtime'. I've never touched or editted /etc/timezone.
That might be set automatically (on boot, but I don't really
know), from where /etc/localtime links to...

This is on multiple servers, that have been running for years, and
are kept to date regularly.

Yes, I also did that and it was also working until the recent update I mentioned. Now, I can symlink /etc/localtime to the correct timezone
and it will only stay set until the next time tzdata is updated.
tzdata ignores what is in the /etc/localtime symlink and resets it to
point to "America/Indiana/Indianapolis."

So it is reading that information ("America/Indiana/Indianapolis")
from somewhere that is not /etc/localtime and is also not
/etc/timezone. I would like to figure out where from so I can squash
it. --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)

Did you try running grep in /etc and looking for Indiana?

I use neither of the methods either of you mentioned for setting the
timezone. I use datetimectl for that, which just updates /etc/localtime
anyway, I guess.
--
End Of The Line BBS - Plano, TX
telnet endofthelinebbs.com 23
--- SBBSecho 3.24-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (1:124/5016)

So it is reading that information ("America/Indiana/Indianapolis")
from somewhere that is not /etc/localtime and is also not
/etc/timezone. I would like to figure out where from so I can squash
it. --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux

Did you try running grep in /etc and looking for Indiana?

I use neither of the methods either of you mentioned for setting the timezone. I use datetimectl for that, which just updates /etc/localtime anyway, I guess.

I only use tzdata because it installed by default and I presumed that other packages depend on it. Does datetimectl do the same thing?

Mike

* SLMR 2.1a * I had another drink...Drink-a-drink-a-drink-a-drink...
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)

On Wed, 2 Apr 2025 08:50:00 -0500
"Mike Powell" (1:2320/105) <Mike.Powell@f105.n2320.z1.fidonet> wrote:

So it is reading that information ("America/Indiana/Indianapolis")
from somewhere that is not /etc/localtime and is also not
/etc/timezone. I would like to figure out where from so I can
squash it. --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux

Did you try running grep in /etc and looking for Indiana?

I use neither of the methods either of you mentioned for setting the timezone. I use datetimectl for that, which just updates
/etc/localtime anyway, I guess.

I only use tzdata because it installed by default and I presumed that
other packages depend on it. Does datetimectl do the same thing?

Mike

* SLMR 2.1a * I had another drink...Drink-a-drink-a-drink-a-drink...
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)

Oh, it's just a program provided to give the user easy control over
date/time settings rather than dealing with symlinks and whatever.
--
End Of The Line BBS - Plano, TX
telnet endofthelinebbs.com 23
--- SBBSecho 3.24-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (1:124/5016)

I only use tzdata because it installed by default and I presumed that other packages depend on it.

They do, at least libc depends on it.

Does datetimectl do the same thing?

Timedatectl is used by systemd to set/change the timezone.

I wonder if rolling back to the previous tzdata package and holding it there wouold help, but I'm not sure.

If it does, that could indicate a packaging problem, not a tzdata problem.

I've had no problems here since the tzdata update. My systems are all SysV at the moment.

--- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-7
* Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (1:153/757)

Hi Mike,

On 2025-04-01 21:54:17, I wrote to you:

On Ubuntu I've only once set /etc/localtime to symlink to /usr/share/zoneinfo/Europe/Amsterdam (in my case). As described in
'man 5 localtime'. I've never touched or editted /etc/timezone. That might be set automatically (on boot, but I don't really know), from
where /etc/localtime links to...

This is on multiple servers, that have been running for years, and are kept up
to date regularly.

Today there was a tzdata update on those Ubuntu servers:

Unpacking: tzdata (2025b-0ubuntu0.22.04) over (2025a-0ubuntu0.22.04)
Setting up: tzdata (2025b-0ubuntu0.22.04)

Current default time zone: 'Europe/Amsterdam'
Local time is now: Thu Apr 3 10:29:57 CEST 2025.
Universal Time is now: Thu Apr 3 08:29:57 UTC 2025.
Run 'dpkg-reconfigure tzdata' if you wish to change it.

All went smoothly.

/etc/localtime and /etc/timezone have a new timestamp (set to the date/time of the update). And are still correct...


Bye, Wilfred.

--- FMail-lnx64 2.3.2.4-B20240523
* Origin: FMail development HQ (2:280/464)

Current default time zone: 'Europe/Amsterdam'
Local time is now: Thu Apr 3 10:29:57 CEST 2025.
Universal Time is now: Thu Apr 3 08:29:57 UTC 2025.
Run 'dpkg-reconfigure tzdata' if you wish to change it.

All went smoothly.

/etc/localtime and /etc/timezone have a new timestamp (set to the date/time of
the update). And are still correct...

The new timestamps show that tzdata updated the both of them.

Where is it getting this info from to update those two datasets?

Current default time zone: 'Europe/Amsterdam'

I think maybe the "Indianapolis" info is being read from somewhere and
needs to be fixed. I plan on "grepping" some potential suspects
directories to see what I find.

Thanks!


* SLMR 2.1a * My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air...
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)

Hi Mike,

On 2025-04-03 10:06:00, you wrote to me:

Current default time zone: 'Europe/Amsterdam'
Local time is now: Thu Apr 3 10:29:57 CEST 2025.
Universal Time is now: Thu Apr 3 08:29:57 UTC 2025.
Run 'dpkg-reconfigure tzdata' if you wish to change it.

All went smoothly.

/etc/localtime and /etc/timezone have a new timestamp (set to the date/time
of the update). And are still correct...

The new timestamps show that tzdata updated the both of them.

Where is it getting this info from to update those two datasets?

I found this file on one of the updated systems:

/var/cache/apt/archives/tzdata_2025b-0ubuntu0.22.04_all.deb

Inside it are shell scripts that use/touch those files...


Bye, Wilfred.

--- FMail-lnx64 2.3.2.4-B20240523
* Origin: FMail development HQ (2:280/464)