Hi NG, the environment: * Server-Side: Windows Server 2003R2 or 2008 R2 * Client-Side: Windows XP Professional, Windows 7 Professional * No Internet access neither from server nor client * Workgroup-Mode, no domain We have to sync the clients time with the servers time. After configuring and restarting the ntp service on the server (sync with itself), the clients can sync with the server. After some time (a couple of minutes) the clients get "invalid time data" from the server - sync is possible again after restarting the time-service on the server. Can we configure the time-server-service to use the local system time as time source and hand this out to the clients *without* using a hardware device or internet time server? Regards

Hiya, You could set a batch job that would run the following command: NET TIME \\TIMESRV /SET /YES Where TIMESRV is the server you want to synch from. As per following KB: Using NET TIME for all Workstations and Servers http://support.microsoft.com/kb/120944

Hi, Thank you for the post. You have to manually set your clients time service via registry settings. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config > AnnounceFlags = 5 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer >> Enabled = 0 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\W32Time\Parameters >> NtpServer = yourserveripaddress,0x8 Then run command "Net stop W32time & net start W32time" and "W32tm /resync" to sync the time. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/how-to-sync-time-for-workgroup-machines-with-an-external-time-source.aspx http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/winservergen/thread/1a67071a-4141-4c04-86e8-de7dc8afa8ea If there are more inquiries on this issue, please feel free to let us know. RegardsRick Tan TechNet Community Support

Hi, thanks for your reply - some statements because i tried the suggestions above: * as stated in the Technet documentation the parameter for the time server should be <<IP>>,0x08 shouldnt it? * the manual command w32tm /resync works perfect directly after restarting time-service on client and server - after a few minutes the client cannot sync anymore - error is "invalid time data" or "no time data available (udp 123 is already opened) thanks for any idea... regards

Hi, *as stated in the Technet documentation the parameter for the time server should be <<IP>>,0x08 shouldnt it? It's same to use 0x8 or 0x08 in this place. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc779560(WS.10).aspx *the manual command w32tm /resync works perfect directly after restarting time-service on client and server - after a few minutes the client .cannot sync anymore - error is "invalid time data" or "no time data available (udp 123 is already opened) .Have you configured server to a time server? HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config > AnnounceFlags = 10 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer >> Enabled =1 .If you have changed your server/client time service parameter before, please reset your time service to default settings and then change the registry setting. net stop w32time w32tm /unregister w32tm /register net start w32time .Or on your client run w32tm command instead of registry change http://blogs.technet.com/b/bulentozkir/archive/2011/05/20/synchronize-time-in-a-workgroup-environment-or-with-a-non-windows-time-server.aspx Regards Rick Tan TechNet Community Support

Hi, the situation get even more disturbing...i reset time service server and time service client.... configured the logical server with "ntpserver enabled=1" and "announceflags=4" (--> always reliable time server) w32tm /resync works perfect locally...but only, when announceflags IS NOT set to standard (10) Actual Situation on the client: Although completely resetting the time service on the client, i have no chance to sync. (announceflags was set to "10" and "5", ntpserver enabled is set to "0"). The error is that there is no time data available. BUT i can see the request in the time servers firewall logs (UDP 123 is allowed) - see following line from the protocoll... 2012-07-21 19:56:16 ALLOW UDP 10.60.0.50 10.60.0.1 123 123 0 - - - - - - - RECEIVE Is there any security configuration for the time service or authentication that has to be configured? Regards Florian

Hi, Oh, I realize the previous configuration is for domain server. To configure Workstation server to time server, please check thread listed below. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverDS/thread/04865e36-d43d-4167-a07d-9f28fd4f22fa RegardsRick Tan TechNet Community Support

Hi Rick, after some testing the links provided solved the problem: On the logical server run the registry script provided in the answer of the forum thread mentioned above: http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/winserverDS/thread/04865e36-d43d-4167-a07d-9f28fd4f22fa On the logical client use this configuration info: http://blogs.technet.com/b/bulentozkir/archive/2011/05/20/synchronize-time-in-a-workgroup-environment-or-with-a-non-windows-time-server.aspx Regards Florian