On Thu, 9 Oct 1997, Gunnar Helliesen wrote:

> mopbooted the machine, NFS-mounted the distribution and then installed
> the binaries. I found a generic kernel but soon built my own from
> -current sources (see below). I couldn't find the sources for boot to

Soon is a relative term at .9 VUPS.

> This output shows the other problem I'm having: The time. Er, I mean the
> year. Every time I boot the machine (even after a warmboot) it thinks
> it's back in 1970. If I try to change the time (using date(1) or
> ntpdate(8)) in multiuser mode the machine hangs completely. I have to
> boot the machine into singleuser, set the time using date(1) and then
> continue to boot into multiuser. xntpd(8) then keeps the time without
> problems until the next reboot.
> 
> What's happening here? I would imagine that even if the machine's
> internal battery clock is flat NetBSD should be able to read the correct
> time from the clock if the machine has not been turned off since the
> date was last set? Or doesn't the date(1) command set the internal
> clock?

I've had simillar experiences with my VS3100's. After I've got them
running for a while, they seem to keep their date without problem.
However if they sit for a couple of days without power then things tend to
get interesting.  I booted up my VS3100/30 once after a week long rest  
and it thought it was 1919. 

I think it's safe to guess that the clock is battery backed, probably
Ni-Cads.  Perhaps with your VS2000 it's old enough that the batteries are
unable to charge anymore. Though I'm still not sure what was going on with
my early 20th century VAX experience.

-brian.
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Brian D. Chase         Systems Coordinator        brian.chase@carpediem.com
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