System time synchronization|HW problem?

[Derick Centeno]

Well Alex:
Regarding the software I recommended I must admit to an error. I
recommended Mactools Pro which although I really loved that product has
been defunct for a while.  I meant Techtools Pro by Micromat
(www.micromat.com).  They certainly know how to test hardware; their
software has been used by NASA.  Anyway they are as good in their
attention to detail as the engineers who built Mactools used to be. 
Which I hope explains why I confused them.

Just consider what I said regarding what Mactools does to be really a
description of what Techtools can do.

Techtools is also available for OS X.  You will get a thorough report on
the condition of your Mac hardware from Techtools.  I almost did it
again...

You've almost convinced me to switch to OS X; but not just yet...  

Now to the last point of discussing ps and linux processes.  I
recommended use of the command ps, obviously -aux are options on the
chance that it's output would be useful.  It provides the PID and other
data necessary which allows you, as System Administrator (SA), to review
what is running currently, what resources it is using,etc.  It provides
enough information that if there is something occurring which you find
suspicious or don't like you can make note of the PID and kill it or you
can control how it uses resources.  Given your experience I'll spare you
the full listing but display merely a sample:

$ ps -aux 
USER       PID %CPU %MEM   VSZ  RSS TTY      STAT START   TIME COMMAND
root         1  0.2  0.1  1496  544 ?        S    09:02   0:03 init [3] 
root         2  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SWN  09:02   0:00 [ksoftirqd/0]
root         3  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW<  09:02   0:00 [events/0]
root         4  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW<  09:02   0:00 [kblockd/0]
root         5  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW   09:02   0:00 [khubd]
root         6  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW   09:02   0:00 [pdflush]
root         7  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW   09:02   0:00 [pdflush]
root         8  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW   09:02   0:00 [kswapd0]
root         9  0.0  0.0     0    0 ?        SW<  09:02   0:00 [aio/0]

Another way of doing something similar,depending on what you are looking
for, is to use vmstat which is invoked as su.  The reports it gives are
detailed and includes what the CPU is doing with time.  However, what
may be more useful to you are the references which follow:

http://rgrjr.dyndns.org/linux/ntp.html

Read the following before running NTP:

http://www.die.net/doc/linux/man/man8/hwclock.8.html

These processes and tools to control them have to be seen within the
context of how Linux is currently designed.  Unlike AIX, for instance,
it is not a Real Time system.  There are growing groups of professionals
interested in having Linux become a Real Time system, but there is
hesitation to move in that direction as the kernel would have to become
larger (and more complex) than what it is already.

Hopefully what is here is enough to get you started on what you are
interested in doing. Writing your own programs to control the hardware
to your needs and satisfaction is something which may interest you.  

In any case, although the paths from this point are nearly infinite the
information here can help you extract what you require as you proceed
further.

Best wishes....