Time Zone does not automatically change

Question

Level 2

254 points

Time Zone does not automatically change

The Date & Time preference pane on my MBP late 2012 running OS X 10.9.5 is no longer automatically changing time zones properly. This is something which just started recently.

Background:

In the Date & Time preference pane, I had the 'Set time zone automatically using current location' checked.

At some point while traveling, I got the message that my current location could not be determined.

I unchecked the 'Set time zone automatically using current location' checkbox.

I named the closest city.

The time zone changed to the time zone of the named city.

Problem:

Done traveling, I went back home.

I opened the Date & Time preference pane.

I checked the 'Set time zone automatically using current location' checkbox.

Though the preference pane showed the correct city, the time zone remained at the time zone for the previously named city.

Meager attempt to fix:

I unchecked the 'Set time zone automatically using current location' checkbox.

I checked the 'Set time zone automatically using current location' checkbox.

I tried all 4 pairs of setting the time automatically (on the Date & Time tab) and setting the time zone automatically.

--> no change of time zone; problem still present

I restarted the computer, and fiddled with the checkboxes again.

--> no change of time zone; problem still present

I zapped the PRAM (10 boings to be sure), and fiddled with the checkboxes again.

--> no change of time zone; problem still present

Has anyone seen this glitch before and found a fix for it?

--Bill

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9.5)

Posted on Aug 9, 2015 8:58 AM

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Answer 1

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

Aug 10, 2015 8:56 AM in response to Bill Rising

Your Wi-Fi needs to be on to determine your location.

Try a restart.

Do a backup, using either Time Machine or a cloning program, to ensure files/data can be recovered. Two backups are better than one.

Try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. If Back-to-My Mac is selected in System Preferences, the Guest account will not work. The intent is to see if it is specific to one account or a system wide problem. This account can be deleted later.

Isolating an issue by using another user account

If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account. Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.

Safe Mode

Safe Mode - Mavericks also Yosemite

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Answer 2

Bill Rising Author

Level 2

254 points

Oct 2, 2015 2:15 PM in response to Eric Root

Restart: no change.

New user account with no startup items: no change.

Safe mode: change for the worse. When I selected 'Set time zone automatically using current location', OS X would successfully find my locaion, did not change the time zone (as in the original post), and then blanked out the world map. The end result was a pin stuck on a bla nk section of the map with a time zone covering another blank section of the map. Not only that, but whenever the desktop picture refreshed, there was all sorts of horizontal lines and shuddering of the picture as the picture was drawn stutteringly from bottom to top. Something I've never seen before.

I also tried booting into recovery mode and checking the disk. No help.

For what it is worth, the computer has been slower than molasses for some time now.

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

Oct 3, 2015 9:22 AM in response to Bill Rising

Activity Monitor - Mavericks also Yosemite

Activity Monitor in Mavericks has significant changes

Performance Guide

Why is my computer slow

Why your Mac runs slower than it should

Slow Mac After Mavericks

Things you can do to resolve slowdowns see post by Kappy

6 Easy Tips to Speed Up OS X Yosemite on Your Mac

Try running this program and then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by Etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read.

Etrecheck – System Information

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Answer 4

Bill Rising Author

Level 2

254 points

Oct 4, 2015 10:44 AM in response to Eric Root

I thought I had tried everything on the above list for slowness, but I tried it all again, including a backup-and-restore.

Application startups are still slow, but I now think this could be from having too many (and too many old) fonts.

Still, the main question from the thread exists: How do I get Date and Time to change the timezone to the current location? It will change the pin to the current location, but it leaves the timezone at the old location.

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Answer 5

vramak

Level 1

0 points

Oct 14, 2015 5:42 AM in response to Bill Rising

I agree with you. None of that stuff helped and it has something to do with changes in the OS that Apple made. If you find a fix, please post it. Thanks.

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Answer 6

Bill Rising Author

Level 2

254 points

Oct 31, 2015 5:13 PM in response to vramak

I never ever got the problem fixed.

I instead did a clean install of El Capitan (I was using Mavericks), and it seemed to work with the first setting of the Date and Time control panel.

So... no fix ever found, because reinstalling the operating system is not a fix, it should be a remnant of using Windows 3.11.

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Answer 7

Mar 19, 2016 10:34 AM in response to Bill Rising

Both of my MacBooks running Mavericks fail to update Time Zone automatically when crossing those boundaries. But router settings are unlikely to be the issue with either. One has been up"graded" from Snow Leopard to Lion to Mavericks, and if I remember correctly, the problem first showed up in Lion. The other came with Mavericks, and exhibited this issue from day one. AppleCare specialists cannot find a remedy. In my case, if I de-select automatic time zone detection, then re-select, a red pin pops onto the map where I'm located, the location name updates, but the time zone stays in California, no matter whether I'm on my network with the newest AirPortExtreme bought from local Apple Store, or anyone else's network across the country, regardless of router. The OS is flawed, it is recognized by Apple, and ought to be fixed, even though Apple is so poor, it can't afford it -- NOT! What say you, Apple? And don't tell me to up"grade" to the latest OS X, I'm waiting for better reviews, and don't want to give up iPhoto.

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Answer 8

Eric Root

Level 10

684,039 points

Mar 20, 2016 7:59 AM in response to 10thApple

Apple doesn’t routinely monitor the discussions. These are mostly user to user discussions.

Send Apple feedback. They won't answer, but at least will know there is a problem. If enough people send feedback, it may get the problem solved sooner.

Feedback

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Answer 9

Dec 28, 2016 2:33 AM in response to Bill Rising

Hi Bill, I suggest you to do the following:

1. In the Date & Time preference pane, check again the 'Set time zone automatically using current location'.