Time Service Questions

[Dan Rhoads]

Cary,

Thank you for the reply. Please allow me to provide more detail on the
problem

In general the time service in our forest is functioning within the
parameters as defined in the MS document
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/docs/wintimeserv.doc. If one performs
a w32tm /monitor /domain:xxx the time offset between all the DC is very
small (example +0.0030000s). If one compares the PDC emulators in the child
and peer domain to the time source in the root domain these to are well with
acceptable parameters.

This issue is solely around a handful of XP clients (in our case this is in
the hundreds) who when joined to the domain as part of the client build
process (netdom is invoked by the build to join them) seem to reject the
idea of using domain hierarchy and refuse to time sync.

I have determined that PCs coming out of the build that are time syncing
have time service registry keys that look like this...
--------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters]
"ServiceMain"="SvchostEntry_W32Time"
"ServiceDll"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,57,00,49,00,4e,00,44,00,4f,00,57,00,53
,\

00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,77,00,33,00,\
32,00,74,00,69,00,6d,00,65,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
"Type"="Nt5DS"
--------------------

PCs coming out of the build that are NOT time syncing have time service
registry keys that look like this...
--------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters]
"ServiceMain"="SvchostEntry_W32Time"
"ServiceDll"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,57,00,49,00,4e,00,44,00,4f,00,57,00,53
,\

00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,77,00,33,00,\
32,00,74,00,69,00,6d,00,65,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
"NtpServer"="time.windows.com,0x1"
"Type"="NoSync"
--------------------

Of interest and is related to the information I am seeking is difference in
the "Type" setting and the fact the working systems are devoid of the
"NTPServer" key. Obviously "NoSync" mean what is says, what I do not
understand is why it was not changed to "Nt5DS" upon joining the AD domain.

This all brings me back to the original question which is; Can someone tell
me what time service settings (registry or other) are modified by the act
joining an XP client to an AD domain and what those settings are changed to.

Thank You
Dan Rhoads

 

[Guest]

Hello Dan,

You sound like a time junkie like myself. I had to troubleshoot a time sync
issue in one of the environments I was consulting in a while back. Here is a
fantasitic resource I found in my travels working with W2K and W2K3 domains
and time sync clients like XP or w2K pro...

(URL will wrap
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...2003/all/techref/en-us/W2K3TR_times_intro.asp

You might want to check out the section specifically on Time Service
settings and tools to locate the infor you are looking for. I am not quite
sure as to why a handfull (in the hundreds) are not correcttly configured out
of your deployment process. What I can suggest to keep things simple and
standard in your environmen is set a group policy setting that enforces the
proper settings on the client machines. That way if things are incorrect -
they get updated to the proper settings on the next GPO refresh.

That document also has a great section on the W32TM.EXE utility. Fantastic
for time related settings and monitoring.

Rick Claus [MSFT], MCSE
TechNet CDN - IT Pro Advisor

No Email Please... This alias is for newsgroup purposes only.
This posting is provided “AS IS†with no warranties and confers no rights.

Cary,

Thank you for the reply. Please allow me to provide more detail on the
problem

In general the time service in our forest is functioning within the
parameters as defined in the MS document
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/docs/wintimeserv.doc. If one performs
a w32tm /monitor /domain:xxx the time offset between all the DC is very
small (example +0.0030000s). If one compares the PDC emulators in the child
and peer domain to the time source in the root domain these to are well with
acceptable parameters.

This issue is solely around a handful of XP clients (in our case this is in
the hundreds) who when joined to the domain as part of the client build
process (netdom is invoked by the build to join them) seem to reject the
idea of using domain hierarchy and refuse to time sync.

I have determined that PCs coming out of the build that are time syncing
have time service registry keys that look like this...
--------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters]
"ServiceMain"="SvchostEntry_W32Time"
"ServiceDll"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,57,00,49,00,4e,00,44,00,4f,00,57,00,53
,\

00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,77,00,33,00,\
32,00,74,00,69,00,6d,00,65,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
"Type"="Nt5DS"
--------------------

PCs coming out of the build that are NOT time syncing have time service
registry keys that look like this...
--------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters]
"ServiceMain"="SvchostEntry_W32Time"
"ServiceDll"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,57,00,49,00,4e,00,44,00,4f,00,57,00,53
,\

00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,77,00,33,00,\
32,00,74,00,69,00,6d,00,65,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
"NtpServer"="time.windows.com,0x1"
"Type"="NoSync"
--------------------

Of interest and is related to the information I am seeking is difference in
the "Type" setting and the fact the working systems are devoid of the
"NTPServer" key. Obviously "NoSync" mean what is says, what I do not
understand is why it was not changed to "Nt5DS" upon joining the AD domain.

This all brings me back to the original question which is; Can someone tell
me what time service settings (registry or other) are modified by the act
joining an XP client to an AD domain and what those settings are changed to.

