DC Time Sync Problems

[Clowntrigger]

I have 2 sites with 2 DC's in each site. The primary site has our pdc emulator (spb-dc1) and another DC (spb-dc2). The secondary site has 2 DC's (rev_thh, mailnorth). spb-dc2 and rev_thh (plus some other 2003 servers) will not sync to spb-dc1 (pdc). I have spb-dc1 set as the authoritative time server for the network and it works properly. My client pc's (mostly XP, some Vista) sync with spb-dc1.

On spb-dc2 I have tried demoting/promoting it. I've cleared the w32tm registry keys and reconfigured it. I've pulled the w32tm registry keys from mailnorth (which is syncing) and put them on spb-dc2. Nothing has worked so far.


C:\Documents and Settings\faxsr>w32tm /monitor
REV_THH.company.com [192.168.122.12]:
ICMP: 69ms delay.
NTP: -17.0281300s offset from spb-dc1.company.com
RefID: unspecified / unsynchronized [0.0.0.0]
MAILNORTH.company.com [192.168.122.13]:
ICMP: 70ms delay.
NTP: +0.0012406s offset from spb-dc1.company.com
RefID: spb-dc1.company.com [192.168.120.14]
spb-dc1.company.com *** PDC *** [192.168.120.14]:
ICMP: 0ms delay.
NTP: +0.0000000s offset from spb-dc1.company.com
RefID: (unknown) [64.25.87.54]
SPB-DC2.company.com [192.168.120.18]:
ICMP: 0ms delay.
NTP: -16.7856768s offset from spb-dc1.company.com
RefID: unspecified / unsynchronized [0.0.0.0]

C:\Documents and Settings\faxsr>w32tm /resync /rediscover
Sending resync command to local computer...
The computer did not resync because no time data was available.

 

[Clowntrigger]

Bump. Anyone?

 

[Davetoo]

We don't "bump" threads on this site.

Set the problem server to use your time server for NTP.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[Clowntrigger]

Sorry, didn't mean to break protocol, I'm just frustrated with this issue. There's not much in the search engines beyond running the w32tm commands to fix this.

Here's what I've tried so far (in no particular order):
Reset the registry keys
Imported a working set from another server
Manually configured the server to use the domain authoritative time server /manualpeerlist:spb-dc1 /syncfromflags:manual
Configured the server to automatically use the domain hierarchy server (with /syncfromflags:domhier)

Any changes are followed by a net stop/start command and a w32tm /resync to verify.

 

[Davetoo]

err...did you point the problem server to your main DC for NTP or not?

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[Clowntrigger]

w32tm ... /manualpeerlist:spb-dc1

if that doesn't do it, what does?

 

[Davetoo]

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[Clowntrigger]

I already have my primary (pdc-emulator) DC setup to sync externally to a time server and it works fine. Most internal hosts (pc's and servers) can sync to the primary DC.

 

[Davetoo]

Ok...one last try on my part to help you...

Set your problem DC's NTP to point to your PDC emulator that is pointing to the external time source. Don't use W32tm...use the NTP commands to force it to your PDC emulator.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[Clowntrigger]

By ntp commands do you mean 'net time /setsntp'?

C:\Documents and Settings\faxsr>net time /setsntp:spb-dc1
The command completed successfully.


C:\Documents and Settings\faxsr>net time /querysntp
The current SNTP value is: spb-dc1

The command completed successfully.

C:\Documents and Settings\faxsr>net time /set
Current time at \\MAILNORTH is 1/25/2008 11:31 AM

The current local clock is 1/25/2008 11:31 AM
Do you want to set the local computer's time to match the
time at \\MAILNORTH? (Y/N) [Y]: y
The command completed successfully.

That seems unusual, it's actually setting it from a DC in another site.