Installing and configuring the timeserv program

You must install the Timeserv program on all NT machines on the network.

NOTE: Windows 95 and Windows 98 Workstations do not use Timeserv to synchronize. These workstations use the Net Time command. Refer to synchronizing Win 95/98 to the primary server.

1. Verify there are no other Time Service programs running in the background (i.e. Net Time which is a built-in time program that would be loaded in a startup batch file or Clock Update Service which would be found in "Services"). These programs conflict with TimeServ and will cause erroneous time jumps.
2. Copy the TIMESERV.EXE and TIMESERV.DLL files to the %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32 folder. There are 4 versions. Install the version that corresponds to your processor. (Use I386 for Intel family, AMD, Cyrix etc…).
3. Copy the TIMESERV.INI file to the %SYSTEMROOT% folder.
4. Edit the TIMESERV.INI file to configure TIMESERV. The Timeserv.ini file is edited to allow operation from an RS232 Port, an Ethernet Time Server, or from a synchronized Primary Server. Refer to the following steps for Timeserv.ini configurations. The REM statements and unnecessary changes have been deleted from these sections to simplify the application note.
   
   • To synchronize the Primary Server with RS-232: instructions to edit the ini file for RS-232 connection to the time server
   • To synchronize the Primary Server using an NTP Server: instructions to edit the ini file for synchronizing to a network server or NTP server
   • To synchronize other NT servers or NT Workstations to the primary server: instructions to edit ini file to synchronize NT systems to the primary server
   After the timeserv.ini has been edited from one of these two sections, proceed to step 5 of this section.
5. Exit and save file.
6. Reboot the machine.
7. At the command prompt, type: (You must be logged on with administrator privileges to do this.)
   Timeserv -automatic
   
   If you need to make any further changes to the .ini file after you have rebooted, edit and save the file. At the command prompt type:
   Timeserv -update
8. The Win NT clock in the bottom right hand corner should update within a couple of minutes of starting the service.
9. To verify everything is correct, stop the service (see note below). Manually change the system clock to a bogus time and go back in and restart the service. The time should jump to the correct time. Go into the Event Viewer. Look at the Application Log and click on the Timeserv event. Click on view, then Refresh. You should get a line stating that time offset is either < or > . 5 seconds indicating the service is operating correctly. The < or > sign depends on the amount of change that occurred from the original setting.

   Note: To manually start /stop, Start > Settings > Control panel > Services. Select Time Service. Then, Event Viewer > Start > Programs > Administrative tools > Event Viewer. Look at the Application Log and click on the Timeserv event. Click on view, then Refresh.

   
   
   

   Back to: Connecting the time server or master clock to the network

   Next to: Synchronizing Windows 95 or 98 workstations to the primary server