Win 2003 Server time service synchronization problem

[retroborg]

Hi,
I've been experiencing a problem on a win2003 server domain controller in which the the time in the O/S clock gradually gets unsynchronized after a few days, or weeks...

The following messages come up in the event log, but I'm not sure of how to solve the problem?
I checked the time and date properties to set an external Internet time server like time.nist.gov or time.windows.com, but the option is not available like it would be in a WinXP client pc.

Any help will be highly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

Source: W32Time
Category: None
Type: Warning
Event ID: 36

Computer: SERVER

The time service has not synchronized the system time for 86400 seconds
because none of the time service providers provided a usable time
stamp. The time service is no longer synchronized and cannot provide
the time to other clients or update the system clock. Monitor the
system events displayed in the Event Viewer to make sure that a more
serious problem does not exist.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

Source: W32Time
Category: None
Type: Warning
Event ID: 12

Computer: SERVER


Time Provider NtpClient: This machine is configured to use the domain hierarchy to determine its time source,
but it is the PDC emulator for the domain at the root of the forest, so there is no machine above it in the
domain hierarchy to use as a time source. It is recommended that you either configure a reliable time service
in the root domain, or manually configure the PDC to synchronize with an external time source. Otherwise,
this machine will function as the authoritative time source in the domain hierarchy. If an external time source
is not configured or used for this computer, you may choose to disable the NtpClient.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.

[TJohns]

Assuming the server has NTP access through any firewalls (port 123), try this at a command prompt to specify an upstream NTP source from the free ntp.org server pool (see ntp.org for further details)

NET TIME /SETSNTPool.ntp.org

Trevor

[lordsmurf]

I would pay attention to "Monitor the system events displayed in the Event Viewer to make sure that a more serious problem does not exist."

[retroborg]

I would pay attention to "Monitor the system events displayed in the Event Viewer to make sure that a more serious problem does not exist."

I have, but I did not see any other worrying event...

[retroborg]

Assuming the server has NTP access through any firewalls (port 123), try this at a command prompt to specify an upstream NTP source from the free ntp.org server pool (see ntp.org for further details)

NET TIME /SETSNTPool.ntp.org

Trevor

The server connects to the Internet via an ADSL/Router which is used as the default gateway... It's not using any specific firewall port or NTP as far as I'm aware...

However I did try :
NET TIME /SETSNTPool.ntp.org
At the command prompt in the Win2003 server using cmd.exe
And it said that "the command completed succesfully"
So, is this time synchronization problem solved now?

However, the time was not changed in the clock...
Will I have to do it manually or restart the server?

Thanks in adavnce.