Re: Windows Time Service on a Domain

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Hello Jeremy - SDX Jeremy -,

The way time is handled in a domain is that the PDCEmulator is the time source in the domain, all DC's will use it for time synchronisation and member servers or workstations will use one of the DC's as a time source. So the PDCEmulator should be configured if possible to an external time source. Doesn't matter which one, just check that it is a reliable time source.

w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:peers /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update

With "peers" you can set the time source, either DNS name (time.windows.com) or an ip address from a reliable time source.


Here you can find some of them:
http://www.pool.ntp.org/

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
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I have a windows 2003 server and 30 xp computers connected to a
domain. Right now my time is set up for each xp computer to get the
time from the server (at least I think) and the server keeps the time.
I am almost certain that none of the computers or the server look to
time.windows.com for a time.

The users on the computer cannot change their time since it
automatically resets back to the server time.

If I change the time manually on the server it eventually becomes
innacurate again by a minute or two.

From reading the microsoft articles I understand the computers must
look to the server for time but microsoft advises against having the
server look to time.windows.com for the time (or thats what I
understood from them).

Is there any problem with having my server get the time from
time.windows.com and if there isnt what is the best way of setting
that up?

Thanks,
Jeremy - SDX


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Relevant Pages

  • Re: Change Domain Time Server
    ... Domain time sync is in this way, the PDCEmulator is the time source of the domain, all DC's sync with that machine, member servers and workstations choose one available DC for the sync. ... Net time is the older version form 2000. ... So the PDC is always the time server. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.general)
  • Re: Configuring w32time
    ... Yes, the PDCEmulator is your SBS, no other DC can have the FSMO roles when SBS is used. ... The PDCemulator in a domain is always the time source and all other DC's sync with that one automatically. ... Personal i would configure the SBS to an external time source and reconfigure the clients to use the SBS as domain time server. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: windows time service
    ... On a PDCEmulator, which is the time source for the domain, configure an external time server as time source: ... The clients and member servers use any available DC for time sync automatic in a domain. ... All DC's sync with the PDCEmulator. ...
    (microsoft.public.win2000.group_policy)
  • Re: workstations & server times
    ... The PDCEmulator is the domain time source, that you can configure with an external time server: ... With "peers" you can set the time source, either DNS name or an ip address from a reliable time source. ... All DC's sync with the PDCEmulator and the member servers and workstations sync with an available DC, mostly that one in their site. ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.active_directory)
  • Re: system hangs- logging w32time errors
    ... Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection: ... the time service shouldn't create this kind of errors. ... The errors occur because you server has no external time ... With "peers" you can set the time source, ...
    (microsoft.public.windows.server.general)