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Level 1

16 points

Time zone auto isn't working

For my last few updates (I'm only on 10.9.5) my air ignores the checkbox to set date and time automatically. It does put a pin on my correct city (I go back and forth between EST and MST) but whichever time zone I came from remains the time unless I manually relocate it. This wasn't happening a few upgrades past. Any suggestions?

And this is a late 2011 MB Air with 4 gigs of memory and a 1.8 Ghz Core i7. Do I have the horsepower to run Yosemite? I'm a bit reluctant to upgrade again and lose more functionality, as I did the last time.

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Jul 9, 2015 10:45 AM

34 replies

Troutbum63 Author

Level 1

16 points

Jul 10, 2015 12:27 PM in response to Linc Davis

I'm still confused. The map that outlines the time zone in the date and time preferences stays on MST if I manually set it that way, or on EST if I set it that way. The locator pin will find the right actual location when I connect to a local wifi network, but the time zone map doesn't move, and the clock does not change unless I manually change it. Then the map outline also changes. Only the locator pin goes to the right place--no change in the time zone map happens on eiher regular or guest logins.

Troutbum63 Author

Level 1

16 points

Jul 10, 2015 12:31 PM in response to Troutbum63

Here are two screen shots: First manually set to CO:

Now with auto locate on--pin is correctly moved to NY, but time zone stays on MST and clock does not change.:

Linc Davis

Level 10

209,547 points

Jul 10, 2015 2:25 PM in response to Troutbum63

If you don't already have a current backup, back up all data, then reinstall the OS.* You don't need to erase the startup volume, and you won't need the backup unless something goes wrong. If the system was upgraded from an older version of OS X, you may need the Apple ID and password you used.

There are ways to back up a computer that isn't fully functional. Ask if you need guidance.

If you installed the Java runtime distributed by Apple and still need it, you'll have to reinstall it. The same goes for Xcode. All other data will be preserved.

*The linked support article refers to OS X 10.10 ("Yosemite"), but the procedure is the same for OS X 10.7 ("Lion") and later.

Jul 27, 2015 10:39 AM in response to Linc Davis

I am having the exact same problem running OS X 10.9.5 on an early 2011 Macbook Pro. It used to work perfectly and suddenly stopped a few weeks ago potentially from some kind of update. I travel every week and very irritating now to manually reset time zones. We need this fixed. And asking someone to install their whole OS again for a problem like this is the worst possible customer service and technical response (I am in IT and know what good support is). Please advise with an acceptable solution.

Jul 31, 2015 5:29 AM in response to Techygeek

I just want to point out that this same issue has been present on my Mid 2013 Macbook Air with 10.9.5. It used to work fine until a couple of months ago. When I open up the Date & Time Preferences, the computer is able to determine its location as e.g. "East Cleveland," but the time zone that's selected remains as PDT and the time doesn't change.

Troutbum63 Author

Level 1

16 points

Jul 31, 2015 7:53 AM in response to antipodal

Thanks to Link Davis, who clearly devotes lot of time to attempting to resolve this issue, apparently not unique to me. I have not reinstalled the OS, since while the problem is irritating, it affects me only 3 or 4 times per year. At some point, when other issues yield the need to reinstall, perhaps the problem will go away. It make me feel perversely better that others with older Macs have seen the same problem. Time zones work fine on my iPhone, and at some point I might upgrade my Mac anyway. My wife's even older late 2008 iBook, running 10.8.5, does not have this problem. Guess our Macs are not old enough to be able to tell time!

kriiiiis

Level 1

0 points

Aug 6, 2015 8:22 AM in response to Troutbum63

I'm also having this same issue on 10.9.5 with a 2011 MBP 17, been experiencing it for quite some time and occasionally search for resolutions, but haven't found one. I travel a lot so this affects me every couple weeks. I just keep manually changing it, which is a minor annoyance; would like to see it fixed though.

Aug 6, 2015 8:40 AM in response to kriiiiis

The only way I could get around was by upgrading the OS to Yosemite 10.10.4. It works well now. The upgrade was pretty seamless and all my legacy apps work perfectly. I am also on a MacBook Pro 13" early 2011. Looks like this feature broke in 10.9.5 and Apple hasn't bothered to fix it.

Aug 23, 2015 12:55 PM in response to Techygeek

I reinstalled the OS, at it worked properly for some time. However, when I installed the Security Update 2015-006, it stopped working again.

I assume reinstalling the OS will fix it again, but that's such overkill for what should be an easy fix. I shouldn't have to take a couple hours to reinstall the OS every time this happens.

Key Grip

Level 1

0 points

Aug 24, 2015 12:54 PM in response to Troutbum63

+1 to this being a problem in 10.9.5. Travel a lot and have hidden time from the menu bar as it was driving me nuts.

naddi28

Level 1

0 points

Sep 14, 2015 12:30 AM in response to Troutbum63

I have the same annoying problem on a MBP with 10.9.5. Disappointing!

Oct 19, 2015 3:34 PM in response to Troutbum63

The exact same thing is happening to me. The red pin appears in the correct time zone, but the system time zone never changes. The only way I can get it to change is to change it manually.

Oct 19, 2015 3:54 PM in response to Troutbum63

I am running a mid 2014 MBP on 10.10.5 and it works fine, but it also worked for previous versions (10.10.2 - 10.10.5 ). Try upgrading to the latest version possible but create an install drive for your current version.

Did it ever work before, if so, which version was it?

Oct 19, 2015 5:29 PM in response to coolguy 73

I'm on 10.9.5. It's a work computer - they won't let us upgrade to Yosemite.

Also I have an external wifi card I need to use sometimes because our corporate wifi doesn't play nice with Macs - it doesn't work on Yosemite. Apparently no external wifi cards work on Yosemite.

Troutbum63 Author

Level 1

16 points

Oct 19, 2015 9:27 PM in response to Matt Savino

I'm on 10.9.5 and also not ready to upgrade the OS. I run Parallels with a Win 7 virtual machine, and I would have to upgrade Parallels to 11 (I think I have to pay for it as well) in order to keep my working Win 7 VM. And my 2011 Mac won't run Win 10 either, so for many reasons Yosemite doesn't make sense. I will live with the irritation of manually resetting my time zone as I switch between locations. Lucky for me I stay several weeks at each place almost all the time, and I'm retired, so the hassle is real but tolerable. It's sad Apple hasn't cared about this glitch enough to fix it. They are usually better at things than this.

Time zone auto isn't working