margosd
asked on
System Clock loses time!
Win2K Advanced Server. The System time continues to run slow. I have configured the system to use NTP and have programmed the NTP servers. Approximately every 48 minutes (defualt for NTP query) the time is accurate, then it loses time of about 20-24 minutes between samples.
Yes, I can run w32tm more often, but that doesn't fix the problem.
Net Time/setsntp command issues successfully.
Stop/Start Windows time service, and time is accurate. then it loses time which can be seen viewing the date/time clock. The second hand moves slow.
Run w32tm -v -once to verify operation and same thing, time is good untl next sample.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Yes, I can run w32tm more often, but that doesn't fix the problem.
Net Time/setsntp command issues successfully.
Stop/Start Windows time service, and time is accurate. then it loses time which can be seen viewing the date/time clock. The second hand moves slow.
Run w32tm -v -once to verify operation and same thing, time is good untl next sample.
Any thoughts or suggestions?
ALso - get the newest drivers for your hardware !
HAve you installed SP2 yet ?
I hope this helps !
HAve you installed SP2 yet ?
I hope this helps !
ASKER
Thanks for the thoguhts. Since nothing on MS site on SP2 fixing anything like this, I'm not in a hurry to install. We'll get to it, but not yet.
Yes, NAV is running, and yes there are many services running. Heck, its a server. Again, thanks for the suggestions.
Yes, NAV is running, and yes there are many services running. Heck, its a server. Again, thanks for the suggestions.
Check using performance monitor for anything that appears to be taxing CPU or interrupts or anything out of the ordinary.
Good Luck !
Good Luck !
What about the battery on the motherboard?
ASKER
Compaq has checked it and "they" are satisfied with it. I'm not sure I understand how the motherboard battery comes into play after the system is up and running and NTP has sychronized it, but it was checked anyway....
Could well be a bad motherboard. If it is under warranty, insist that Compaq replace it. Some software will slow the clock (systemically, the use of certain interrupts can result in lost clock cycles), but not to the magnitude you've described.
Good luck!
Good luck!
I had an IBM laptop that was running W2k Pro and doing the same thing. The fix for it was a BIOS flash. May not be the same situation with the Compaq.
I agree with Tituba2 -- make sure you have the latest BIOS. If not, then suspect the MB.
ASKER
You guys all have got some great info. Need to make clear, I am seeing this on multiple systems.
Now, I've recently discovered something in the past 2hours. I noticed that I had a service stuck in starting mode. "Network Time Protocol". First, I haven't a clue why it is even actviated as I don't want to be a time server to anything else from these machines. I have set the service to manual on one of the machines (they are in productions o downtime is rare) and I have rebooted. The machine I'm working with has kept perfect time for the last 120' or so. I'll know moe tomorrow when we reboot machine 2......Again, thanks for all of the advise....
Now, I've recently discovered something in the past 2hours. I noticed that I had a service stuck in starting mode. "Network Time Protocol". First, I haven't a clue why it is even actviated as I don't want to be a time server to anything else from these machines. I have set the service to manual on one of the machines (they are in productions o downtime is rare) and I have rebooted. The machine I'm working with has kept perfect time for the last 120' or so. I'll know moe tomorrow when we reboot machine 2......Again, thanks for all of the advise....
Ok, that changes the picture somewhat. Are you running AD? As you probably know, kerberos depends on accurate time syncs (by default, kerberos starts breaking when machines are more than 5 minutes out of sync). Also by default (in AD), the 1st DC is the authoritative time source -- every other DC will look to it and every client will look to the authenticating DC.
What are you using for a time source, and could the time source be bad?
What are you using for a time source, and could the time source be bad?
ASKER
Using xntpd on an Unix system. Same as the others. It is the 3 out 6 randomness that bothers me most.
No, we are not running AD ( I assume you mean Active Dirctory).
Right now, I'm leaning towards the "starting" NTP service which shouldn't have been enabled in the first place. If I mantain time overnigth on system 1 and reboot system 2 tomorrow A.M., I'll have some better datapoints, but not neccessarily the answer...
No, we are not running AD ( I assume you mean Active Dirctory).
Right now, I'm leaning towards the "starting" NTP service which shouldn't have been enabled in the first place. If I mantain time overnigth on system 1 and reboot system 2 tomorrow A.M., I'll have some better datapoints, but not neccessarily the answer...
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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Great - good to see you've fixed it (apparently).
Best of luck.
Best of luck.
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margosd,
No comment has been added lately (781 days), so it's time to clean up this TA.
I will leave a recommendation in the Cleanup topic area for this question:
RECOMMENDATION: [ PAQ/Refund ]
Please leave any comments here within the next seven days.
¡PLEASE DO NOT ACCEPT THIS COMMENT AS AN ANSWER!
--------------------------
Rajiv Makhijani
EE Cleanup Volunteer
Have you checked all the background processes ?
In addition Cleanup the startup stuff.
Download the Startup COP a free pcmag utility from
http://www.zdnet.com/pcmag/pctech/content/18/08/ut1808.001.html
Run it and it will show you everything that is listed in all the possible startup
places, and allow you to disable things one at a time until the problem is eliminated.
A lot of probelms are caused by excess old baggage - programs that have not been properly un-installed. Startup Cop will eliminate leftovers and un-wanted programs that you no longer want.
Older Antivirus programs and Norton Utilities have been known to cause problems
try disabling them also !
I hope this helps !