Nexus and network time

[alan sh]

I have a nexus 10 and a Nexus 7. Both running the latest Android (4.2.2.). Both connected to the same network. Both getting the system time "from the network".

My Nexus 7 is displaying the correct time. My Nexus 10 is displaying a time which is 7 minutes slow. If I correct it manually (untick "get time from network" and correct it myself) it displays the correct time. If I then tick "get time from network", it immediately goes 7 minutes slow.

So, where is it picking the time up from? I want to compare the 10 and 7 to see why they are different. Unless someone knows the answer?

All clues appreciated.

Alan

 

[Devlyn16]

a couple of thoughts:

to be clear, the N7 matches the time on your router? Do you have multiple routers/modems? if so check each one to see if any ot the times match N10.

N7 is Asus, N10 is Samsung, it could be each device is "phoning home" to the manufactuer and the manufactueres. I dont think this should be the case as I suspect the time should be a function of the OS.

Edit: another thought. manually change the time on your router and see what happens with the time on the tablets.

 

[alan sh]

I noticed this in my hotel room. So, I have no access to routers. I could load up some sort of command (aka DOS box) window if someone could tell me the Unix command to determine what NTP server the tablet is talking to.

Edit - there is something wrong somewhere. It's been on "private" time (not getting it from an NTP server) since last night and it's 10 minutes slow. I set it to get the time from the network and it went back another 7 minutes.

HELP?????

Alan

 

[alan sh]

Update - after I brought it into work and it seemed to lose 10 minutes, when I switch from manually setting time to network time, it now goes back 16 minutes, not 7 (so I guess it lost 9 minutes, not 10).

There is something really weird going on here.

Alan

 

[alan sh]

last update.

I had an application on there called "mini network monitor". I uninstalled that, rebooted my tablet and network time seems to be working OK now.

It may just be coincidence, but it's working, so I am not messing around.

Alan

 

[SteveLA]

Issue 39951 - android - Network time sync sets wrong time on Nexus 10, JB 4.2 - Android - An Open Handset Alliance Project - Google Project Hosting

 

[alan sh]

Thanks. I've added my comment to the growing list.

Alan

 

[aalin13]

I'm assuming this issue still exists? I'm in the same situation as you, the time slows down with or without auto retrieve network time. On my Galaxy Nexus, I had the time set manually when I was in Europe for 2 weeks with no mobile network access, and it did not lose a minute at all. I don't understand why the Nexus 10's clock will slow down if I set the time manually, time keeping should be something that's very basic to get right

 

[alan sh]

Mine didn't do it again for ages once I turned off Location Access. I turned Location Access back on and overnight it has gone 8 minues slow. I've just turned LA off again and rebooted. The time is now correct.

So, it's a software bug, not a hardware one (in my opinion) and something that Google should consider fixing.

Alan

 

[Devlyn16]

I'm puzzled because my N10 matches the time on my cable box and my cell phone. So if it is a software issue why isn't everyone experiancing it? is it time zone dependant? I am in U.S. eastern time zone.

 

[aalin13]

I have been reading about this on forums and an android issue thread. It seems that some are saying software bug as it can be removed by disabling certain things for example. Others are saying hardware as flashing custom ROM doesn't solve it. I've no idea myself, but I think if its a hardware bug, might have something to do with the GPS chip, as many have said that disabling location access fixes it. I'll need to experiment a bit before deciding if I want to ask Google for another one. Then again, some have claimed the replacement device had the same issue.

By the way, I'm in Australia, east coast. Although it appears to affect people in other countries too, including USA and UK

 

[alan sh]

I am in the UK and disabling location access does seem to help for me.

Alan

 

[Devlyn16]

It could be location access as I do tend to keep it off unless I am using features that require it. For all I know the fact I charge it every night could be the deciding factor

 

[aalin13]

I also queried about this over at xda, and here is what I have tried out in the last two days:

So I got tired of the time keeping issue and decided to reset my device on Monday night at 10pm. After the factory reset, I installed back all the apps, did not change any settings, enabled Google Now, got GPS locked once with Google Maps, checked the time is correctly synced via wifi then went to bed.

