2026-04-08 Hotel system administration
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I'm sitting in a hotel with my MNT Pocket Reform.

I notice the local time is wrong. I try to use apt update and get
errors.

> Sub-process /usr/bin/sqv returned an error code (1), error message
> is: Verifying signature: Not live until … Release file for … is not
> valid yet (invalid for another 12d 23h 13min 42s). Updates for this
> repository will not be applied. Warning: An error occurred during
> the signature verification. The repository is not updated and the
> previous index files will be used.

Whoops! What? I'm not sure what the problem is but the solution must
involve setting the time. So how is the time set? On my Debian
unstable system I found that this is handled by nptsec.service using
the config file /etc/ntpsec/ntp.conf. I picked the first pool it had
listed: 0.debian.pool.ntp.org.

    # check that this reports a plausible time and date
    ntpdig 0.debian.pool.ntp.org
    # set the local time and date
    ntpdig -S 0.debian.pool.ntp.org

By the time I was ready to connect to the network, I was no longer
able to connect. Our iPhones, however, reported no issues. The only
answers I have for these situations is this:

    sudo ifdown -a
    sudo ifup -a

Turning it off and back on again. Disgraceful, I know. But the network
manager did show the wireless network again.

Well, I'm still sitting sitting here, in a hotel with my MNT Pocket
Reform. And my fingers idly type:

    sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

And I'm thinking, oh that is a long list, oh well, hit Enter and watch
the endless scroll. Watch, watch, watch. Wait a minute, did I just see
libc scroll by‽ STOPP! STOOOOOP! Ctrl-C Ctrl-C Ctrl-C Ctrl-C Ctrl-C
Ctrl-C.

Phew! OK, I'm awake now.

A long time ago I once borked my system with a libc upgrade. Not
again! Before doing that, I need a backup.

#Administration