Time synchronization between several XP Pro SP2 computers

[Guest]

Which is the best way to achieve time synchronization between several XP Pro
SP2 computers on a LAN which has no connection to the internet?
There is one computer which I would like the others to be synchronized
against. Which is the easiest and cheapest (preferably free) way to do it?

 

[Daniel Crichton]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 00:08:01 -0700:

Which is the best way to achieve time synchronization between several XP
Pro SP2 computers on a LAN which has no connection to the internet?
There is one computer which I would like the others to be synchronized
against. Which is the easiest and cheapest (preferably free) way to do
it?

You need to find an NTP server that will run on one of them, and then
configure the time service on the others to point to that machine. I've used
Tardis2000 and K9 in the past, but they're shareware, not free, see http://www.kaska.demon.co.uk/

Dan

 

[Guest]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 00:08:01 -0700:


You need to find an NTP server that will run on one of them, and then
configure the time service on the others to point to that machine. I've used
Tardis2000 and K9 in the past, but they're shareware, not free, see http://www.kaska.demon.co.uk/

Dan

Thank you Dan,

I will try it. I can mention that I have tried to use

net time \\server /set /yes

but I can't get any grip of the requirements of that command for it to
perform successfully. Now and then I get "Access is denied" but I have never
been able to figure out why. I have a LAN without a domain and have seen that
it requires the same user (having the same password) to be logged in onto
both computers which are synchronizing. There's always some more problems
when I try to connect a new computer.

 

[Daniel Crichton]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 00:36:01 -0700:

Thank you Dan,

I will try it. I can mention that I have tried to use

net time \\server /set /yes

but I can't get any grip of the requirements of that command for it to
perform successfully. Now and then I get "Access is denied" but I have
never been able to figure out why. I have a LAN without a domain and have
seen that it requires the same user (having the same password) to be
logged in onto both computers which are synchronizing. There's always some
more problems when I try to connect a new computer.

I'm pretty sure that command only works properly if you have a Windows
domain controller, which if you've only got XP machines and no domain then
you won't have.

Dan

 

[Daniel Crichton]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 00:36:01 -0700:

Thank you Dan,

I will try it. I can mention that I have tried to use

net time \\server /set /yes

but I can't get any grip of the requirements of that command for it to
perform successfully. Now and then I get "Access is denied" but I have
never been able to figure out why. I have a LAN without a domain and have
seen that it requires the same user (having the same password) to be
logged in onto both computers which are synchronizing. There's always some
more problems when I try to connect a new computer.

Hmm, actually reading a bit more it seems that it should work, and shouldn't
require the same user to be logged into both - but it will require the
machine that is being used as the "time server" to have a local account
created on it that matches the name and password of the machine running the
NET TIME command with sufficient permissions to allow requesting the time.

Dan

 

[Guest]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 00:36:01 -0700:


Hmm, actually reading a bit more it seems that it should work, and shouldn't
require the same user to be logged into both - but it will require the
machine that is being used as the "time server" to have a local account
created on it that matches the name and password of the machine running the
NET TIME command with sufficient permissions to allow requesting the time.

Yes, that probably what I need to know, i.e. what the sufficient permissions
are.

 

[Daniel Crichton]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 01:41:01 -0700:

Yes, that probably what I need to know, i.e. what the sufficient
permissions are.

There is a "Change the system time" permission. By default this only applies
to Administrators and Power Users on workstation machines in a domain. I'm
not sure of the default permission for a standalone XP machine, but I'm
guessing Limited Users don't have permission.

Dan

 

[Daniel Crichton]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 01:41:01 -0700:

Yes, that probably what I need to know, i.e. what the sufficient
permissions are.

Oops, missed the link. Check http://support.microsoft.com/?id=300022 for
details on setting the permission, although it may not apply to non-domain
machines.

Dan

 

[Guest]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 01:41:01 -0700:


Oops, missed the link. Check http://support.microsoft.com/?id=300022 for
details on setting the permission, although it may not apply to non-domain
machines.

Thanks,

However, I got 404 Not Found on that link.

Joachim

 

[Guest]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 01:41:01 -0700:


Oops, missed the link. Check http://support.microsoft.com/?id=300022 for
details on setting the permission, although it may not apply to non-domain
machines.

No, IE also took the space at the end of the link when I clicked on it.
Not 404 anymore

 

[Guest]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 01:41:01 -0700:


Oops, missed the link. Check http://support.microsoft.com/?id=300022 for
details on setting the permission, although it may not apply to non-domain
machines.

Dan

Just setting the time using e g

time 0:22:45.87

works just fine. It must be the access to the other computer that is
restricted then...

 

[Daniel Crichton]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 02:34:01 -0700:

Just setting the time using e g

time 0:22:45.87

works just fine. It must be the access to the other computer that is
restricted then...

Apparently the NET TIME command has different permissions than the TIME
command, login as a local admin on the PCs having problems. Run gpedit.msc,
go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local
Policies and look for "Change the system time", it defaults to
Administrators only. Go and add the appropriate users, or Everyone, to this
setting, and it should solve the problem.

Dan

 

[Guest]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 02:34:01 -0700:


Apparently the NET TIME command has different permissions than the TIME
command, login as a local admin on the PCs having problems. Run gpedit.msc,
go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local
Policies and look for "Change the system time", it defaults to
Administrators only. Go and add the appropriate users, or Everyone, to this
setting, and it should solve the problem.

Dan

I have tried to set Everyone on both the server and the client computers. It
still gives me access denied.

 

[Guest]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 02:34:01 -0700:


Apparently the NET TIME command has different permissions than the TIME
command, login as a local admin on the PCs having problems. Run gpedit.msc,
go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local
Policies and look for "Change the system time", it defaults to
Administrators only. Go and add the appropriate users, or Everyone, to this
setting, and it should solve the problem.

Dan

I can add that just using

net time \\myserver

gives access is denied.

 

[Daniel Crichton]

Joachim wrote on Thu, 25 May 2006 17:52:02 -0700:

I can add that just using

net time \\myserver

gives access is denied.

I'm running out of things to suggest. Try one thing at a time until it
works, and that should direct you to how to solve this.

Are all machines running Simple File Sharing? Have you tried changing them
to disable SFS?

Check User Rights Assignment on the machine that is being used as the time
source - is the Guest account in the "Deny access to this computer from the
network" setting, if so try removing it and test again. Is Everyone in the
"Access this computer from the network" setting, if not add it and try
again.

Make sure that any firewall on each machine is disabled for testing too. It
could be that one is not allowing RPC calls, in which case you'll need to
allow the appropriate ports.

You might also want to see if w32tm is a better solution, although I'm not
sure if XP Pro will act as a time server using this.

Dan