Thank You
Dan Rhoads

Dan,

When the clients ( WIN2000 and WIN XP ) are joined to the domain then they
will attempt to synch up with the Domain Controller that authenticated them.

The process is generally as such: The Domain Controller that holds the FSMO
Role of PDC Emulator is synched with some external time source ( or
not...this step is optional ). All other Domain Controllers will synch with
this DC. All member servers and clients will synch with the DC that
authenticated them.

Have you entered anything in the client's registry?

HTH,

Cary

 

[Dan Rhoads]

Thank you Rick. I think you are correct a GPO is probably the best bet, not
only to fix this issue but to ensure consistent as well. Much thanks for the
link! I started looking at the GPO settings late last week and discovered
that the "Explain" text in ADMs was sorely lacking for the time settings.
The link you sent has much more detail and what the defaults are for these
settings.

Thanks!
Dan Rhoads

Hello Dan,

You sound like a time junkie like myself. I had to troubleshoot a time sync
issue in one of the environments I was consulting in a while back. Here is a
fantasitic resource I found in my travels working with W2K and W2K3 domains
and time sync clients like XP or w2K pro...

(URL will wrap)
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...2003/all/techref/en-us/W2K3TR_times_intro.asp

You might want to check out the section specifically on Time Service
settings and tools to locate the infor you are looking for. I am not quite
sure as to why a handfull (in the hundreds) are not correcttly configured out
of your deployment process. What I can suggest to keep things simple and
standard in your environmen is set a group policy setting that enforces the
proper settings on the client machines. That way if things are incorrect -
they get updated to the proper settings on the next GPO refresh.

That document also has a great section on the W32TM.EXE utility. Fantastic
for time related settings and monitoring.

Rick Claus [MSFT], MCSE
TechNet CDN - IT Pro Advisor

No Email Please... This alias is for newsgroup purposes only.
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights.

Cary,

Thank you for the reply. Please allow me to provide more detail on the
problem

In general the time service in our forest is functioning within the
parameters as defined in the MS document
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/docs/wintimeserv.doc. If one performs
a w32tm /monitor /domain:xxx the time offset between all the DC is very
small (example +0.0030000s). If one compares the PDC emulators in the child
and peer domain to the time source in the root domain these to are well with
acceptable parameters.

This issue is solely around a handful of XP clients (in our case this is in
the hundreds) who when joined to the domain as part of the client build
process (netdom is invoked by the build to join them) seem to reject the
idea of using domain hierarchy and refuse to time sync.

I have determined that PCs coming out of the build that are time syncing
have time service registry keys that look like this...
--------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters]
"ServiceMain"="SvchostEntry_W32Time"
"ServiceDll"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,57,00,49,00,4e,00,44,00,4f,00,57,00,53
,\

00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,77,00,33,00,\
32,00,74,00,69,00,6d,00,65,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
"Type"="Nt5DS"
--------------------

PCs coming out of the build that are NOT time syncing have time service
registry keys that look like this...
--------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters]
"ServiceMain"="SvchostEntry_W32Time"
"ServiceDll"=hex(2):43,00,3a,00,5c,00,57,00,49,00,4e,00,44,00,4f,00,57,00,53
,\

00,5c,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,77,00,33,00,\
32,00,74,00,69,00,6d,00,65,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,00,00
"NtpServer"="time.windows.com,0x1"
"Type"="NoSync"
--------------------

Of interest and is related to the information I am seeking is difference in
the "Type" setting and the fact the working systems are devoid of the
"NTPServer" key. Obviously "NoSync" mean what is says, what I do not
understand is why it was not changed to "Nt5DS" upon joining the AD domain.

This all brings me back to the original question which is; Can someone tell
me what time service settings (registry or other) are modified by the act
joining an XP client to an AD domain and what those settings are changed to.

Thank You
Dan Rhoads

Dan,

When the clients ( WIN2000 and WIN XP ) are joined to the domain then they
will attempt to synch up with the Domain Controller that authenticated them.

The process is generally as such: The Domain Controller that holds the FSMO
Role of PDC Emulator is synched with some external time source ( or
not...this step is optional ). All other Domain Controllers will

synch
with

this DC. All member servers and clients will synch with the DC that
authenticated them.

Have you entered anything in the client's registry?

HTH,

Cary

When a W2K/WXP client is in a workgroup the client is configured to use
time.windows.com for time sync. When the client joins an AD domain is
switches to use the domain hierarchy. We seem to have a random number
of client who when joined to the domain are unable to time sync and are
actually still attempting to sync to time.windows.com.

Can someone tell me what time service setting (registry or other) are
modified by the act joining a domain and what those settings are changed
to.
If others have experienced this scenario what did you do to correct
this bad behavior.

Thanks in advance.