How do I know if XP client time synch'ing correctly ?

How do I verify my xp clients are synch'ing their clocks correctly ?
How do I verify my DC's are synch'ing correctly ?

( sorry for the long windedness below.. )

I have a new domain w/ 3 W2K3 servers. I have verified the time service
settings on my primary DC ( see below ). I've been seeing errors on various
desktops relevant to time synch:

"The time service has not been able to synchronize the system time for 49152
seconds because none of the time providers has been able to provide a usable
time stamp. The system clock is unsynchronized."

This new domain has been in place for a couple of months. Even though I
read that time synch should be automatic once you add a computer to the
domain, it apparently wasn't in my case. I even have Event Viewer entries
post domain migration of my computer looking for time.windows.com.

From my XP desktop I ran a "w32tm /resync" and it failed ( but no entries in
the Event log to post here ).

I looked on technet and found the command below to set my workstation to
synch w/ the domain controller ( which "should" be the default, correct ? )

w32tm /config /syncfromflags:domhier /update

This works ( /resync is successful ) but do I need to do this for my entire
LAN ?

Relevant PDC Time settings :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\W32Time\Config]
"LastClockRate"=dword:0002625a
"MinClockRate"=dword:000260d4
"MaxClockRate"=dword:000263e0
"FrequencyCorrectRate"=dword:00000004
"PollAdjustFactor"=dword:00000005
"LargePhaseOffset"=dword:02faf080
"SpikeWatchPeriod"=dword:00000384
"HoldPeriod"=dword:00000005
"LocalClockDispersion"=dword:0000000a
"EventLogFlags"=dword:00000002
"PhaseCorrectRate"=dword:00000007
"MinPollInterval"=dword:00000006
"MaxPollInterval"=dword:0000000a
"UpdateInterval"=dword:00000064
"MaxNegPhaseCorrection"=dword:ffffffff
"MaxPosPhaseCorrection"=dword:ffffffff
"AnnounceFlags"=dword:00000005
"MaxAllowedPhaseOffset"=dword:0000012c

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\W32Time\Parameters]
"ServiceMain"="SvchostEntry_W32Time"
"ServiceDll"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,57,00,49,00, 4e,00,44,00,4f,00,57,00,53,\
00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00 ,32,00,5c,00,77,00,33,00,\
32,00,74,00,69,00,6d,00,65,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c ,00,00,00
"NtpServer"="ntp.internal.xxx.com"
"Type"="NTP"


[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient]
"Enabled"=dword:00000001
"InputProvider"=dword:00000001
"AllowNonstandardModeCombinations"=dword:00000 001
"CrossSiteSyncFlags"=dword:00000002
"ResolvePeerBackoffMinutes"=dword:0000000f
"ResolvePeerBackoffMaxTimes"=dword:00000007
"CompatibilityFlags"=dword:80000000
"EventLogFlags"=dword:00000001
"LargeSampleSkew"=dword:00000003
"DllName"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\w32time.dll"
"SpecialPollTimeRemaining"=hex(7):00,00
"SpecialPollInterval"=dword:00000e10

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer]
"InputProvider"=dword:00000000
"AllowNonstandardModeCombinations"=dword:00000 001
"DllName"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\w32time.dll"
"Enabled"=dword:00000001

After a small sampling of the workstation population, it seems some do synch
and other's don't.

How do I effeciently clean this up so I know ( as well as possible ) that
everyone
is time synch'ing properly ?

KH

"KH" wrote:

> How do I verify my xp clients are synch'ing their clocks correctly ?
> How do I verify my DC's are synch'ing correctly ?
>

Hey KH,

From JSI Tip 8266 (http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBQ/TIP8200/rh8266.htm)
================================================== ======================
NOTE: The most common problems that affect the Windows Time Service are:

a.. A dead gateway.
b.. Other TCP/IP problems.
c.. Name resolution problems.
d.. Network congestion.
e.. An attempt to synchronize with inaccurate time sources.
NOTE: For network troubleshooting, use Netdiag.exe from the Windows Server
2003 Support Tools on the CD-ROM.

================================================== ======================

Try the w32tm -once -test -v command on your server to see if it reports any
helpful information.

Also try:

Your Windows XP, or Windows 2003 Server does not synchronize its time with
the domain source
http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBQ/TIP8300/rh8315.htm

http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBN/TIP6500/rh6585.htm

"KH" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:F8E304CC-D443-479D-9BF3-(E-Mail Removed)...
> After a small sampling of the workstation population, it seems some do
> synch
> and other's don't.
>
> How do I effeciently clean this up so I know ( as well as possible ) that
> everyone
> is time synch'ing properly ?
>
> KH
>
> "KH" wrote:
>
>> How do I verify my xp clients are synch'ing their clocks correctly ?
>> How do I verify my DC's are synch'ing correctly ?
>>
>

Accidently sent the message while typing it.

The second link there on the bottom:
http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBN/TIP6500/rh6585.htm

is in regards to testing the time service to esnure that the computer is
using it's authoritative time server.

Hope this helps,

--
Louis Vitiello Jr.
------------------------------
MCSE, MCSA, MCP, A+/N+
ERCP XP Pro / Net Concepts




"Louis Vitiello Jr." <louv-(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hey KH,
>
> From JSI Tip 8266 (http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBQ/TIP8200/rh8266.htm)
> ================================================== ======================
> NOTE: The most common problems that affect the Windows Time Service are:
>
> a.. A dead gateway.
> b.. Other TCP/IP problems.
> c.. Name resolution problems.
> d.. Network congestion.
> e.. An attempt to synchronize with inaccurate time sources.
> NOTE: For network troubleshooting, use Netdiag.exe from the Windows Server
> 2003 Support Tools on the CD-ROM.
>
> ================================================== ======================
>
> Try the w32tm -once -test -v command on your server to see if it reports
> any helpful information.
>
> Also try:
>
> Your Windows XP, or Windows 2003 Server does not synchronize its time with
> the domain source
> http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBQ/TIP8300/rh8315.htm
>
> http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBN/TIP6500/rh6585.htm
>
> "KH" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:F8E304CC-D443-479D-9BF3-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> After a small sampling of the workstation population, it seems some do
>> synch
>> and other's don't.
>>
>> How do I effeciently clean this up so I know ( as well as possible ) that
>> everyone
>> is time synch'ing properly ?
>>
>> KH
>>
>> "KH" wrote:
>>
>>> How do I verify my xp clients are synch'ing their clocks correctly ?
>>> How do I verify my DC's are synch'ing correctly ?
>>>
>>
>
>

> Try the w32tm -once -test -v command on your server to see if it reports any
> helpful information.

This is the 2nd time I've seen a reference to "w32tm -once -test -v" and that
syntax does NOT work on my W2K3 box. In fact, I don't think any of those
options are valid.

> http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBQ/TIP8300/rh8315.htm

My XP system is already on the domain, as is most of my LAN.
I don't have an Internet Time tab.

> http://www.jsifaq.com/SUBN/TIP6500/rh6585.htm

Same syntax problem here. "netdom time <computer_name> /verify
is not valid. It chokes on the "time" option.