NTP error

[tookawhile]

W2003 Srv R2.

I have NTP configured use an external time source and it has been working fine for 6 months, but (not sure if this is just coincidental)ever since the clocks changed, I now get NTP errors for both of the NTP time sources - why?

Event ID 38
The time provider NtpClient cannot reach or is currently receiving invalid time data from %1.

Event ID47
Time Provider NtpClient: No valid response has been received from manually configured peer %1 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.


Anybody else had problems?

 

[jfwebber]

On the server in question, open a command prompt and try running the following:

w32tm /resync /rediscover

Jim W MCSE CCNA
Network Manager

 

[tookawhile]

It reports the command completed successfully.

 

[tookawhile]

...and now it is receiving valid data...so I guess it's Ok now? Wonder what caused it?

 

[jfwebber]

Not totally sure....but it has something to do with the mode windows 2003 sends synchronization request to the NTP and if the NTP is not a windows based system the NTP can only reply in a certain mode....

Not much of an explanation but hope it helps.

Jim W MCSE CCNA
Network Manager

 

[tookawhile]

It's failing again.

I use the NIST time service in the USA and a University in the UK - I've been using them for years and years with the old W2000 SRV DC with no problems what so ever, changed to W2003 SRV R2 and I get a problem!

I could maybe change the mode from symmetric active mode to client mode?

 

[jfwebber]

Here is a Microsfot KB article that speaks to symmetric and client mode,

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875424

Hope it helps.

Jim W MCSE CCNA
Network Manager

 

[tookawhile]

Well I've tried most of the MS article and I'm still getting problems - seems to work once then fails - did MS ever fix the bug, where if you had 2 time servers specified it would screw up?

Event Type: Information
Event Source: W32Time
Event Category: None
Event ID: 37
Date: 04/11/2006
Time: 11:52:07
User: N/A
Computer: MYDc-DC1
Description:
The time provider NtpClient is currently receiving valid time data from time.nist.gov (ntp.m|0x8|192.168.0.1:123->192.43.244.18:123).

For more information, see Help and Support Center at

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: W32Time
Event Category: None
Event ID: 35
Date: 04/11/2006
Time: 11:52:07
User: N/A
Computer: MYCD-DC1
Description:
The time service is now synchronizing the system time with the time source time.nist.gov (ntp.m|0x8|192.168.0.1
:123->192.43.244.18:123).

For more information, see Help and Support Center at

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Event Type: Information
Event Source: W32Time
Event Category: None
Event ID: 38
Date: 04/11/2006
Time: 12:37:59
User: N/A
Computer: MYDC-DC1
Description:
The time provider NtpClient cannot reach or is currently receiving invalid time data from time.nist.gov (ntp.m|0x8|192.168.0.1:123->192.43.244.18:123).

For more information, see Help and Support Center at

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

 

[tookawhile]

One thing I've noticed, in the MS article posted above it states 'w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:NTP_server_IP_Address,0x8 /syncfromflags:MANUAL'

note the '0x8'

and then further down it states '0x08 - send request as Client mode'

so which is correct - 0x8 or 0x08?

 

[jfwebber]

Have you tried to use a different NTP source? If not try something other than time.nist.gov.

Jim W MCSE CCNA
Network Manager

 

[tookawhile]

Well the last sync at 11.30 today seems to be holding up - for now - set from time.nist.

I've used time.nist for years with no problems and I believe Microsoft have their time servers there so I thought it would be a good stable choice, and has been until late!

I'm assuming it is Ok to specify two NTP's in the peer list?
There use to be issues when using more than one if I remember correctly - wonder if that bug has re-appeared?

For now, I've set it to just the one peer

 

[tookawhile]

I've tried a few ntp servers out from ntp.org list, any many of them seem to now fail when resync, so, after trying a few out I think I've found a couple that work, they seem to respond very quickly - so fingers crossed.