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Oct 18, 2011

Time service commands

Determine current time source

w32tm /query /source
Config a manual time source


w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:peers /syncfromflags:manual /update 


Replace "peers" with a list of time servers, delimited by space, enclosed with double quotes.
Ignore KBs that manually set registry entries

Config a manual time source as the top time source in forest


w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:peers /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update

What you should specify in [peers] value: worth reading:

Detect time difference

w32tm /stripchart /computer:TimeServerName /samples:n /dataonly

Set server to use domain hierarchy

w32tm /config /syncfromflags:domhier /update


After change time settings, it's normally required to restart time service

Note: If there is time difference, it takes time for the  system to bring the delta down slowly depending on how much correction can be made in one step. The change is gradual.


[Addition, Jun 13, 2012] When workstations and member servers have trouble synchronizing time with domain, you should check the hierarchy all the way up to forest PDC. I was seeing "The computer did not resync because no time data was available." error, plus time source being "Local CMOS" or "free running OS" etc., in child domain, but the root cause turned out to be forest root PDC wasn't working properly.