I have set up an EC2 instance, running ArchLinux, for use as a server. Doing what I always do when installing Arch, I try to fix the time by using:
# hwclock --systohc --utc
This does not work, and I get from the system:
hwclock: Cannot access the Hardware Clock via any known method.
hwclock: Use the --debug option to see the details of our search for an access method.
I am pretty sure this has to do with the virtualised nature of EC2 instances.
If anyone could educate me as to what can fix this, I would be grateful. On a different note, what are the implications if I leave the time issue as is and not do anything? Will something malfunction on the server? Will the time go crazy?
This thread may be definitely helpful for you. I can see a several seconds drift on my instances (RHEL6, micro instances) as well where I don't run NTP server. EC2 instances used to synchronize their clocks with hypervisor clock. Available clock sources are visible in
The one which is used is in
So if you want more accurate time configure
NTP
server or runntpdate
client regularly via cron.