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Q193825: NET TIME /Domain Will Not Sync Time w/ Domain Time Source Srv

Article: Q193825
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): winnt:4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbnetwork
Last Modified: 09-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

The NET TIME /DOMAIN:<domainname> command does not attempt to obtain a
list of domain time source (TS) servers in the target domain. Instead, the
computer sending the command will synchronize its time directly with the primary
domain controller (PDC), not the time source (TS) server of the domain specified
by the /DOMAIN switch.

CAUSE
=====

When the /DOMAIN switch is used with the NET TIME command, the computer sending
the command does a NetGetDcName to determine the PDC of the domain. After the
PDC is known, a call is made to synchronize the time with the PDC.

RESOLUTION
==========

To force a computer to synchronize its time with a specific computer, send the
following command:

NET TIME \\<MACHINENAME> /SET /Y

-or-

NET TIME \\<IP Address> /SET /Y

On computers running Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 3 installed, an environment
variable called LogonServer is set to the validating domain controller. The
LogonServer variable can be used to load balance the time source responsibility
by sending the following command:

NET TIME %LOGONSERVER% /SET /Y

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT versions 4.0. We are
researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION
================

When using NET TIME /DOMAIN:<DomainName>, a browse list is never requested
from the domain listed to obtain a list of time source (TS) servers. This may
cause problems if the PDC is not the domain time source server because some
applications may be highly time sensitive.

For example, all servers in a resource domain may be required to synchronize
their time with the master account domain's time source server or servers.
Rather than synchronizing the time with the account domain's time source server,
the client computer will synchronize time with the account domain's PDC.

A time source server advertises itself through the browser announcement. A
Windows NT client or Windows 95 client should use the browse list to determine
the time source server or servers available with which to synchronize time (this
works as expected using NET TIME without the /DOMAIN switch).

A computer can be configured to be a domain time source server by adding the
TIMESOURCE value (Reg_DWord) under the following registry key and setting the
value to 1:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\LANManServer\Parameters

When NET TIME /SET is sent without the /DOMAIN switch, the computer will obtain a
browse list for the domain in which it is a member, select a time source server
from the list, and then send a NetrRemoteTOD call to synchronize the time.

REFERENCES
==========

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft
Knowledge Base:

  Q135646 Err Msg: Could Not Locate a Time-Server

  Q131715 How to Set UP and Synchronize with Domain Time Source Servers

  Q174557 Time Sources Defined for the Windows NT Time Service

Additional query words: timesource net time sync domain timeserve

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Keywords          : kbnetwork 
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400
Version           : winnt:4.0
Issue type        : kbbug
Solution Type     : kbpending

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