Windows Server 2003 - NTP Time Service fails to sync
Long ago in a time far far away our PDC died and this one was promoted. NTP hasn't quite worked since. So I finally am getting around to trying to make it work properly (rather than me manually setting the time) and I'm getting a lot of the following errors in my event log and time synchronization is not occurring. Event Source: W32Time Event ID: 47 Description: Time Provider NtpClient: No valid response has been received from manually configured peer NTP_server_IP_Address after 8 attempts to contact it. This peer will be discarded as a time source and NtpClient will attempt to discover a new peer with this DNS name. Before you jump to make a quick reply linking me to kb830092, yes, I've seen it. I'm up-to-date on patches and it's not relevant. I've configured the now PDC as a NTP server (config below) and enabled logging (log snippet below). C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.HFC>w32tm /dumpreg /subkey:parameters Value Name Value Type Value Data -------------------------------------------------- ServiceMain REG_SZ SvchostEntry_W32Time ServiceDll REG_EXPAND_SZ C:\WINDOWS\system32\w32time.dll Type REG_SZ NTP NTPServer REG_SZ 1.north-america.pool.ntp.org,0x8 TimeSource REG_DWORD 1 C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.HFC>w32tm /dumpreg /subkey:TimeProviders \NtpServer Value Name Value Type Value Data ---------------------------------------------------------------------- InputProvider REG_DWORD 0 AllowNonstandardModeCombinations REG_DWORD 1 DllName REG_SZ C:\WINDOWS\system32\w32time.dll Enabled REG_DWORD 1 C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.HFC>w32tm /dumpreg /subkey:config Value Name Value Type Value Data ----------------------------------------------------------- LastClockRate REG_DWORD 156250 MinClockRate REG_DWORD 155860 MaxClockRate REG_DWORD 156640 FrequencyCorrectRate REG_DWORD 4 PollAdjustFactor REG_DWORD 5 LargePhaseOffset REG_DWORD 50000000 SpikeWatchPeriod REG_DWORD 900 HoldPeriod REG_DWORD 5 LocalClockDispersion REG_DWORD 10 EventLogFlags REG_DWORD 2 PhaseCorrectRate REG_DWORD 7 MinPollInterval REG_DWORD 6 MaxPollInterval REG_DWORD 10 MaxNegPhaseCorrection REG_DWORD -1 MaxPosPhaseCorrection REG_DWORD -1 UpdateInterval REG_DWORD 100 AnnounceFlags REG_DWORD 5 MaxAllowedPhaseOffset REG_DWORD 300 FileLogSize REG_DWORD 16777216 FileLogName REG_SZ C:\Windows\Temp\w32time.log FileLogEntries REG_SZ 0-116 -- C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.HFC>w32tm /resync Sending resync command to local computer... The computer did not resync because no time data was available. -- C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator.HFC>w32tm /monitor xxxx1.hfc.local [192.168.xx.xx]: ICMP: 0ms delay. NTP: -0.0156902s offset from xxxx2.hfc.local RefID: xxxx2.hfc.local [192.168.xx.xx] xxxx2.hfc.local *** PDC *** [192.168.xx.xx]: ICMP: 0ms delay. NTP: +0.0000000s offset from xxxx2.hfc.local RefID: 'LOCL' [76.79.67.76] xxxx3.hfc.local [192.168.xx.xx]: ICMP: 0ms delay. NTP: -0.0191302s offset from xxxx2.hfc.local RefID: xxxx2.hfc.local [192.168.xx.xx] -- 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - Polling peer xxxx2 (ntp.m|0x0|192.168.xx.xx:123->192.168.xx.xx:123) 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - Sending packet to xxxx2 (ntp.m|0x0|192.168.xx.xx:123->192.168.xx.xx:123) in Win2K detect mode, stage 1. 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - Peer poll: Max:64.0000000s Cur:00.0000000s 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - PeerPollingThread: waiting 64.000s 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - ListeningThread -- DataAvailEvent set for socket 0 (192.168.xx.xx:123) 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - ListeningThread -- response heard from 192.168.xx.xx:123 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - /-- NTP Packet: 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | LeapIndicator: 0 - no warning; VersionNumber: 3; Mode: 1 - SymmetricActive; LiVnMode: 0x19 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | Stratum: 1 - primary reference (syncd by radio clock) 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | Poll Interval: 6 - 64s; Precision: -6 - 15.625ms per tick 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | RootDelay: 0x0000.0000s - unspecified; RootDispersion: 0x000A.0400s - 10.0156s 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | ReferenceClockIdentifier: 0x4C4F434C - source name: "LOCL" 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | ReferenceTimestamp: 0xCF83490457E76C8B149501 23:53:41.3593750s - - 12916972420343375000ns - 149501 23:53:40.3433750s 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | OriginateTimestamp: 0x0000000000000000 - unspecified 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | ReceiveTimestamp: 0x0000000000000000 - unspecified 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | TransmitTimestamp: 0xCF8349055C000000149501 23:53:41.3593750s - - 12916972421359375000ns - 149501 23:53:41.3593750s 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - >-- Non-packet info: 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | DestinationTimestamp: 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - 0xCF8349055C000000149501 23:53:41.3593750s - - 12916972421359375000ns149501 23:53:41.3593750s - - 149501 23:53:41.3593750s 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | RoundtripDelay: 000ns (0s) 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - | LocalClockOffset: 000ns - 0:00.000000000s 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - \-- 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - Peer xxxx2 (ntp.m|0x0|192.168.xx.xx:123->192.168.xx.xx:123) may be Win2K. Will verify on next packet. 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - Packet test 2 failed (response does not match request). 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - PeerPollingThread: PeerListUpdated 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - Packet test 3 failed (looks like a request). 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - Packet test 4 failed (bad value for delay or dispersion). 149501 23:53:41.3593750s - Ignoring packet that failed tests from xxxx2 (ntp.m|0x0|192.168.xx.xx:123->192.168.xx.xx:123). From the log it appears that the server is trying desperately to sync to itself and failing. I wish it would stop. Please help! For what it's worth workstations are syncing to it just fine. Also I've run: >w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:1.north-america.pool.ntp.org,0x8 /syncfromflags:MANUAL /reliable:yes /update and for kicks & grins: >w32tm /stripchart /computer:0.pool.ntp.org /dataonly /samples:2 Tracking 0.pool.ntp.org [216.45.57.38]. Collecting 2 samples. The current time is 4/28/2010 3:58:43 PM (local time). 15:58:43, -149.1874719s 15:58:45, -149.1881456s So it is, as far as I can tell, configured to query the N. America pool of NTP servers and it can get a response back from them. I've checked the various pools (N. America and otherwise) and I can get a reply from the ones I desire to use. I've been banging my head against this all day and I think I just need another pair of eyes to help me out. Thanks for looking at this and for any advice you can offer.
April 29th, 2010 5:04am

