# PROBLEM DESCRIPTION

During installation, when giving an NTP server (e.g. 10.0.0.1), this
setting is used to initially set the local time, but it is not set for
systemd-timesyncd service, which is used by default.

/var/log/installer/syslog:
Oct  5 13:15:27 clock-setup: rdate called using NTP server 10.0.0.1.

whereas:

# journalctl --boot --full --unit systemd-timesyncd.service
Oct 05 15:19:49 cc-debian13a systemd[1]: Starting systemd-timesyncd.service
- Network Time Synchronization...
Oct 05 15:19:50 cc-debian13a systemd[1]: Started systemd-timesyncd.service
- Network Time Synchronization.
Oct 05 15:19:50 cc-debian13a systemd-timesyncd[281]: Contacted time server
79.76.101.31:123 (0.debian.pool.ntp.org).
Oct 05 15:19:50 cc-debian13a systemd-timesyncd[281]: Initial clock
synchronization to Mon 2026-10-05 15:19:50.735796 CEST.


# STEPS TO REPRODUCE

Set an NTP server manually during installation. Happens every time.


# EXPECTED BEHAVIOR

The NTP server given during installation should be recognized by
systemd-timesyncd.service.

e.g. in /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf.d/whatever.conf:
NTP=10.0.0.1

Control: reassign -1 clock-setup

This is a duplicate of bug #1029184.
<https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=1029184>
I guess they should be merged but they have different severities.
- What if the default NTP server is used ? Should the installed system
use it or use its own defaults (which might be different) ?
- Same question if the NTP server is preseeded ?
- What if the NTP server is received via DHCP ?
- What if the installer fails to set the clock using the NTP server ?