Dealing With Windows Vista Time Sync Problems
Many people have reported problems with synchronizing their clocks with the internet time servers, especially time.windows.com, which seems to have a ton of problems with uptime. We'll go through a few workarounds to fix this issue.
The error you will typically get is "An error occurred while Windows was synchronizing with time.windows.com. This operation returned because the timeout period expired."
Changing the Time Server
You can change the default time server by right-clicking on the clock, and then choose Adjust Date/Time from the menu.
Click on the Internet Time tab.
Now click the Change settings button.
In the Internet Time Settings dialog, you can change the default server by choosing an item from the drop-down, or you can type in a new entry. You can also test it immediately by clicking the Update now button.
I've had the best luck with time-a.nist.gov, but that might be because of my location. Here's a list of a couple of time servers that you can try instead:
| pool.ntp.org | NTP Pool Address |
| time-a.nist.gov | NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland |
| time-b.nist.gov | NIST, Gaithersburg, Maryland |
| time-a.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov | NIST, Boulder, Colorado |
| time-b.timefreq.bldrdoc.gov | NIST, Boulder, Colorado |
You can find a longer list here: http://tf.nist.gov/service/time-servers.html
Change the Default Update Interval
If your clock is constantly out of sync even though it says the sync was successful, the problem could be that your computer is losing time because of a system clock problem. A workaround in this instance is to change the NTP client to update more often.
Open regedit.exe through the start menu search box, and then find this registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\w32time\TimeProviders\NtpClient
Double-click on the key on the right-hand side for SpecialPollInterval
The default time period is 7 days calculated in seconds. If you wanted to change this to update every day, you would use 86400, or 60 seconds * 60 minutes * 24 hours * 1 day.
I wouldn't recommend setting this to anything less than 4 hours worth, or your computer might get banned by the time servers.
Change Your Firewall Settings
I don't have a screenshot for you here, but third party firewalls will often block the time servers, causing the sync to not work properly. If you are using McAfee or another firewall, you'll need to use the configuration utility to unlock NPT access on UDP port 123.
I've had much better results using the pool of time servers
available thru pool.ntp.org
I get the impression the nist time servers are overloaded from
the countless millions of Windows systems that are pre-programmed
to use them.
Yeah, it's considered very bad practice to sync to the stratum 1 servers directly (time.nist.gov is a stratum 1). You really should use the pool, which varies from stratum 2 to stratum 3. This makes your computer a stratum 4, which is plenty accurate for almost any application you can think of…
Personally, I have my server sync to a set of five stratum 2 servers I pulled from the pool based on ping. I then take the average difference between these (known as drift) and factor it out. So on average, my server is accurate to within a few nano-seconds. (OpenNTP is what I'm using to do the drift management) I only sync to time.nist.gov if the first five servers are *all* down.
Incidentally, there are separate pools for different continents. This aids in finding a server with a low ping, as opposed to just random round-robin DNS selection. ntp.org has more info.
I added the ntp pool address to the table.
Thanks for the note!
Best practice for NTP servers is to use the one who's fastest from your location. You can download my Chameleon Clock and run a test of time servers, then pick the one with the smallest ping time (the clock is shareware, but servers test is working in the free mode fine).
This has been very helpful, but i have another question when using Vista. It's always requiring that I "allow" when making some setting changes. So, I was wondering, in addition to the firewall modification, is there anything I need to change from the Vista side regarding permissions? Thanks!
I've been having trouble getting the correct time since i got my comp. I did sync the time and it worked fine until i shut off my computer. Everytime i start my comp. the time starts where it left off. And i always have to fix the time when i turn my computer on. If anyone knows why this keeps happening please help. Im so confused.
The Internet Zone Tab is not shown if the PC (client) is part of a domain (windows server 2003)
What can I do to fix this ?
Thanks for the very useful how-to. My new laptop runs great, the lone exception being the system clock runs slow by 30-45 seconds every day. So changing the registry for daily internet sync is very helpful. And I also switched to pool.ntp.org based on the helpful comments.
You probably have a bad cmos battery (the battery that looks like a nickel on your motherboard). I had same issue once. Once I put in a new battery, it never happened again.
When I click on the Change Settings button on the Internet Time tab nothing happens. Has anyone else had this and has anyone any idea of a solution?
hi i tried to synchronize with internet time server but it keeps saying an error occurs while windows was synchronizing with: time.windows.com, time.nist.gov and all the others i tried which was in the list. when i change the clock time its ok but when i switch my laptop off and switch it on after an hour or so the clock is behind by 2 or 3 hours sometimes even more (depending how long the laptop was switched off)
I had this same problem. I found it was the firewall i was running, Windows Defender does not have an effect on the time but McAfee's firewall seemed to have been blocking it. What i did was disabled the McAfee firewall while i clicked the Update Now and it worked!!! Then i re-enabled it for my protection. But i was VERY glad to see this worked. If you don't own McAfee's firewall try either one of the solutions above from other users or disable any firewalls (not Windows Defender). Hope that helped!
