Time Synchronization on the Network
Last Modified: 17 Apr 2004
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*** PLEASE NOTE: Link(s), If Provided, May Be Wrapped ***
The simplest approach to domain time synchronization
is to install a Time Service app on a single server,
and have all other machines sync with this system using
NET TIME in the logon script or at some other interval.
You may encounter various issues while setting this up,
the most common problem being that NT Workstation clients
do not normally have permission to set the time on their
own workstations, unless they are Power Users or above.
And, in most cases, you don't want them to have those
sorts of rights.
The other approach is to install W32Time, or some other
Time Synchronization app on every system. Windows 2000
and Windows XP come with this service (W32Time) natively,
leaving only NT4 systems (which you should already be
considering for upgrade) to have this app installed.
TIME ZONES
The Time Zone is handled by your local system. Internally,
NT/Win2K manages time as GMT, and time is displayed as
as GMT + Local Time Zone adjustment. None of the TimeSync
utilities (certainly not the native ones) interfere with
the Time Zone setting.
This also applies to Daylight Savings Time. DST (and other
international variations) are controlled by the client.
Your computer is presented with GMT and makes the
appropriate adjustment based on TZ and DST settings.
TIME SYNCHRONIZATION APPS
• ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/reskit/y2kfix/x86/w32time/
• http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~ntp/software.html
• http://software.freshmeat.net/search/?q=time+sync§ion=projects
• http://www.softseek.com/Utilities/Clocks_Alarms_and_Reminders/System_Time_Synchronizers/
• http://download.cnet.com/downloads/1,10150,0-10001-103-0-1-7,00.html?tag=srch&qt=time+synchronization&cn=&ca=10001
LIST OF TIME SERVERS
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=262680
• http://boulder.nist.gov/timefreq/service/time-servers.html
• http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/servers.html
• http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/ntp.html
NET TIME ISSUES
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=225525
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=193825
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=120944
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=156460
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=176210
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=139453
• http://www.windows2000faq.com/Faq.cfm?FaqID=1064
• http://www.windows2000faq.com/Faq.cfm?FaqID=1689
WINDOWS TIME SERVICE ISSUES
• http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/howitworks/security/wintimeserv.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/TechNet/inside/11-8-99.asp#y2k
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=223184
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=131715
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=224799
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=174557
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=232209
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=135646
• http://www.winnetmag.com/windowsnt20002003faq/Article/ArticleID/14943/windowsnt20002003faq_14943.html
WHITEPAPERS & TECH DOCUMENTS
• http://support.microsoft.com/?KBID=246145
• http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/htbin/rfc/rfc738.html
• http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/htbin/rfc/rfc1769.html
SCRIPTING SAMPLES
The following batch file fragments will give users on
NT/2000 machines the right to change the time on their
workstations.
*** Requires NT4 or higher and ResKit ***
Method #1:
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FOR /F %%V IN ('NET VIEW /DOMAIN:mydomain') DO NTRIGHTS -m %%V +r SeSystemtimePrivilege -u "MYDOMAIN\Domain Users"
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Method #2:
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FOR /F %%V IN (C:\Temp\ComputerList.TXT) DO NTRIGHTS -m %%V +r SeSystemtimePrivilege -u "MYDOMAIN\Domain Users"
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PERSONAL NOTES
• If you're concerned about giving your users this
right, then you should install the free W32Time
service. This service is installed in Win2K by
default, but it can be downloaded for NT4 (free)
from Microsoft.
• The Time Service is not the most fully features
Time Sync product, but it is not very difficult
to configure, and will easily serve almost any
environment.
