mellonbot
MaintenanceExplains, you decide

Clock drift

Your server keeps its own clock. If it drifts even a few minutes off, certificates can look invalid, logs show confusing times and some logins and payments fail. It’s rare, but hard to spot when it happens.

Get startedAll checks
At a glance
Group
Maintenance
Mellonbot
Explains, you decide
What it does
Explains how to switch on automatic time sync.
Approval
You make the change

What you’ll notice

  1. 01Times in your logs don’t match the real time
  2. 02Certificate or login errors that come and go
  3. 03Scheduled jobs run at the wrong time
  4. 04Two-factor codes from the server don’t work

Why it usually happens

  1. 01Automatic time sync is switched off
  2. 02The time service can’t reach the internet
  3. 03The server was restored from an old snapshot
  4. 04A virtual server’s clock drifted after being paused

Fix it yourself

How to fix it by hand

Comfortable with a terminal? Here’s what an experienced admin would do. Start with the read-only commands.

  1. 01

    Check the time and sync status

    Look for “System clock synchronized: yes”.

    timedatectl
  2. 02

    Check the time sync service

    This is the service that keeps the clock right.

    systemctl status systemd-timesyncd --no-pager
  3. 03

    Switch automatic sync on

    Turns on network time sync if it was off.

    sudo timedatectl set-ntp true
  4. 04

    Confirm it’s synchronised

    Check again after a minute.

    timedatectl show --property=NTPSynchronized

With Mellonbot

How Mellonbot helps

  • Checks whether your server’s clock is accurate and kept in sync.
  • Explains what a wrong clock can break, in plain English.
  • Walks you through switching on automatic time sync — you make the change.
  • Re-checks afterwards to confirm the clock is right.
What Mellonbot can and can’t do →

Not sure this is your problem? Ask us →

FAQ

Clock drift: common questions

Why is my server’s time wrong?

Usually automatic time sync is switched off or can’t reach a time server. Turning it on normally fixes it within a minute.

Can a wrong clock break SSL?

Yes. If the clock is far enough off, certificates can look not yet valid or expired, and secure connections fail.

Still have a question?

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Get in touch

Related

Often seen together

  1. 01SSL certificatesThe padlock is about to expire, or already has, and visitors see a warning.Mellonbot fixes
  2. 02Failing scheduled jobsJobs like nightly backups fail quietly, sometimes for weeks.Mellonbot fixes
  3. 03Config errorsA typo in a settings file stops something from starting.Mellonbot fixes

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