Powershell: Predefined Variables

Also called Automatic Variables.

Get-help about_automatic_variable

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:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875424

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.

Token Size vs. Paged Pool - draft

This is mostly a complete copy from microsoft.com

When users access a resource using Windows authentication and authorization (for example logging on to a workstation or accessing a file share), an “access token” is built to represent that user.
      The number of SIDs (representing group membership, etc) in that token largely determines how much kernel memory space (Paged Pool) is required to store each copy of the token.
      These allocations follow a “stair-step” pattern, as follows:
      At approximately 84 SIDs, allocation jumps from 4KB to 8KB.
      At approximately 177 SIDs, allocation jumps from 8KB to 12KB.
      At approximately 270 SIDs, allocation jumps from 12KB to 16KB.
      At approximately 363 SIDs, allocation jumps from 16KB to 20KB and so on.