Re: setting the date for testing

["hdv@gmail" <hdv.jadev@gmail.com>]

On 2020-12-06 21:43, Michael Grant wrote:
> I need to set the date to several years in the future in order to test 
> something.  When I do this via the date command, the date returns back 
> almost instantly (or within a few seconds).
>
> # timedatectl set-time 2025-12-06 20:41:41
>
> # date
>
> Sat  6 Dec 20:41:43 GMT 2025
>
> # date
>
> Sat  6 Dec 20:41:44 GMT 2025
>
> # date
>
> Sun  6 Dec 20:41:48 GMT 2020
>
> I’m not using ntp (that I know of).
>
> # timedatectl timesync-status
>
> Failed to query server: The name org.freedesktop.timesync1 was not 
> provided by any .service files
>
> # timedatectl show
>
> Timezone=Europe/London
>
> LocalRTC=no
>
> CanNTP=no
>
> NTP=no
>
> NTPSynchronized=no
>
> TimeUSec=Sun 2020-12-06 20:37:19 GMT
>
> RTCTimeUSec=Sun 2020-12-06 18:51:22 GMT
>
> How can I stop (temporarily) the system from automatically setting the 
> date so that I can set it forward?

I encountered this type of thing myself a while ago as well. And, just 
like you, I thought there was no NTP running, but systemd had some 
tricks upon its sleeve.

Try this to see if it solves your troubles:

# timedatectl set-ntp true

Changes to the status of this service will not be immediately noticed by 
timedatectl. Thus, you'll have to enter the following command too:

# systemctl restart systemd-timedated.service

HTH

Grx HdV