DCDiag "Server is not advertising as a time server"

[localzuk]

I've been fixing various issues with our Active Directory and DNS for the last couple of days, and one that keeps popping up warnings is the message "Warning: Server is not advertising as a time server." in dcdiag.

 

Our 'primary' AD server is the time server, and this works, but the other 3 servers (yes, we have 4 at the moment - but we'll only have 2 by the end of summer as the 2 older ones are retired) give the message above.

 

I'm somewhat at a loss as to how to tell the machines to:

 

a) simply use the primary server as the authoritative time server

b) stop them complaining

[chazzy2501]

is it set in the DHCP as the time server?

[GeekyPete]

Is the Windows Time service started on all DCs?

[localzuk]

is it set in the DHCP as the time server?

 

It wasn't, no, but as far as I know it doesn't need to be. Not to mention, the DCs are all using static addresses so wouldn't be getting options from DHCP anyway.

 

Is the Windows Time service started on all DCs?

 

Yes.

[GeekyPete]

OK then the "two older ones" may be the clue here. Are you replaceing your forest root server? Time Master is a FSMO role. Your old may not have let go yet. You'll need to re-establish the Time Master role using the w32tm command. This may help Time configuration in a Windows Domain - MWeber's Blog.

[localzuk]

I've not started replacing anything yet. I've just added a couple of extra DCs. Nothing has been disabled or removed. I don't want to remove anything yet - this'll happen in summer.

 

All I want is simply get the 3 non-PDC emulating servers to not complain about not advertising time services. The domain/forest root is still up, running and happy.

 

I've tried this command on one of the non-PDC emulator servers:

 

[color=#000000][font=Tahoma]- to reconfigure the previous PDC Emulator, in case of transferring/seizing the FSMO to another Domain Controller, run:[/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Tahoma]w32tm /config /syncfromflags:domhier /reliable:no /update[/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=Tahoma]After that you have to run: 
net stop w32time 
net start w32time[/font][/color]

 

It doesn't make any difference. I still get the warning.

 

I've also tried resetting the w32time service entirely per:

 

[/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Tahoma]net stop w32time[/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Tahoma]w32tm /unregister[/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=Tahoma]w32tm /register[/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=Tahoma]net start w32time

 

No joy.

Edited June 11, 2013 by localzuk