Warn of reset date (1970) after booting

Scripting Forums AppleScript Studio & Xcode
#1

I wonder if someone has built or could build a Mac OS X script to warn the user if the Mac boots with a reset date (for instance, back to 1970 or similar).

Sometimes the Mac does it (exhausted battery, crash, mains surge spike, etc) and if you do not notice it you may create files with wrong dates.

I am also talking in case the Mac is offline (no tine network server then).

It guess it could be called “ResetDateWarning” or something like that.

Thanks.

#2

Simple enough if you’re that worried.

if year of the (current date) is less than or equal to 1970 then
   display dialog "Check your date and time preference panel."
end if

Put it in your startup items folder and Robert is your mother’s brother.

I used less than or equal to 1970 in case you’re west of Greenwich and use local time.

#3

Dennis,

Thanks!

Sorry for my ignorance, but I know nothing about scripting. Could you or someone tell me how to create a script or could someone make the one indicated by Dennis and make it available to download on this thread.

Sorry about it.
Thanks.

#4

In the Finder, press shift-command-a to open the Applications folder. In that folder you should have a folder named “Applescript”. In this folder is your script editor. Doubleclick the script editor app and copy and paste the script from my other post into the window. Save the script, go to the Accounts pref pane, click on the start up items tab and drag the script into the window. It will run and check every time you log on.

#5

Thanks!

#6

Maybe I’m way off here, but I think Mac OS X has this feature built in??? I have seen it give warnings automatically at startup anytime the clock is set to a date before the release date of Mac OS X.

EDIT: The computers I saw this on were NOT connected to the Internet.

#7

Well, in my case Mac OS X 10.2.8 and also 10.3.4 do not report a wrong date when the clock goes back to 1st January 1970. Both when the Mac is connected to internet and when it is not connected.

You can get a date reset unplugging-plugging a shut down Mac to a live mains socket. The electrical “spark” produced resets the internal battery-driven clock to 1970.