Configuring Windows Time Service on windows Server 2003

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I would like to configure the Windows Time Service on our PDC emulator to
synchronise with an external time source. After my initial investigation, I
understand that you can either edit the registry as per KB816042 or use the
w32tm command.
Does it matter which option I select?
Can I use Group Policy to alter the Windows Time Service on the PDC emulator?
Is the w32tm command a one of synchronization or will it regularly
synchronize?
Your guidance is appreciated.
Regards

Hello lmg,

I would not work in the registry, easier with one command line on the PDCEmulator.

w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:peers /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update

With "peers" you can set the time source, either DNS name (time.windows.com)
or an ip address from a reliable time source.

Here you can find some of them:
http://www.pool.ntp.org/


GPO you can use for the clients setup, but i would let them work as default.
Default in a domain means, all DC's sync with the PDCEmulator and all member
servers and workstations sync with one of the available DC's, doesn't matter
which one.

Time sync occurs after every reboot and regulary.

Best regards

Meinolf Weber
Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers
no rights.
** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups
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> I would like to configure the Windows Time Service on our PDC emulator
> to
> synchronise with an external time source. After my initial
> investigation, I
> understand that you can either edit the registry as per KB816042 or
> use the
> w32tm command.
> Does it matter which option I select?
> Can I use Group Policy to alter the Windows Time Service on the PDC
> emulator?
> Is the w32tm command a one of synchronization or will it regularly
> synchronize?
> Your guidance is appreciated.
> Regards

Dear Customer,

Thank you for posting in newsgroup. And thanks to Meinolf for the
contributions.

According to the description, you want to configure the Windows Time
Service on our PDC emulator to synchronize with an external time source. If
I have any misunderstanding, please feel free to let me know.

Based on the research, here is some information which may be helpful for
you.

Analysis and Suggestions:
=====================

1. You may refer to Microsoft Knowledge base KB 816042 to configure an
authoritative time server in Windows Server 2003:

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

You may also run the w32tm command-line on the PEC emulator operation
master to configure with synchronizing with the external time server
regularly.

Ex. w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:peers /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes
/update

/manualpeerlist:peers
Set the manual peer list to <peers>, which is a space-delimited list of DNS
or IP address of the reliable external time server.

/syncfromflags:manual
Set what sources the NTP client should sync from.

/reliable:yes
Set this machine is a reliable time server

/update:
Set the time service configuration update.

Since the PDC emulator operations master at the root of the forest becomes
authoritative for the organization. We would like to suggest that you
configure the authoritative time server to gather the time from a reliable
external hardware source. We also recommend that you reduce your time
correction settings for your servers and stand-alone clients. These
recommendations provide more accuracy and security to your domain.

2. For your concern about using Group Policy to alter the Windows Time
Service on the PDC emulator, the authoritative Windows Time server cannot
be changed with GPO on PDC emulator. However, you may use Group Policy to
make all the domain clients to sync time with the authoritative time server
in the domain.

You can 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\Administrative Templates\System\Windows Time Service

Configure Windows NTP Client settings here.
Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows Time
Service\Time Providers

3. Is w32tm command a one of synchronization or will it regularly
synchronize?

Yes, You may use following example to sync the time server every time the
server is reboot.

Ex. w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:peers /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes
/update

Generally speaking, after you configure time server, Windows Time service
will synchronize time periodically.

For more information:
====================

How to configure an authoritative time server in Windows Server 2003
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042

Windows Time Service Technical Reference
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb608215.aspx

Hope all the information will be helpful.

Thanks for your time.

David Shen
Microsoft Online Partner Support

Thanks to both parties who responded to my post. Regards

"David Shen [MSFT]" wrote:

> Dear Customer,
>
> Thank you for posting in newsgroup. And thanks to Meinolf for the
> contributions.
>
> According to the description, you want to configure the Windows Time
> Service on our PDC emulator to synchronize with an external time source. If
> I have any misunderstanding, please feel free to let me know.
>
> Based on the research, here is some information which may be helpful for
> you.
>
> Analysis and Suggestions:
> =====================
>
> 1. You may refer to Microsoft Knowledge base KB 816042 to configure an
> authoritative time server in Windows Server 2003:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042
>
> You may also run the w32tm command-line on the PEC emulator operation
> master to configure with synchronizing with the external time server
> regularly.
>
> Ex. w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:peers /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes
> /update
>
> /manualpeerlist:peers
> Set the manual peer list to <peers>, which is a space-delimited list of DNS
> or IP address of the reliable external time server.
>
> /syncfromflags:manual
> Set what sources the NTP client should sync from.
>
> /reliable:yes
> Set this machine is a reliable time server
>
> /update:
> Set the time service configuration update.
>
> Since the PDC emulator operations master at the root of the forest becomes
> authoritative for the organization. We would like to suggest that you
> configure the authoritative time server to gather the time from a reliable
> external hardware source. We also recommend that you reduce your time
> correction settings for your servers and stand-alone clients. These
> recommendations provide more accuracy and security to your domain.
>
> 2. For your concern about using Group Policy to alter the Windows Time
> Service on the PDC emulator, the authoritative Windows Time server cannot
> be changed with GPO on PDC emulator. However, you may use Group Policy to
> make all the domain clients to sync time with the authoritative time server
> in the domain.
>
> You can 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\Administrative Templates\System\Windows Time Service
>
> Configure Windows NTP Client settings here.
> Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows Time
> Service\Time Providers
>
> 3. Is w32tm command a one of synchronization or will it regularly
> synchronize?
>
> Yes, You may use following example to sync the time server every time the
> server is reboot.
>
> Ex. w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:peers /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes
> /update
>
> Generally speaking, after you configure time server, Windows Time service
> will synchronize time periodically.
>
> For more information:
> ====================
>
> How to configure an authoritative time server in Windows Server 2003
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042
>
> Windows Time Service Technical Reference
> http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb608215.aspx
>
> Hope all the information will be helpful.
>
> Thanks for your time.
>
> David Shen
> Microsoft Online Partner Support
>
>

Dear Customer,

I am glad that the information is helpful. If you have other question,
welcome to the newsgroup again.

Thanks.

David Shen
Microsoft Online Partner Support

[lackofaim]

how do i configure the peer list ? I understand everything except where and how to input my ntp servers. Thanks for any help.