Synchronize time with external NTP server on Windows Server

How To, Windows

Purpose

NTP synchronization is an important aspect for all computers on the network. By default, the clients computers get their time from a Domain Controller and the Domain Controller gets it's time from the domain’s PDC Operation Master. Therefore the PDC must synchronize it's time from an external source. I usually use the servers listed at the NTP Pool Project website. Before you begin, don’t forget to open the default UDP 123 port (from Lan to Wan) on your firewall.

1) First, locate your PDC Server. Open the command prompt and type: 
netdom /query fsmo
 2) Login to your PDC and open the command prompt as the Administrator 3) Stop the w32Time Service 
net stop w32time
 4) Configure the external time sources, type 
w32tm /config /syncfromflags:manual /manualpeerlist:”0.pool.ntp.org, 1.pool.ntp.org, 2.pool.ntp.org”
 5) Make your PDC a reliable time source for the clients 
w32tm /config /reliable:yes
 6) Start the w32time Service 
net start w32time
 7) Check thes servers time configuration 
w32tm /query /configuration
 8) Check the Event Viewer for any errors

More helpfull w32tm commands

Force synchronizing the time asap 
w32tm /resync /nowait
 Display time source 
w32tm /query /source
 Display list of all configured NTP servers and their status 
w32tm /query /peers
 Display time service status i.e whether it is getting time from local cmso clock/external NTP server 
w32tm /query /status

The Windows Time Service logs several events in the Windows System log, which can be viewed in the Event Viewer application.

Event ID: 1

Level: Information

Source: Kernel-General

General Info: The system time has changed to xxx from xxx. Change Reason: An application or system component changed the time.

Event ID: 35

Level: Information

Source: Time-Service

General Info: The time service is now synchronizing the system time with the time source xxx

Event ID: 37

Level: Information

Source: Time-Service

General Info: The time provider NtpClient is currently receiving valid time data from xxx

Domain Controllers will also record the following events:

Event ID: 139

Level: Information

Source: Time-Service

General Info: The time service has started advertising as a time source.

Event ID: 143

Level: Information

Source: Time-Service

General Info: The time service has started advertising as a good time source.

Event ID: 144

Level: Warning

Source: Time-Service

General Info: The time service has stopped advertising as a good time source.