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vmware ESX Server time

I am having a problem with the time on my vmware Host server. It is off by 4 hours exactly. I have shut the server down and checked the clock in the bios and it is correct. I have checked the clock file to confirm that it is using US/Eastern.

Any Ideas!!

Zephyr ICT

When you are talking about the clock file, are you referring to NTP?

Did you configure NTP to sync with an outside source, is the firewall port open?
What version of vSphere are you using?

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

Make sure the NTP service is running, and not Stopped.

Brian32003

ASKER

Yes , I am referring to NTP.

NTP is configured to use any Port and is using US.Pool.ntp.org for my NTP servers. The service is running.

I am using ESX 4.0

If I change the time on the host it changes the time in the Bios to be 4 hours ahead. If I change the time in the bios to be correct it changes to the time on the Host to be 4 hours behind.

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

Make sure your time is within 60 seconds of the NTP time.

What is your time zone ?

Brian32003

ASKER

Andrew - The problem is when I change my time on the ESX Host it is changing the time in my BIOS to a 4 hour difference.

My timezone is US Eastern time.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

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Brian32003

ASKER

Andrew,

Thanks for the response. Maybe this is not an issue after looking into it further. The server BIOS does not have a timezone, so I am not sure what is using. What I mean is their is no option for a timezone just date/time.

The server is an HP Proliant. I'm not sure what you mean with HCL.

As for what do I set the BIOS time to: I thought it was set to eastern time, but I cannot say for sure. The BIOS is +4 hours. I did not set the server up, our IT company did it a few years ago. We had a power outage last night that lasted longer than our UPS did. When I powered on the Host and Guests I noticed a time difference. That is when I started to notice the difference between the BIOS and VMware Host.

Andrew Hancock (VMware vExpert PRO / EE Fellow/British Beekeeper)

Hardware Compatibility List, is the server on it!

I don't think your Host is Hardware Syncing to the BIOS.

Brian32003

ASKER

The server is on the Hardware Compatibility list. It was actually shipped with vmWare. I know the Host is syncing with the hardware because when I change it in the Host it will change it in the BIOS. I have been rebooting to check the BIOS. If I change the BIOS it will change the time in the Host.

You question about the timezone in the BIOS has me thinking that this may not be a problem. The BIOS does not have an option to change the timezone therefore when vmware writes it is adding +4 hours. I'm not sure what HP is using for the timezone. I was assuming the BIOS was set to Eastern time and was changing it.

compdigit44

I may be wrong but I thought ESXI uses GMT which for EST would be a 4 hour off site I believe