W32 Time service 1

[search66]

Here's a good one guys...

I'm trying to setup the time service on about 200 workstations. I've set up one of our BDC's to be the time server. I've also changed the settings on my workstation to test the functionality.

However, this is what happens. If I change the time to something incorrect and reboot; the time will always change to the right minutes, but four hours back... AND if it's AM it will change to PM and vice versa.

For example. It's 8:09am right now, but my PC clock says it's 4:09pm.

I thought it may be the wrong time zone, but the time server and my workstation both are set correctly. Any suggestions?

 

[bcastner]

If the BDC was defined unambiguously as the auhtoritative time server, there are no ambiguities about the time zone settings between the BDC, its NTP time source, and the workstation settings, this will not happen.

Some setting is missing in the chain: time source -> authoritative time server ->workstation.

See:
How to configure an Authoritative Time source under Windows 2000

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;216734

Registry entries for W32 time:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;223184

Basic Operations for the Windows Time Service:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;224799

 

[search66]

I'll check those links and get back to you. It's funny though... If I do a "net time"; it shows the time server and the correct time.

Weird.

 

[search66]

Yea, same deal... The docs you linked to, was basically what I followed before.

But another thing that's weird, is that if I restart the service on the workstation; the time get's corrected....

 

[bcastner]

Look again at:
Basic Operation of the Windows Time Service

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;224799

What it does is actually quite odd. It "adjusts" the system clock forward or ahead by introducing time shims to "slew" the local clock. This is genuinly amazing stuff.

It does not change the clock outright, it slows it down or "speeds" it up by increasing or slowing the frequency of the ACPI compliant clock chip.

No wonder if all else is correct, it works on the next reboot.

This is a genuinly amazing oddity of the NT kernel.

 

[search66]

Yea, I just dunno.

I even bumped the time server, and that TOO changed to eight hours ahead and had to adjust the clock...

I'm at a loss.

 

[search66]

Ok BD, I think I found the problem. This was grabbing the time from the authenticating server (which was wrong) and not the time server.

However, in the registry I have it point to the time server...

 

[bcastner]

"NOTE: Administrators can also configure an internal time server as authoritative by using the net time command. If the administrator directs the command to the operations master, it may be necessary to reboot the server for the changes to take effect."

 

[search66]

Done and done...

I dunno.

 

[search66]

I saw that post to.. but what exactly is the "operations master"? And how would I direct any command to it... that confuses me

 

[bcastner]

On the workstation, (you could do this through the logon script, but it honestly needs to be done only once):

After you set the SNTP time server as authoritative, run either of the following commands on a computer other than the domain controller to reset the local computer's time against the authoritative time server:

net time /your domain name /set

Type the following commands, pressing ENTER after each

net stop w32time
w32tm –once
net start w32time

More information about the net time command is available at a command prompt if you type the following command:
net time /?

 

[search66]

I could put this in my logon script; but it won't work if you aren't an admin.

I wonder if I can push it with SD.

 

[bcastner]

It certainly can be "pushed" with Group Policy. Use the 'Run Once' feature of the Registry.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...2kmag01/html/DistributingRegistryChanges.aspD

 

[search66]

Thanks bro. I think I got it working.

 

[2ffat]

Now that you have it working, here is a site that has some info you migh find interesting:

http://www.boulder.nist.gov/timefreq/service/time-computer.html

James P. Cottingham
[sup]
There's no place like 127.0.0.1.
There's no place like 127.0.0.1.
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