Windows 2008 R2, Windows 7 Client Clocks Off By 4 Minutes (Always Slow)

aloha,

we experiencing large network server discrepancy in relation system time clocks, , went though , ran following microsoft fixit tool set them time source.  after step, servers have maintained proper time, network clients reporting average offset of 4 minutes in past.  i can replicate issue on test machine, however, occasionally.

i've gone through , done multiple:

w32tm /query /peers /verbose

w32tm /resync

w32tm /dumpreg /subkey:parameters

and seen systems reporting as nt5ds, although report no time sources available, , systems seem jump 1 dc next.  also when requesting the w32tm /resync, error out saying there no time source available.

i went ahead , configured ntp client settings within gpo, , enabled default "global configuration settings", , "configure windows ntp clients", , set them use time.windows.com,0x9, doesn't seem have successfully applied, client systems still reporting changing group of domain controllers.

any ideas?

thanks!  -ian

microsoft fixit site:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042

the dc logged on machine/client (found running set l), time source machine.

if there av apps, can cause time not sync, along firewalls, etc.

if seeing time skews 4 minutes, bit slow, however, still falls under kerberos time skew tolerance of 5 minutes. keep in mind, windows time not accurate, , sync around 2-3 minute mark, if not right away. default. if requirement down split second, third party time service, such tardis (there others), recommended.

if it's occassional, , there's nothing in event logs, wouldn't worry it, long under 5 minutes. beyond 5 minutes, authentication & authorizations (logons, etc), start failing.

as registry dumps, wouldn't worry it, , recommend stay out of reg or don't @ settings. should configured w32tm command, including /monitor switch see current status.

if feel it's happening specific client machines, can reset time service following procedure:

net stop w32time
 w32tm /unregister
 w32tm /register
 net start w32time
w32tm /config /syncfromflags:domhier /update
w32tm /resync /rediscover
restart time service:  net stop w32time && net start w32time

.

if specific machine giving problems, try this:

net stop w32time
w32tm /unregister
"net time /setsntp: " (without quotes, put in there signify the blank space prior closing quote) 
w32tm /register
net start w32time
w32tm /config /syncfromflags:domhier /update
w32tm /resync /rediscover
restart time service:  net stop w32time && net start w32time

.

more info:

configuring windows time service windows 2000, 2003, 2008 , newer, explanation of time service hierarchy, , more
published ace fekay, mct, mvp ds on sep 18, 2009 @ 8:14 pm  3050  1 
http://msmvps.com/blogs/acefekay/archive/2009/09/18/configuring-the-windows-time-service-for-windows-server.aspx

technet thread: "time sync best practices," halo-next,
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-us/winserverds/thread/043b1ebe-e7bc-40ca-91e0-174a6854808e/

discussion on default time service in forest
technet thread: "time sync best practices" halo-next 5/21/2012
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/forums/en-us/winserverds/thread/043b1ebe-e7bc-40ca-91e0-174a6854808e/

---

ace fekay
mvp, mct, mcitp/ea, mcts windows 2008/r2 & exchange 2007, exchange 2010 ea, mcse & mcsa 2003/2000, mcsa messaging 2003
microsoft certified trainer
microsoft mvp - directory services
technical blogs & videos: http://www.delawarecountycomputerconsulting.com/

this post provided as-is no warranties or guarantees , confers no rights.

Windows Server  >  Directory Services