JSI Tip 2293. How can I get a Windows 2000 computer to participate in Windows NT 4.0 domain based time synchronization?

Windows 2000 uses W32Time to synchrone date / time in a Windows 2000 network. In a Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 computers would record the following System event:

        Source: W32Time        Type: Warning        Event ID: 64        Description: Because of repeated network problems, the time service has not been able to find a domain        controller to synchronize with for a long time. To reduce network traffic, the time service will wait 960        minutes before trying again. No synchronization will take place during this interval, even if network        connectivity is restored. Accumulated time errors may cause certain network operations to fail. To tell        the time service that network connectivity has been restored and that it should resynchronize, execute        "w32tm /s" from the command line.

If you synchronize in your Windows NT 4.0 network, using W32Time, you can configure the Windows 2000 computer to participate:

1. Edit the %SystemRoot%W32time.ini file on the PDC and set LocalNTP=yes.

2. At a CMD prompt on the PDC, type:

    net stop w32time    w32time -update    net start w32time

3. On the Windows 2000 computer, type:

    net time /setsntp:

NOTE: If you are using Timeserv, modify the above accordingly.

NOTE: If the Windows 2000 computer ever joins a Windows 2000 domain, you must reset it's W32Time service. Use Regedt32 to navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesW32TimeParameters. Delete the ntpserver value and change the type value to nt5DS, from ntp.