Windows 2000 Prof. Clock Keeps Changing Time! 2

[romh]

Hi, I have a Windows 2000 Adv. Server network. I only have two clients running Windows 2000 professional and the rest on Windows 98. Soon, they will all be upgraded to 2000. I have some problems with the Windows 2000 clients. The system clock keeps changing automatically to some random time every day or so! The users do not have permission to change the time, so they cannot be changing it. What else could this be?
I have a database and time clock system that runs off the clients' system time, so the time beeing constant is very important to my application. The Windows 98 computers do not experience this problem.

Thankyou very much for any help

 

[hewissa]

Why not specify the Time Server in your DHCP scope options. The time server needs to be the PDC Emulator.

Also enable the time service on your PDC Emulator DC.

At the prompt type net time \\pdc_name /setsntp:"IP_Address" - The ip address would be an external Time Server like the Navy's 192.4.41.40

On the clients you can force time sync using
net time \\servername /set /y
Hewissa

MCSE, CCNA, CIW

 

[romh]

Thankyou very much. Do I have to enable the time server in DHCP in order for the clients to get the right time?
Thankyou

 

[breader]

No but you could easily set the time synch up through a logon script

 

[hewissa]

No, I don't beleive it is nescessary, but it does avoid having to use the net time command on clients. If you are running DHCP I would enable it, doesn't hurt.... Hewissa

MCSE, CCNA, CIW

 

[romh]

One more problem. After I run the
net time \\pdc_name /setsntp:"IP_Address" on the server(PDC)
and sync the time to the navy's time, I then go to the client and use the
net time /set command. But It doesn;t sync the time!

I get the following message after I type in net time /set on the client. Please not that the server's time on the clock displays 12:05pm and the client's is 9:05am
The server's name is rserver
-------
Current time at \\rserver is 4/9/2003 9:05 AM. Local time (GMT-04:00) at \\rserver is 4/9/2003 12:05 pm. The current local clock is 4/9/2003 9:05am. Do you want to set the local computer's time to match the time at \\rserver? <Y/N>.

I choose Yes and nothing happens. The client's time remains at 9:05am. Why does the first part of the question state that the current time on the server is 9:05am and the local 12:05pm? What's the difference? The server displays 12:05 on the clock in the system tray? Thanyou very much!

 

[hewissa]

Check to make sure the time service on the clients has started. If it is, stop the service and restart it.

I found this doc on the time service in Windows 2000

http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/docs/wintimeserv.doc

Also try NET TIME \\<ComputerName> /SET /Y or a NET TIME \\<IP Address> /SET /Y.

You can also issue a NET TIME \\%LOGONSERVER% /SET /Y to synchronize with the computer that validated your logon Hewissa

MCSE, CCNA, CIW

 

[JAFrank]

What time zone are you in? It looks to me like your GMT offset (GMT -4) may be causing your problem - unless you are actually in Newfoundland or South America....

Just a thought...

Allen

 

[romh]

Nothing seems to work. My server has a time of 2:22pm and the client is getting a time of 11:05am after I use the
net time /set command.

I think the problem is the fact that the command says that the server has a current time different from the local time? Who knows. I'll keep researching. Thanks alot

 

[romh]

Thanks allen. The client had a pacific time zone when I am at an Eastern time zone.
One more question.

What more do I have to do to ensure that the clients time sync with the server everytime they log on. Will making a DHCP time server resolve this, or do I have to add the net time command to a logon script batch file?

What would be the syntax of the batch file? Thanks
I am not very experienced with batch files.

 

[hewissa]

Your clients will sync with the PDC Emulator when they logon. The windows W32time service will register with the server.

To create a logon script, open notepad, use the NET TIME /SET/Y line and save the doc as time.bat. Save the script in the systemroot\sysvol\sysvol\domain\scripts so that it will be replicated to all DC's.

Create a gpo that runs logon scripts and associate the time.bat file with it. Hewissa

MCSE, CCNA, CIW

 

[romh]

Thanks Hewissa. So essentially, what you're saying is that I do not have to make a logon script and resync the time everytime they logon. Is that right? Thankyou very much. That was very helpful