Comment 14 for bug 432237

here is the data iv gathered:

:~# date ( wrong, in the root shell that i was given after the system failed to boot)
Sat Oct 3 22:50:39 EST 2009

real time:
@desktop:~$ date (correct, on my other computer)
Sat Oct 3 23:53:58 EST 2009

bios reports:

System time: 23:54:50 (correct, bios on the computer that failed to boot)
System Date: 10/03/2009

on a healthy system:

root@desktop:~# date
Sun Oct 4 00:09:33 EST 2009
root@desktop:~# hwclock
Sun 04 Oct 2009 00:09:36 EST -0.555512 seconds
root@desktop:~# date
Sun Oct 4 00:09:40 EST 2009

on a broken system:

root@nick-laptop:~# date
Sat Oct 3 23:07:57 EST 2009
root@nick-laptop:~# hwclock
Sat Oct 4 00:08:23 2009 -0.953406 seconds
root@nick-laptop:~# date
Sat Oct 3 23:08:30 EST 2009

however if i leave my laptop for an hour, it will boot again. i cannot have more than 1 reboot per hour as while booting the time is wrong and the current time will appear in the past.

POSSIBLE WORK AROUND:

i can boot if i change the time 1 hour into the future (in bios) so when ubuntu runs hwclock and then saves the time wrong it is still in the "past".

please confirm if this workaround is effective for you.
oddly enough however the time is still right once its fully booted.