Oh yeah and i saw your last thing you said about changing the UDP port, what i did was opened McAfee then went to configure then click on Internet and Network and then Firewall settings, in there i clicked on System Services and added one called Windows Time and put in 123 in the input line next to "Inbound UDP ports:" And i had a QUESTION, is my computer still safe now that i opened this port? I don't want my firewall to ignore anything coming through there. Thanks.
Thanks for the advice.
If you have a Vonage phone adapter, you may need to configure that as well. With the Motorola VT1005V, you point your browser to 192.168.102.1, click on Advanced, enter 123 under Port and choose UDP under Transport. After I did this, synchronizing with time.nist.gov worked.
I don't know how to configure any other models.
My Time is alway wrong by 4 or 5 hours. I sync the time with one of the internet servers manually, and an hour later the time is wrong again. I just upgraded to Vista, and I was not having this issue with XP, so I don't think the hardware is the issue. Any suggestions?
Brandons suggestion works perfect, had the same VistaMcafee related problem. Fixed now.
thanks.
Hans
Glad to see that worked!
If the Change settings button on the Internet Time tabsheet does nothing, restart the Windows Time service:
net stop w32time
net start w32time
I just got vista, and i dont have Mcafee, but my clock after a few days falls behind a few minutes. I am always connected to the internet but the clock only updates every week. I tried to run the regedit.exe but the program terminated and couldnt be opened so i could have it update quicker. I do have norton but i believe that is not the problem. Any suggestions?
Well first of all regedit.exe shouldn't terminate. That's a problem right there. And it depends on your motherboard, its what keeps track of your time when your computers off. It may be that the battery is low in the mother board that is why it may be falling behind. It also could be that your computer is running to much and you don't have enough computing space for it to keep up, meaning it skips a few seconds every once in awhile. But when you turn off your computer, is your computer plugged into a power strip which you happen to turn off with it? Because thats what may be running out the clock battery, if you don't and its plugged into the wall for instance it isn't that then. If you could post your computer specs that may help us determine the problem. And again, if you type regedit (without the .exe) into start search which is the search bar at the bottom of the start pane that opens up when you clock the windows button in the bottom left of the screen, then hit enter it shouldn't terminate, that is a problem there if it does. You may also want to make sure your running on a Administrative account also, because limited accounts have limited abilities to change computer settings.
I have been having the SAME problem as everyone else….THANKFULLY some good soul on another page figured out what was wrong.
Im 99% sure the problem is with McAfee firewall, HERE is how you fix it quickly and easily:
For anyone else pulling their hair out, open McAfee.
Go to the Advanced menu if you aren’t already there.
Click on the Configure box.
On the left, click on Internet & Network.
Now click the second grey row that says Firewall protection is enabled. Click Advanced…
On the left, click System Services.
Check the box next to Network Time Protocol Port 123. Click Apply, then OK.
Then follow the synchronization steps as usual (only it’s best to enter another website than the junk ones they have listed).
This worked! THANK God!
Well my computer is always plugged in because it can only get like an hour out of battery life. ITs a bit computer. DEll XPS M1710 2.17 ghz proccessor 2GB RAM 512 video card…had the computer about a year and a half and still running the same battery i did when i got it. When i had Windows XP i never had this problem and i just did an upgrade.
Thanks for the quick solution to my problem. Opening up port 123 in McAfee did the trick.
I opened up port 123 and used pool.ntp.org to synch and all is well. Thanks for the advice!
Thank you for the Vista time sync bug fix!
Best way to get rid of the problem is to uncheck the "Synchronize with an Internet Time Server" box.
God bless you Nick. Stupid McAfee. That was so obvious and so overlooked!
Evan
On Windows Vista, from within McAfee"AOL" Version, I had to do two things to get the Time Sync to work for me correctly.
Open McAfee Security Center
Click "Internet & Network" Globe icon
Click "configure" in the right pane
Click "Advanced" button in "Firewall protection is enabled" pane
[1] In "Firewall" pop-up left pane select "Program Permissions" and click "Add Allowed Program" button. Browse to add the c:\windows\system32\w32tm.exe program. Choose "Grant OutBound-Only Access" button in pane below application list.
[2] In "Firewall" pop-up left pane select "System Services". In right "System Services" pane, scroll down and select box for "Network Time Protocol Port 123″. Click "Apply" button lower right.
Then do command "w32tm /resync" or use the Clock Internet Time GUI.
