The clock of a client computer may run slowly if Windows 2000 Server uses W32Time to synchronize the time of computers on a Microsoft Windows 2000-based network (833324)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server

INTRODUCTION

When you use System Monitor to monitor a client computer, you may notice that the clock of a client computer may temporarily run slowly if Microsoft Windows 2000 Server uses Windows Time (W32Time) to synchronize the date and time of computers that are running on a Microsoft Windows 2000-based network.

MORE INFORMATION

The clock speed on the client computer functions correctly when you synchronize the clock of the client computer with the clock of the server.

When W32Time determines the local clock offset, it makes the following adjustments to the time:
  • If the local clock time on the client computer is behind the current time on the server, W32Time changes the local clock time immediately.
  • If the local clock time on the client computer is more than three minutes ahead of the current time on the server, W32Time changes the local clock time immediately.
  • If the local clock time on the client computer is less than three minutes ahead of the current time on the server, W32Time quarters or halves the clock frequency on the client computer until the server clock and the client clock are synchronized.

    Note If the local clock time on the client computer is less than 15 seconds ahead of the current time on the server, W32Time halves the clock frequency on the client computer. If the local clock time on the client computer is more than 15 seconds and less than 3 minutes ahead of the current time on the server, W32Time quarters the frequency.

    The length of time that the clock runs at an unusual frequency depends on the size of the local clock offset that W32Time is correcting.

REFERENCES

For more information about Windows Time using Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 in a managed environment, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/Windows2000Pro/maintain/w2kmngd/16_2kwts.mspx

For additional information about W32Time, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

224799 Basic operation of the Windows Time service

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/12/2004
Keywords:kbPerfMon kbTimeServ kbinfo KB833324 kbAudITPRO
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