Hi, Please refer to the "Configuring the Windows Time service to use an external time source" section of the following article to check your settings: How to configure an authoritative time server in Windows Server http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042 If all settings are correct, try to run: 1. w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:<ip address of time source>,0x8 /syncfromflags:MANUAL 2. net stop w32time & net start w32time 3. w32tm /resync. And let us know the result. Thanks.This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
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April 30th, 2010 6:53am

Sorry - I didn't get an email notifying me that this post had been responded to. Toward the end of my OP: --> Also I've run: >w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:1.north-america.pool.ntp.org,0x8 /syncfromflags:MANUAL /reliable:yes /update and Yes, I did know to restart the service. All my settings are correct. All the information is in the OP. I even highlighted the relevant settings previously.
May 5th, 2010 3:01am

Hi, Based on current situation, I suspect there is problem when synchronizing with external NTP server. Please make sure the network is properly setup. Disable Firewall and check if Port 123 is blocked by your Proxy or router. Try this hotfix: The Windows Time service in Windows Server 2003 does not synchronize time with a time server if the precision value of the NTP response is less than -30 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940742 If still no progress, I suggest we try to monitor the network traffic: Download Microsoft Network Monitor. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=983b941d-06cb-4658-b7f6-3088333d062f&displaylang=en 1. Run Network Monitor and start capturing. 2. Run w32tm /resync. When the error occurs, stop the capturing, save the result and upload the file to Windows Live SkyDrive (http://www.skydrive.live.com/). If you would like other community member to analyze the report, you can paste the link here, if not, you can send the link to tfwst@microsoft.com. Thanks.This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
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May 6th, 2010 5:34am

that seems like a whole lotta work in the wrong direction. ntp.org's servers are fairly precise. and as mentioned above I'm patched up and do not need the .dll patched. Further - as evidenced from the log posted in the OP the server appears to be trying to sync to itself despite being configured otherwise. I'm disinclined to believe it's a network issue because: >w32tm /stripchart /computer:0.pool.ntp.org /dataonly /samples:2 Tracking 0.pool.ntp.org [216.45.57.38]. Collecting 2 samples. The current time is 4/28/2010 3:58:43 PM (local time). 15:58:43, -149.1874719s 15:58:45, -149.1881456s So at this point I give up. It's not worth the time I would have to invest to figure out what's wrong on the OS side. I'm using Atomtime to set the time on the server and then everything works fine after that. I have stopped work on this issue.
May 6th, 2010 9:06pm

Thank you for sharing the solution. I understand you wouldn’t like to continue the troubleshooting. I’m sorry for the inconvenience this issue has brought to you. If you have more questions in the future, you’re welcomed to this forum, we will try our best to help you. Thanks. This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
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May 7th, 2010 5:08am

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