Hello, Ihave awindows 2008 x64 server, it is The primary active directory domain. The internet time sync. is not showing in the time area, how do i setup the server so it is getting sync'd with atomic clocks on the internet every day. also is there anything else i need to do eather in group policy to make sure the clients are also in sync with the windows 2008 server as they log in, used to be net time.... but if i recall that has changed, i heard something that a user logs into the 2008 domain it will just sync time without any additional tasks and all my stations are windows xp. David

Here's all the information you need on w32tm: http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/b43a025f-cce2-4c82-b3ea-3b95d482db3a1033.mspx?mfr=true And here's how to sync your XP clients with your domain controller: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307897

Hi Tdar, 1. On the domain controllerof the root forest , you may follow the steps to configure the Windows Time service to sync time with the authoritative time source.a. Open a Command Prompt.b. Type the following command to display the time difference between the local computer and a target computer, and then press ENTER: (without quotation mark) "w32tm /stripchart /computer: time.windows.com /samples:5 /dataonly Please note: The Microsoft time server (time.windows.com) uses NIST, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, located in Boulder, Colorado, as its external time provider. NIST provides the Automated Computer Time Service (ACTS), which can set a computer clock with an uncertainty of less than 10 milliseconds. The U.S. Naval Observatory (USNO) Time Service Department in Washington, D.C., is another source for accurate time synchronization in the United States. Many other sites exist throughout the world that you can use for time synchronization. c. Open UDP port 123 for outgoing traffic if needed.d. Open UDP port 123 (or a different port you have selected) for incoming NTP traffic.e. Type the following command to configure the PDC emulator and then press ENTER: (without quotation mark) "w32tm /config /manualpeerlist: time.windows.com /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update" 2. The computers that are joined to a domain are configured to synchronize from a manual time source. Please use the following procedure to configure a client computer that is currently synchronizing with a manually specified computer, to automatically synchronize time with the domain hierarchy. You may follow the steps to configure a client computer for automatic domain time synchronizationa. Open a Command Prompt.b. Type the following command and then press ENTER: w32tm /config /syncfromflags: domhier /updatec. Type the following command and then press ENTER: net stop w32timed. Type the following command and then press ENTER: net start w32time You may also use Group Policy to make all the domain clients to sync time with PDC emulator in the domain. You may find the Group Policy settings used to configure W32Time in the Group Policy Object Editor snap-in in the following locations: Configure Global Configuration Settings here Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\System\Windows Time Service Configure Windows NTP Client settings here Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows Time Service\Time Providers More reference: How to configure an authoritative time server in Windows Server 2003http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042/en-us Windows Time Service Best practiceshttp://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/517e74d7-40e9-41bd-93aa-48b610b936321033.mspx?mfr=true Hope it helps.

Why isn't there an applet to do this? Every other operating system in existence has an easy way to configure it to get time synchronization from the internet.

I totally agree, it's like windows without a window!?! It would be somewhat ok if worked though, but I get this:C:\>w32tm /stripchart /computer: time.windows.com /samples:5 /dataonlyThe following argumetnts were unexpected:time.windows.comThe following error occurred: The parameter is incorrect. (0x80070057)

@ Zulan: Your problem originates from a blank that exists between "computer" and "time.windows.com". Simply change "/computer: time.windows.com" to "/computer:time.windows.com" and it will work...Best,Holger

Could someone please calrify on which DC you should do this, given that we have 3?

When I try this command "w32tm /stripchart /computer: time.windows.com /samples:5 /dataonly I get the following output. And it doesn't update the time.Tracking time.windows.com [207.46.232.182:123].Collecting 5 samples.The current time is 9/2/2009 2:15:26 PM.14:15:26, error: 0x800705B414:15:29, +52.1418516s14:15:31, error: 0x800705B414:15:34, +52.1417874s14:15:36, +52.1417616s

It doesn't matter if there's a space or not...the command still returns that error.

You should do that on the DC in the PDC role. To find out which that is, either right click on your domain under ADUC and select operations masters or goto a cmd prompt and type netdom /query fsmo

Hi David, How I can verify whether or not the PDC emulator is registered to sync with Microsoft time server (time.windows.com) after I run the following command you posted? "w32tm /config /manualpeerlist: time.windows.com /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update" I have a time sync problem with my servers and there is a Hyper-V server with 3 VMs running on the Hyper-V host. One of the VMs is a DC and also PDC emulator. I believe all this VMs sync the time with the host server (my Hyper-V server) and I am not sure how I can get the correct time updated on the Hyper-V server. Could you please advise me what steps I have to do or where I can get an instruction? Thanks in advance. Kucheong

Hi KUcheong, You may need to disable the "Time Synchroization" in te intergration services of the VM I have same problem before, my host set the wrong time, and sync to the VM which is act as DC, every time I update the time in the DC it get the incorrect time form the host and keep looping ..... After I cancel this option the problem fix.

All the time related changes must be done in the domain's PDC.

if the PDC is a VM on Hyper-V, even by disabling the time sync, you will get problem because the "bios" clock of the VM is not accurate at all. Actually after a month, i have 10 minute of difference with the real time You need to synchronise your PDC with an external source (internet) by NTP. I recommend to use the procedure of Rob Silver http://robsilver.org/ad/demystifying-time-in-a-forest/ Regards

Hi KUcheong, I agree, this seems to be the solution to a Microsoft Exchange 2010 error: Initialization failed. The following error occurred when searching for On-Premises Exchange server: Cannot index into a null array. It was running the command 'Discover-ExchangeServer -UseWIA $true -SuppressError $true'. However I can't find the option to deselect the 'Time synchronization'. This is the path I can't find: EX2010.xxxxxxx.local.Management Integration Services Services Time synchronization

This worked absolutely beautifully for me! Thank you for that simple and thourough solution. I chose simply to enter the commands on my Windows 2008 R2 Domain Controller that had my PDC role rather than using the Group Policy option.

I have no trouble syncing my XP clients to the server. The problem is the server syncing with a reliable time source. Why does my PC not have a problem with this, but my server does?

I just have a question about this post. All my FSMO role reside on one server. Do I need to follow this directions on that one server? Thanks David Tabib

I just have a question about this post. All my FSMO role reside on one server. Do I need to follow this directions on that one server? Thanks David Tabib Hello, as this one is too old please create your own one.Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.