Automatically Synchronize Clock

K

Ken Triebold

I have a computer that is on an Ethernet network with Internet access via
DSL. I have confirmed that this computer can access the Internet normally.
The computer is running Windows XP Home SP2. The problem is that the clock
will not automatically synchronize with an Internet time server. I can
update the clock manually, but it will not automatically synchronize. When I
go to control panel, date and time, and click on the Internet Time tab, I
can see that the box is checked for "Automatically Synchronize with an
Internet Time Server". If I click "Update Now", I get this message: "An
error occurred getting the status of the last synchronization. The RPC
server is unavailable". I tried all of the different time servers that are
available, but get the same error message.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get the clock to automatically
synchronize with an Internet time server?
 
S

smlunatick

I have a computer that is on an Ethernet network with Internet access via
DSL. I have confirmed that this computer can access the Internet normally.
The computer is running Windows XP Home SP2. The problem is that the clock
will not automatically synchronize with an Internet time server. I can
update the clock manually, but it will not automatically synchronize. WhenI
go to control panel, date and time, and click on the Internet Time tab, I
can see that the box is checked for "Automatically Synchronize with an
Internet Time Server". If I click "Update Now", I get this message: "An
error occurred getting the status of the last synchronization. The RPC
server is unavailable". I tried all of the different time servers that are
available, but get the same error message.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get the clock to automatically
synchronize with an Internet time server?
Click to expand...

I have been using other time sync softwares prior to the version that
Microsoft started to provide. Try: http://www.thinkman.com/dimension4/
 
C

Carey Frisch [MVP]

How to fix Internet time sync
http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=1779

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows Shell/User

---------------------------------------------------------------

:

I have a computer that is on an Ethernet network with Internet access via
DSL. I have confirmed that this computer can access the Internet normally.
The computer is running Windows XP Home SP2. The problem is that the clock
will not automatically synchronize with an Internet time server. I can
update the clock manually, but it will not automatically synchronize. When I
go to control panel, date and time, and click on the Internet Time tab, I
can see that the box is checked for "Automatically Synchronize with an
Internet Time Server". If I click "Update Now", I get this message: "An
error occurred getting the status of the last synchronization. The RPC
server is unavailable". I tried all of the different time servers that are
available, but get the same error message.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get the clock to automatically
synchronize with an Internet time server?
 
J

John McGaw

Ken said:
I have a computer that is on an Ethernet network with Internet access via
DSL. I have confirmed that this computer can access the Internet normally.
The computer is running Windows XP Home SP2. The problem is that the clock
will not automatically synchronize with an Internet time server. I can
update the clock manually, but it will not automatically synchronize. When I
go to control panel, date and time, and click on the Internet Time tab, I
can see that the box is checked for "Automatically Synchronize with an
Internet Time Server". If I click "Update Now", I get this message: "An
error occurred getting the status of the last synchronization. The RPC
server is unavailable". I tried all of the different time servers that are
available, but get the same error message.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get the clock to automatically
synchronize with an Internet time server?
Click to expand...

Is the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service running on your machine? I
can think of no more likely explanation for the RPC-related error
message. My computer -> Manage -> Services -> look for the RPC service's
status.

Other than that, I've always found the built-in time synchronize
function in XP to be unreliable under even the best of conditions and
far too infrequent in its updates. A really simple way to avoid it is to
install a neat little program like Neutron http://keir.net/neutron.html
and then use the system scheduler to run it daily or at whatever period
you choose. I have never seen this program fail to synch properly and it
comes with a fallback list of a dozen or more time servers.

John McGaw
http://johnmcgaw.com
 
K

Ken Triebold

Thanks for the good suggestions. I will try to set the time server as a
trusted web site in the Security Center. If that doesn't work I will try
starting RPC and then maybe installing a time synch program.
 
M

M.I.5¾

Ken Triebold said:
I have a computer that is on an Ethernet network with Internet access via
DSL. I have confirmed that this computer can access the Internet normally.
The computer is running Windows XP Home SP2. The problem is that the clock
will not automatically synchronize with an Internet time server. I can
update the clock manually, but it will not automatically synchronize. When
I go to control panel, date and time, and click on the Internet Time tab, I
can see that the box is checked for "Automatically Synchronize with an
Internet Time Server". If I click "Update Now", I get this message: "An
error occurred getting the status of the last synchronization. The RPC
server is unavailable". I tried all of the different time servers that are
available, but get the same error message.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get the clock to automatically
synchronize with an Internet time server?
Click to expand...

The default time server no longer works.

Try

'time-a.nist.gov'

Some people also use one provided by the US navy at

'tock.usno.navy.mil'
 
N

Nightowl

Ken Triebold said:
When I go to control panel, date and time, and click on the Internet
Time tab, I can see that the box is checked for "Automatically
Synchronize with an Internet Time Server". If I click "Update Now", I
get this message: "An error occurred getting the status of the last
synchronization. The RPC server is unavailable". I tried all of the
different time servers that are available, but get the same error message.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get the clock to automatically
synchronize with an Internet time server?
Click to expand...

Hi Ken

Try unregistering and then re-registering the Windows Time service; this
often fixes a stubborn glitch.

Go to Start | Run and type cmd <OK> to open a Command prompt.

Now type the following commands:

net stop W32Time <Enter>

w32tm /unregister <Enter>

w32tm /register <Enter>

net start W32Time <Enter>

Now try synchronising again and see if anything's changed.

Hope this helps, let us know how it goes :)
 

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