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Trying to get an RTC to load at boot. I've enabled i2c, that works fine for other components.

/etc/modules contains:

snd-bcm2835
i2c-bcm2835
i2c-dev 
rtc-ds3231

/etc/rc.local contains:

echo ds3231 0x68 > /sys/class/i2c-adapter/i2c-1/new_device
hwclock -s

i2cdetect -y 1 shows UU in the 68 slot

I can set the date using hwclock with -r, '-w', and -s successfully

if I reboot, I get from hwclock -r

hwclock: The Hardware Clock registers contain values that are either invalid (e.g. 50th day of month) or beyond the range we can handle (e.g. Year 2095).

I can then write, read and sync with it again fine.

Any suggestions?! I've tried replacing the RTC module, but the same thing happens. Same if I remove the battery from the RTC.

If I remove the battery, the first time I boot it will show the date in the year 2000, but after that it'll go back to the error.

2
  • Solved by following the instruction here: raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=161133
    – zotty
    Jul 19, 2018 at 12:05
  • 1
    You know self answering is allowed? So if you can expand what is in that link with your own experience that worked for the context you describe, it would be a reasonable answer, no?
    – rene
    Jul 19, 2018 at 15:35

1 Answer 1

1

The answers involving modprobe and removing fake hwclock are not needed for Stretch era Rasbian and beyond. Here's the steps that work for me as a reference:

  1. Install tools:

    sudo apt-get install -y i2c-tools   
    sudo apt-get install -y python-smbus
    
  2. Update /boot/config.txt (Note: you can turn I2C 'on' via sudo raspi-config, but you need the overlay too to properly load the driver).

    sudo sh -c "echo dtoverlay=i2c-rtc,ds3231 >> /boot/config.txt"
    sudo sh -c "echo dtparam=i2c_arm=on >> /boot/config.txt"
    
  3. Update /lib/udev/hwclock-set file (sudo nano /lib/udev/hwclock-set) and "comment out" the following lines ("comment out" means put a # at the beginning of each of the lines, so they become comments and are ignored by the system). They should like like:

    # if [ -e /run/systemd/system ] ; then
    # exit 0
    # fi
    
  4. Reboot system

    sudo reboot
    
  5. Review I2C is working, and get current timestamp from RTC:

    sudo i2cdetect -y 1 # will show 68 if I2C is on, but UU if overlay is actually active.
    sudo hwclock -r
    
  6. Review and update reading from hw clock.

    sudo hwclock -D -r
    date # Get latest date from internet 
    sudo hwclock -w # write that date to HW clock
    sudo hwclock -r # read the value of hw clock again
    

References: https://learn.adafruit.com/adding-a-real-time-clock-to-raspberry-pi/set-rtc-time https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=161133

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