[Bug 1799361] [NEW] anacron is being run at the wrong time

[Stephen Worthington]

Public bug reported:

lsb_release -rd:
Description:    Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS
Release:        18.04

I have upgraded from Mythbuntu 16.04 LTS to Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS.  Since
the upgrade, anacron has been running my /etc/cron.daily tasks shortly
after midnight, rather than shortly after 07:30.  This is a significant
problem as the daily MythTV database check and backup tasks are resource
intensive and interfere with using MythTV and can cause errors in my TV
recordings that are happening at the time.  I tracked down the source of
this problem to the configuration changes done to anacron to make it
work from systemd.  There is a new systemd unit "anacron.timer" in
/lib/systemd/system which is responsible for starting anacron via the
"anacron.service" unit.  But for some reason, anacron.timer is set to
run anacron every hour.  Previously, anacron was being run only at
startup and once a day.  There is no need for anacron to be run hourly -
the cron.hourly tasks are run from cron, not anacron.  So to fix this, I
created a systemd override file:

root at mypvr:/etc/systemd/system/anacron.timer.d# cat anacron-timer-override.conf
[Unit]
Description=Trigger anacron at 07:30, as happened before the Ubuntu 18.04 upgrade.

[Timer]
OnCalendar=
OnCalendar=07:30
RandomizedDelaySec=0s
Persistent=true

I believe the /lib/systemd/system/anacron.timer file from the anacron
package should be fixed to run anacron only once daily similar to what
my override file does.  This would revert anacron to the expected
behaviour.

** Affects: anacron (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to anacron in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1799361

Title:
  anacron is being run at the wrong time

Status in anacron package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  lsb_release -rd:
  Description:    Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS
  Release:        18.04

  I have upgraded from Mythbuntu 16.04 LTS to Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS.  Since
  the upgrade, anacron has been running my /etc/cron.daily tasks shortly
  after midnight, rather than shortly after 07:30.  This is a
  significant problem as the daily MythTV database check and backup
  tasks are resource intensive and interfere with using MythTV and can
  cause errors in my TV recordings that are happening at the time.  I
  tracked down the source of this problem to the configuration changes
  done to anacron to make it work from systemd.  There is a new systemd
  unit "anacron.timer" in /lib/systemd/system which is responsible for
  starting anacron via the "anacron.service" unit.  But for some reason,
  anacron.timer is set to run anacron every hour.  Previously, anacron
  was being run only at startup and once a day.  There is no need for
  anacron to be run hourly - the cron.hourly tasks are run from cron,
  not anacron.  So to fix this, I created a systemd override file:

  root at mypvr:/etc/systemd/system/anacron.timer.d# cat anacron-timer-override.conf
  [Unit]
  Description=Trigger anacron at 07:30, as happened before the Ubuntu 18.04 upgrade.

  [Timer]
  OnCalendar=
  OnCalendar=07:30
  RandomizedDelaySec=0s
  Persistent=true

  I believe the /lib/systemd/system/anacron.timer file from the anacron
  package should be fixed to run anacron only once daily similar to what
  my override file does.  This would revert anacron to the expected
  behaviour.

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/anacron/+bug/1799361/+subscriptions