W32Time seems to be affecting a web server application causing it to time out over night when idle

Hi baamold
You can modify the registry to use a local time source.

To configure the PDC master without using an external time source, change the announce flag on the PDC master. The PDC master is the server that holds the forest root PDC master role for the domain. This configuration forces the PDC master to announce itself as a reliable time source and uses the built-in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) clock.
To configure the PDC master by using an internal hardware clock, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type regedit, and then click OK.
2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\AnnounceFlags
3. In the right pane, right-click AnnounceFlags, and then click Modify.
4. In Edit DWORD Value, type A in the Value data box, and then click OK.
5. Quit Registry Editor.
6. At the command prompt, type the following command to restart the Windows Time service, and then press ENTER:
net stop w32time && net start w32time


When the PDC master runs without using an external time source, the following event is logged in the Application log:

Time Provider NtpClient: This machine is configured to use the domain hierarchy to determine its time source, but it is the PDC emulator for the domain at the root of the forest, so there is no machine above it in the domain hierarchy to use as a time source. It is recommended that you either configure a reliable time service in the root domain, or manually configure the PDC to synchronize with an external time source. Otherwise, this machine will function as the authoritative time source in the domain hierarchy. If an external time source is not configured or used for this computer, you may choose to disable the NtpClient.

This text is a reminder to use an external time source and can be ignored.

This machine was setup as a WorkGroup Server and does not reside in a domain.  I had the engineer check the registry and the value you have listed here was already set to "A".  He did stop and start W32time again, however.

Listed are examples from each Event ID (they vary on time from what I see so far).  If you want the entire System/App logs can I email to someone to check?

Event ID: 17
Time Provider NtpClient: An error occurred during DNS lookup of the manually configured peer 'time.windows.com,0x1'. NtpClient will try the DNS lookup again in 15 minutes. The error was: A socket operation was attempted to an unreachable host. (0x80072751)

Time varies from 15 - 480mins.

Event ID: 29
The time provider NtpClient is configured to acquire time from one or more time sources, however none of the sources are currently accessible.  No attempt to contact a source will be made for 15 minutes. NtpClient has no source of accurate time.  

Time varies from 1 - 15mins.

Event ID: 48
Time Provider NtpClient: An error occurred during DNS lookup of the manually configured peer 'time.windows.com,0x1'. NtpClient will continue to try the DNS lookup every 960 minutes.  This message will not be logged again until a successful lookup  of this manually configured peer occurs.  The error was: A socket operation was attempted to an unreachable host. (0x80072751)

This is the only error registered

Thank you!

What time source do you want to use?  An Internet time source?  Or no time source at all (set the W32Time service to disabled if you want this)

Otherwise, tyep

Net time Setsntp: internettimesource.org


Do this from a command prompt....but make sure you use a valid internet time source...my example is not real.

To set your server to not synchronize  time, use this registy setting:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters\

Change the "Type" Value to "NoSync"    (without "")

This will tell your server to not synchronize time

NJComputerNetworks did my solution solve your problem?

Excuse me i meant baamold did this solve your problem?

We are still trying to narrow this down.  This is a WWTP facility and getting people to check things is tough.  I will let you know.

Thanks,
Barry

hi redseatechnologies
Venabili was going to close this Question before, but baamold (Author) is still trying to find out if this solution did solve the problem. Would it be possible to allow a time extension on this Question?

Hi SkUllbloCk,

The moderator will decide what to do with this question in 4 days.  The Asker has had a 3 week extension to no avail already, and I very much doubt that another 3 weeks would make all that much of a difference, but it isn't my decision - and your comments hold just as much sway as mine!

The Asker is entitled to ask another question, once they have time to deal with the issue, but this question is very close to being the oldest in this area - which needs to be addressed considering there is no activity here at all.

Thanks

-red

Gentlemen,

I do apologize for lack of response, but this is still an issue and as we learned recently - it's not a new one!  We are running Win2003 Server and having this problem described here.  Well, when our customer confirmed that this was a problem before with Win2000 Server, let's just say our happy button didn't get pushed.

This facility is a WWTP (Waste Water Treatment Plant) and things move slow.  The initial project bid alone started back in October '05 and getting timley answers doesn't happen.

We had them commit to a 7/6/06 date to hopefully remedy this and the MS 169.xxx.xxx.xx network they currently use!  With DHCP, WINS, and VPN we hope to stabilize their network.

Thank you for your patience,
Barry  

P.S.

We have implemented and tested the possible fixes listed here, but have still failed.  For whatever reason the machines attached to the webserver go dark after midnight and have to be restarted.  For starters, it may be as simple as their 169 network...maybe

Thanks,
baamold

Hi baamold,

I know the frustration of slow jobs that are constantly waiting on an indecisive or non-committal client, especially when they have problems they want fixed - just not urgently!

The problem here is simply that we cannot leave this question open forever.  There is a limit to how long questions can go without activity, and that is 21 days.

My recommendation to you is to close this question, wait till the client gets it together and then post another one when you have more information about the problem.

As none of the answers here helped, i have changed my recommendation for this question to PAQ: Refund

So you have you 500 points back, unless you have new information about this tomorrow, there really is no reason to keep this open

Also, that 169.254.x.x network freaks me right out :)

-red

I apologize...once again, but a recent visit to the customer site has solved little if anything.  I appreciate all the input given here, many of which were tried and tested with the customer.  Our goal at this time is to gain remote administration of this server using VNC or GoToMyPC (current solution).  With this we can monitor more server activity and avoid 2 hour road trips each time.

Our customer contact is not a big enough asset to help us with network issues which only makes our job harder.  We couldn't get them to ditch the 169 network either, so we will continue to struggle at nailing the issues down.

I would award points for effort, but can't for solution at this time.  Please do what you need to do and close this string down.

Thank you,
Barry