Article ID: 320258
Article Last Modified on 10/27/2006
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows XP Professional
This article was previously published under Q320258
SYMPTOMS
If a Windows XP-based client is located in an Active Directory-defined site that does not contain a domain controller, the client does not synchronize the time by using the domain hierarchy.
CAUSE
If a client uses a domain hierarchy (that is, is a domain member) for time synchronization, the client does not try to locate another domain controller if the current site does not contain a domain controller.
You can use a Network Time Protocol (NTP) time source to synchronize the time. Group Policy for the Time service contains an entry for CrosSiteSyncFlags, but this entry is not used by Windows XP-based clients.
RESOLUTION
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows XP. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322389 How to Obtain the Latest Windows XP Service Pack
The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:
Date Time Version Size File name
-----------------------------------------------------
02-Apr-2002 14:39 5.1.2600.41 158,720 W32time.dll
11-Dec-2001 16:55 5.1.2600.0 49,664 W32tm.exe
WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, set the client's NTP time source by using Group Policy, or set the NTP time source manually.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows XP Service Pack 1.
MORE INFORMATION
After you applying this hotfix, you can synchronize the time outside the client's site if no domain controller is present. The Group Policy setting for CrossSiteSyncFlags is used. The Group Policy entry correlates to the following registry value:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient
CrossSiteSyncFlags REG_DWORD = 0x00000002 (default)
With CrossSiteSyncFlags set to 0, Windows XP-based clients do not try to synchronize outside the site.
With CrossSiteSyncFlags set to 2, Windows XP-based clients use out-of-site domain controllers for synchronization. This is the default value, but is not used for Windows XP-based clients before you apply this hotfix.
No matter what the CrossSiteSyncFlags value is set to, the client chooses the closest site domain controller to synchronize with if both a close site domain controller and an out-of-site domain controller are available.
Additional query words: kbMgmtAdmin w32time timesync
Keywords: kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbbug kbfix kbsysadmin kbwinxpsp1fix KB320258
