Hi I have a simple network with three servers, a PDC and two other DCs. When the PDC is set to NTP sync with its internal clock the DCs can sync time without issue. When I then set the PDC to use an external time source (W32tm /config /manualpeerlist:IP-OF-EXT-NTPSERVER /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update) it can correctly sync time with this source but then the other two DCs are no longer able to sync time with the PDC. When you run w32tm /resync on either DC you get a response eventually: "The computer did not resync because no time data was available" When you then change the PDC back to sync off its internal clock the other DCs can again sync. Has anyone seen something similar ? Thanks Matt

I followed this useful KB on enabling debugging for w32time to get some extra information. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816043 When configured the debug log revealed that the NTP external source I was using (a seperate Windows 2003 server running Tardis 2000) was set at Stratum 14 meaning the PDC believed it was Stratum 15, when the DCs connected to the PDC to grab their time they were getting packet test 7 failed (bad stratum) , which I'd guess is because their stratum level is higher (3?) than 15. I reconfigured Tardis on the external time server to be Stratum 1 , and everything started working. So all in all the debugging feature is a good tool. Cheers Matt