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Synchronize Windows Server 2008 Domain Controller to GMT

Hi;

how can I sync my Windows Server 2008 domain controller to a atomic clock in internet to make sure all other server in the domain got the identical time and date? Especially my Exchange 2007 server. Please give me a step by step procedure? I do not want to install any othr 3rd party software on my domain controller, I just want to use the feature in Windows 2008.

Thanks!

tigermatt

You must first enable the time service, if it is not already enabled. To do this, go to Start, Administrative Tools, Services. Find Windows Time in the list, double-click, select "Automatic" from the Startup Type list, then press OK.

Now, press Start, type cmd and press OK to pull up a command prompt. Execute the following commands, where a new line means you press enter. You can ignore any Access Denied error messages it throws.

net stop w32time
net start w32time
net time /setsntp:time.windows.com
w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:time.windows.com,0x8 /syncfromflags:MANUAL
net stop w32time && net start w32time
w32tm /resync /rediscover

That will get you synchronizing time with Microsoft's NTP servers. As a test, you could set the time out by a minute or two (but no more than about 5 minutes), then execute w32tm /resync and the time will jump back to the correct time at the present time.

-tigermatt

KANEWONG

ASKER

Hi;

after I type the command "w32tm /resync /rediscover", I got the following message.

The computer did not resync because no time data was available.

For the command listed above, if the server rebooted, do I need to re-enter again, or how can I use a script to start it automatically?

tigermatt

Once the w32time service is up and running and configured to start automatically, everything will remain after each reboot.

KANEWONG

ASKER

what is the meaning of "The computer did not resync because no time data was available."

I did not see the time sync to the correct time stamp.

tigermatt

Did you run all the commands EXACTLY as I posted?

biggstrc

To jump in here, I am experiencing the same issue. I can't find documentation anywhere for 2008. I tried the solution above and I got the same error (The Computer did not resync because no time data was available). I didn't rekey the instructions, I copied them into a bat file just to be sure I didn't do anything wrong. I've looked at other instructions on the web, but I always get this error. I've checked to be sure UDP port 123 is allowed (it is)

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

tigermatt

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biggstrc

I tried this exactly like you said. It did not change the time back. Are you sure you have your time protocol set to look to an NTP server (registry key setting)? If you are on a domain and haven't changed this setting, the time will reset because the DC will pass the new time down.

tigermatt

Yes, I'm fully aware of that. The PDCe is responsible for advertising itself as a time server and to push the time down. Running the /syncfromflags:MANUAL forces the server to use NTP as the time source, as opposed to NT5DS.

KANEWONG

ASKER

I tried again but still not working, when I began to type those command, it was 1:09pm, when typing done, it was 1:10pm. Therefore the time did not sync.

How can I test if my server can talk to the time.windows.com?

tigermatt

Try pinging time.windows.com.

Also, try using time.nist.gov in place of time.windows.com - that might help.

Are you sure the time on the server is actually wrong?

biggstrc

That did it for me. Changing to time.nist.gov was the trick. I couldn't ping time.windows.com but I assumed they had blocked ICMP traffic. Thanks for the help.

KANEWONG

ASKER

Finally, it works for me when I sync to time.nist.gov.

tigermatt

Sounds like you must be having a problem connecting to time.windows.com - I can get to it, but there have been issues using that NTP server in the past!

Thanks again