NTP: HP-UX and WinXP

[Fred Martin_1]

I'm running NTP on my HP-UX server. I set it up so that it would correct it's own clock based on one of the USNO clocks via the internet.

What do I need to configure, so that the WinXP boxes on my LAN can set their clocks to my HP-UX box?

Right now, if on my XP hosts I put in the name or IP address of my HP-UX server, the XP host just errors.

In SAM I have a server set up under "NTP Network Time Sources" but "NTP Broadcasting" is disabled.

[Patrick Wallek]

You will have to get a real NTP client for the WinXP boxes. I'm not sure what exactly MS uses but it not regular NTP.

[Rick Garland]

I am not a WIN admin. But I do remember the 'net time' command.

[Fred Martin_1]

NET TIME also produces an error when pointed at my HP-UX NTP server.

[Patrick Wallek]

Well, I just did an experiment and pointed my WinXP Pro PC to our HP-UX NTP time server. It synchronized fine.

How different is the time on your PC compared to the unix box? If there is too much difference NTP will not work.

Have you checked your System Event log (Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Event Viewer -> System and look for the source of W32Time)on the WinXP machine to see what errors it gives?

[Fred Martin_1]

Odd. There are no errors in the event log. There are entries for -successful- NTP connections whenever I had a valid internet time server (such as one the defaults provided, time.nist.gov). But no errors for when it tried and failed to use my HP box.

[Fred Martin_1]

The time between the HP box and my XP host is nearly correct, since they've both been correctly connected to one internet time clock or another, recently.

I intentionally set the time on the XP box to be two minutes off from the HP box, when I tested.

[Raj D.]

Hi Fred ,

Try this to set in win system:


C:\> NET TIME /SETSNTP:time.windows.com

also check ..

W32tm /?
W32Time /?


And hp-ux , configure the /etc/ntp.conf file , with NTP server info.

Cheers,
Raj.

[Fred Martin_1]

Raj,

The net time command works, as you show it. But I am trying to set the time to my HP unix box, running NTP. That fails.

Fred

[Alexey_12]

I am not sure about WindowsXP, but Windows 2000 can be synchronised to NTP server using following command in CMD prompt:

NET TIME /SETSNTP:HPUX_IP_ADDRESS
NET TIME /QUERYSNTP

use NET TIME /? to check if it is supported on WindowsXP

[Fred Martin_1]

Mmm.

I just tried this:

C:> net time /setsntp:192.168.1.23
The command completed successfully.

I used the IP address of my HP box.

It -says- it worked, but it did not correctly set the time. In fact, it says it works even when I use a known internet source like time.nist.gov, but still doesn't set the time.

The only thing that does work, is when I put a server such as time.nist.gov, in the WinXP control panel "Internet Time" tab.

As mentioned though, I'm trying to synch everything to my unix box locally on the LAN.

[Fred Martin_1]

Alexey,

Same thing. Works for known internet time servers. Fails for my HP box.

[Bob_Vance]

I see the same thing on XP -- no error, but doesn't change time.

I have used 2 different Windows NTP software for years:

. k9time - unfortunately, no longer free.
I like this one because it is a simple broadcast client -- a service in NT/XP.
I always set up a broadcast NTP server on the network (even on my home network;>) -- it simplifies configuration, and less load on the server.

. D4time - free personal, but not commercial
Not broadcastclient.


However, you can get free, full port of NTP for Windows from
http://www.meinberg.de/english/sw/ntp.htm

I had trouble with this guy acting as a good server, but it seems to work fine as a client to HPUX NTP. I would set the HP box up as a broadcast server and set the Windows boxes up as broadcastclient, as I said above. However, I have not played with this scenario at all with the Meinberg software.


hth
bv