Since then, I have had the tablet connected to wifi overnight twice, no wifi during day time for all of Tuesday, and it is still keeping time correctly after 34 hours (as of 6am this morning)

This suggests to me it might be a software bug, and it is one that is so unique where only certain condition will trigger it. Of course, I'm completely baffled by it, as it doesn't seem to be easily reproducible

 

[aalin13]

OK, guess I spoke too early. 48 hours after factory reset, the tablet has just lost a minute in the last 5 hours. Guess I'll have to try out disabling the location service. Guess there isn't anything that I would do on a tablet that would require location service anyway, hope this will work

 

[Evilnut]

This is an interesting thread to read, I just came across it. I have never had any time keeping issues on my Nexus10. I got it on launch day. It is virtually always hooked up to some type of wireless network weather it's at home, FoxFi on my phone, on my LTE hotspot, my work WiFi, at a store or restaurant, or any other place I go. I was disconnected from WiFi for 2 days about 2 months ago when I was on a road trip and did not have a charger for my hotspot. I almost always have location access turned on and I have about 110 apps installed on my Nexus 10. I have never done a factory reset since I got it except for when the update to 4.2.2 happened.

the time on my tablet is usually within 10 or 15 seconds of my cell phone. It always matches my laptop when they're both on my home network or my network at work. I almost always charge my Tablet overnight and it is in a case that puts it to sleep when it's closed. Has been since a few weeks after I got it. I also use my tablet quite often for navigation in my truck in a mount that I bought online. I also use it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse quite often.

I am telling you guys this so that maybe you have something to compare to that is not having the timekeeping issues but is using all of the features of the tablet.

 

[aalin13]

Thanks, it's great to read other people's real life usage experience

As I said in the earlier post, I noticed that post factory reset, it is losing time again. I have also noticed though that it lost time from 30% battery to 15% battery, and overnight when I charged it back up to 100%. Since charging it back to 100%, it is consistently 9 minutes behind the correct time without losing anymore time. I wonder if there is some hardware issue, seeing as it might be dependent on the battery %. Either way, judging from forums, it doesn't seem to be a very wide spread problem. With that in mind, I have contacted Google and they have agreed to send me a replacement device, fingers crossed that the replacement won't have this issue as well

I really haven't had any luck with Nexus devices. I went through 4 Galaxy Nexus due to colour banding on the screen. Then had 2 Nexus 7 due to screen lift. Now my Nexus 10 is losing time even after a factory reset.

 

[alan sh]

If you get time before you send the old one back, could you try turning off location access and rebooting the device? Then see if the time has corrected itself.

thanks

alan

 

[aalin13]

If you get time before you send the old one back, could you try turning off location access and rebooting the device? Then see if the time has corrected itself.

thanks

alan

Hey, so when the device was losing time in the 30% - 15% battery life range, I did try turning off Location Access, Google Now, all location features in Maps then rebooted the device. Unfortunately, it made no difference, and it kept on losing time over night when I was charging it back up to 100%.

Since then I have turned location access and auto time sync back on and from 100% down to to about 70% (one day's usage), it was consistently 9 minutes behind without losing anymore time. Overnight, it must have refreshed the time from the network, as I woke up to the device having the correct time again. Since then the time has been tracking correctly, which makes me wonder if the low battery had anything to do with it. In order to test that theory, I have the device down to 27% now as I'm typing this. I'll leave it at 27% overnight, and I'll report back in the morning on whether the time will drift further whilst I sleep

 

[aalin13]

I'm finally able to reproduce the problem. At least on my device, it only happens when battery drops below about the 30% threshold. I woke up this morning after going to bed with the nexus 10 at 27% charge, and this morning it is 5 minutes behind. If anyone can test this out, it'll be much appreciated.

My replacement nexus 10 is due to arrive on Monday. At least now I know what to test out on it first to determine which device to keep