Forcing Windows XP date and time

[Bill Gage]

I have a need to force the Windows XP date to remain
constant on a database server computer.

The reason is that we use the server for demonstrations
for clients. The database information reflects a current
time period and we would like date on the machine to
remain constant, so when the demo (Client) applicaiton
accesses the data on the Server it will appear to be at a
time in the past that would make the data seem more
current.

That said.

I developed an application that would force the date of
the server machine to reset itself to the date we wanted
(lets say 2/1/2003) every 30 seconds. Also when it sets
the date is also sets the time to whatever the current
time is on the machine. We are taking a different
approach to this in order to hopefully resolve our
problem, by just setting the date once a day when we know
we are doing a demo. So the 30 second thing won't happen
anymore.

Our demo (Client) application started locking up about 1
hour and 20 minutes into the demonstration. We have not
been able to figure out why. However we are starting to
thing it was because our constantly resetting the date on
the machine every 30 seconds.

Does Windows XP do anything regularly in the background
that would conflict with this?

Also does Windows XP do anything that is date dependant
that would cause conflict with resetting the date on the
machine to a date in the past?

Bill

 

[Roger Abell]

First, if you are in a domain with these machines, keep
in mind that Kerberos is being used and in its default
settings machines must agree on the time to within a
difference of 5 minutes.

All Windows machines will, on a schedule, attempt to
set their time. You may want to look at taking control
over this behavior. Windows client machines attempt
to refresh their policy on a, in the default, 90 minute
plus or minus an offset timecycle.

When the demo application hangs on the client, if the
other "server" XP fully functional ? Does a new client
find it possible to run your application then ?

 

[Guest]

All Windows machines will, on a schedule, attempt to

set their time. You may want to look at taking control
over this behavior.

How would you recommend I do this?

When the demo application hangs on the client, if the
other "server" XP fully functional ?

Yes the server continues to function.

Does a new client
find it possible to run your application then ?

On the client I have to use the task manager to terminate
the current running client application. I am then able
to run the client application again on the same client
machine.

Bill

 

[Roger Abell]

Look at the options available in info from
w32tm /?