Richard N Williams

Configuring a NTP Network Time Server in Windows 2000

This article gives a step-by-step guide to configuring Windows Server 2000 to run a NTP time server.

Microsoft Windows 2000 has a time synchronisation utility built into the operating system called Windows Time (w32time.exe) which can be configured to operate as a network time server and uses a version of NTP called SNTP (simplified network time protocol).

Please note: Microsoft and others strongly recommend that you configure a time server with a hardware source rather than from the internet where there is no authentication. For information on NTP time servers, receivers and other NTP products please click here

To configure the Windows Time service to use an external time source please follow these instructions:

Click Start, Run and type regedit then click OK.

Locate the following subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters

In the right pane, right-click Type then click Modify, in edit Value type NTP in the Value data box then click OK.

Now in the right pane, right click ReliableTimeSource, then click Modify.

In the Edit DWORD Value box, under Value Data, type 0, then click OK.

Right-click NtpServer in the right pane then click Modify.

In Edit Value, type the Domain Name System (DNS), each DNS must be unique.

Now click Ok.

For Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 only, set the time correction settings to do this locate:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters

In the right pane, right-click MaxAllowedClockErrInSecs, then Modify in the Edit DWORD Value box, , type a time in seconds max number of seconds difference between the local clock and the time received from the NTP server in order to be considered a valid new time.

 Click OK.

To set the poll intervals locate:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters

In the right pane, right-click Period, then click Modify.

In the Edit DWORD Value box, under Value Data, type 24 then OK

Exit Registry Editor

Click Start, then Run then type the following and press Enter:

Net stop w32time && net start w32time

To reset the local computers’ time, type the following on all computers except for the time server which must not be synchronised with itself:

To enable the Network Time Protocol; NTPserver, locate and click:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer\

In the right pane, right-click Enabled, then click Modify.

In the Edit DWord Value box, type 1 under Value data, then click OK.

Now go back and click on

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters\NtpServer

In the right pane, right-click NtpServer, then Modify, in the Edit DWORD Value under Value Data type In the right pane, right-click NtpServer, then Modify, in the Edit DWORD Value under Value Data type the Domain Name System (DNS), each DNS must be unique and you must append 0x1 to the end of each DNS name otherwise changes will not take effect.

Now click Ok.

Locate and click the following

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient\SpecialPollInterval

In the right pane, right-click SpecialPollInterval, then click Modify.

In the Edit DWORD Value box, under Value Data, type the number of seconds you want for each poll, ie 900 will poll every 15 minutes, then click OK.

To configure the time correction settings, locate:

 HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\config

 In the right pane, right-click MaxPosPhaseCorrection, then Modify, in the Edit DWORD Value box, under Base, click Decimal, under Value Data, type a time in seconds such as 3600 (an hour) then click OK.

Now go back and click:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\config

In the right pane, right-click MaxNegPhaseCorrection, then Modify.

In the Edit DWORD box under base, click Decimal, under value data type the time in seconds you want to poll such as 3600 (polls in one hour)

Exit Registry Editor

Now to restart windows time service, click Start, Run (or alternatively use the command prompt facility) and type:

net stop w32time && net start w32time

And on each computer, other than the time server, type:

W32tm/ -s

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