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Q246145: Changes to the W32Time and TimeServ Utilities

Article: Q246145
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbtool
Last Modified: 26-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- MSPRESS Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit ISBN 1-57231-344-7 
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SUMMARY
=======

The information in this article applies to all supplements of Microsoft Windows
NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit. This article describes some of the changes that were
made to updated versions of the following Windows NT Resource Kit utilities:

- The Win32 Network Time Synchronization Service (W32Time.exe)

- The Time Synchronization Service Utility (TimeServ.exe)

Posted Product Build Versions:

- W32Time.exe: 5.0.2092.1

- TimeServ.exe: 5.0.1738.1

These utilities for both Intel and Alpha platforms are available for download
from the Microsoft File Transfer Protocol (FTP) site at the following location:

  ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/reskit/y2kfix/

NOTE: The updated W32Time utility for Windows NT should only be deployed if you
are already using W32Time with Windows NT. If you have not deployed W32Time on
Windows NT please use the TimeServ utility. If you are using Windows 2000 please
use W32Time that is included with the Windows 2000 operating system.

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

W32Time is the year 2000-compliant Time Synchronization service that takes the
place of the earlier version of the TimeServ utility. The functionality is
similar, however, all noncompliant functions have been removed. W32Time does not
allow a Master Time Server to use any special hardware to access an Original
Time Source. If your network requires a dial-up connection to a Time Source, by
using a modem or through an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) board in your
computer, continue using the earlier version of TimeServ.exe.

The following Type= option changes were made to this version of the W32Time.ini
file:

- Only Type=NTP (Network Time Protocol) worked in the first released version
  for Windows NT 4.0. If you chose any other types, the service would not start
  correctly. Fixes were implemented for Type=Primary and Type=Secondary so that
  the service starts as expected.

- When the Type= option was changed, the change was not updated correctly in
  the registry. The registry included the new Type= key but did not remove the
  old key. This error was fixed. When Type= is updated, the registry is
  properly updated.

- An Uninstall option was added to the command line.

The following Type= option changes were made to this version of the TimeServ.ini
file:

- The Type=Internet setting no longer uses the United States Naval Observatory
  (USNO) server as the default server for the Internet. Due to hardware changes
  at the USNO server, all non-NTP services are unavailable. In the earlier
  version, this could cause the system resources to be used up because the
  program would not detect a service on the USNO server.

- In the earlier version, the program halted future synchronization attempts if
  it received the following message when it tried to retrieve the time:

  gethostbyname() WSATRY_AGAIN

  The new version of the program continues future synchronization attempts.

- In the earlier version, there was a delay in insertion of a leap second
  through a multi-tiered environment, although this delay did not occur in
  every instance. The TimeServ utility currently does not schedule the
  insertion for the exact moment at midnight. Instead, TimeServ inserts the
  second at the first synchronization after the source time has adjusted, and
  then logs the event.

  In a tiered environment, the leap second may be inserted in the following
  order:

  1. On the master server.

  2. When any primary machines request the time from the master.

  3. When any secondary machines request the time from a primary.

  For types that warn of a coming leap second, the TimeServ utility optimizes
  the synchronization time to be shortly after the moment of leap second
  insertion.

  The synchronization occurs with certain allowances for randomization in order
  to spread potential overloading at individual servers, and delays due to
  tiered structure. The TimeServ utility tries to resynchronize all machines
  within 15 minutes of the leap second.

- The updated version of the TimeServ utility has a new, automatic speed detect
  feature. Type=TrueTime specifies to use the TrueTime Serial input/output
  (I/O) format as found on the TrueTime Mark units. The later units from
  TrueTime, such as the XL-DC Model, can typically use Emulation mode for
  compatibility, or can use the default output format to keep continuous time
  once per second. By using either of these methods, a computer can set its
  internal clock to within 1 millisecond of the national time scale by direct
  telephone connection.

REFERENCES
==========

For additional information about TrueTime products and services, go to the
following address for the TrueTime Web site:

  http://www.truetime.com/

The third-party contact information included in this article is provided to help
you find the technical support you need. This contact information is subject to
change without notice. Microsoft in no way guarantees the accuracy of this
third-party contact information.

Additional documentation about Win32 Network Time Synchronization Service is
available from the Microsoft FTP site at:

  ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/reskit/y2kfix/x86/w32time/w32time.doc

Additional documentation about the Time Synchronization Service Utility is
available from the Microsoft FTP site at:

  ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/reskit/y2kfix/x86/timeserv/timeserv.htm

For additional information about Windows Sockets error codes, click the article
number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q150537 Windows Sockets Error Codes, Values, and Meanings

To learn more about other utilities included in the Resource Kit, refer to any of
the following Microsoft Press books:

  Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit - (3 volume set)
  ISBN: 1-57231-344-7

  Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit - Supplement One
  ISBN: 1-57231-559-8

  Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit - Supplement Two
  ISBN: 1-57231-626-8

  Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 Resource Kit - Supplement 4
  ISBN: 0-7356-0837-7

NOTE: This article provides information about Resource Kit utilities that are not
supported by Microsoft. All Resource Kits utilities are provided AS-IS unless
specifically noted otherwise. This article is provided for informational
purposes only; Microsoft makes no guarantee that these utilities function
properly. In addition, the Timeserv utility that was included on the Windows NT
4.0 Resource Kit has been discontinued, and Microsoft will not make any further
fixes to this utility or release it in the future.

Additional query words: reskit rkbook

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Keywords          : kbtool 
Component         : ResourceKit
Technology        : kbMSPressSearch kbZNotKeyword2 kbZNotKeyword3
Version           : :
Issue type        : kbinfo

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