Also, my default time sync location is set to "pool.ntp.org"
I had tried everything until this last message from DK Seattle finally worked. I also use Vista, but do not use AOL - still everything worked (although things on McAfee were a little different to find). Everything is fine now!
I'm having a very similiar problem to amina, but I don't have McAfee so that's not the issue. I keep getting error messages when I try to sync up, and none of the adjustments I make to my firewalls seem to work. Everytime I close the laptop (putting it to sleep) I open it up again to find the time is off by up to 12 hours. I'm not super tech savvy, so I'd appreciate any advice I can get. Thanks!
hello i have a problem to my laptop when i check update my windows vista it takes long hours before response, one time mw update not finished have trouble my computer,when i open appears CONFIGURING UPDATE, 5 days before back to normal,anyone who can help me tnx…
Hi ferdie, what spyware/virus protection programs do you have installed? And what is having the troubling updating, the time?
Hi Kathryn, how old is your laptop? And do you leave the computer plugged in when you turn it off? The problem could be the battery that your computer uses to keep the time up to date even when the computer is off. You could try getting that battery replaced, mine had the same problem before i replaced mine. It could also be a defective battery even though it is new. I have a question, do you have troubles with the time keeping up to date when the computer is on? Thanks.
Also i noticed that with McAfee, it seems to not only just do it with WIndows Vista, i recently switched back to XP and it is having the same problem. You can use the trick by going into McAfee as stated above and allowing port 123 or going to the system services window in McAfee and it lets you choose which ports do what and which ones to open or not.
Thanks for your advice Don! I managed to sort it out, I discovered it was my firewall that was blocking the clock (I don't have McAfee, and since I hadn't heard of any other firewalls creating a problem, it was one of the last things I checked). However I will keep in mind your advice about the battery should things stop working again. The laptop is about 5 months old, and I do keep the laptop plugged in, even while it's off/asleep. Thanks again!
You're welcome. Yeah usually its always the firewall, but you're welcome for the advice. Glad i could help.
Thanks for the useful comments. I have read through them but did not find someone to have the same problem as mine. I am running Vista on a laptop which is connected to the internet all the time. I do not use any third party firewall software.
The clock drifts a few minutes everyday but I'm not too bothered about that. I have been manually sync-ing the clock with any of the provided time servers without any problems at all. However in the last few days (without adding any new software or changing my router/settings), the sync now does not work. Before if there was a timeout error, I would get the timeout error message immediately. However, now when I click sync I have to wait up to 10s and I just get "an error occurred…" without the timeout message. Any ideas what might be causing this? Thanks in advance.
If you can remember, is there ANYTHING you've downloaded and installed in the past few days since it's stopped working? Did your computer come with any preloaded software? Have you made any modifications to your computer recently?
The only thing that I can recall having changed is adding a mobile connect data card to the notebook. This added a dial-up connection in the "Network connections" but I have checked internet connection whilst trying to sync clock (ie. connected by wired LAN) and I have checked my "Connections" options in IE to make sure that a dial up connection is never used. I am definitely connected to the net and it is behaving as if I am not. I'm really not sure what else can be causing the problem given that it was working fine before.
So can you still connect to the internet just fine? You can roam the internet with your LAN cable? Or has the internet stopped working on that computer?
I've been having the same problem on my laptop.
I've recently reformatted, tried everything in this thread (I don't have McAfee)
And I still get the error message.
Nor can I use windows live messenger, but my internet does work
I have the Vista Home Premium OS with McAfee as my Security Center. I was having problems with updating my vista clock automatically. I tried everything, from downloading sync programs to changing sync servers. Nothing worked. That is until I discovered this link via Google search. I tried your suggestion to unlock the NPT access on UDP port 123. Hallelujah, It worked.
Thanks for the tip.
You bet Harry.
Christien, what kind of internet connection are you using? Are you using a built-in one that came with the laptop, a card that you bought, or a cable? And what programs have you installed on the computer? Many OTHER virus-scan and anti-spyware programs do the same thing, not only McAfee, such as Avast, that program has given me issues with even loading the internet.
Please provide this information for us so we can help you fix your computer.
Hi,
I have what seems to be a unique problem. My Vista Home keeps losing the year - but not the month & time etc … ie today it thought it was 17:05 on May 22nd 2040. I have replaced the battery & done a fresh install of Vista but still dont seem to be able to fix.
Any ideas would be great
I am trying to set NTP server on my primary domain controler on 2008 server. I open 123 UDP port on firewall (both basic and advanced) and set time server, but every time i type in command prompt: w32tm /resync I've got reply: The computer did not resync because no time data was available.
I tried with a several time servers you mention in this post and with local one as well, with the same response. I followed instructions from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042 and it works for 2003 server but not for 2008 server. Any idea?
I followed the advice about opening up NPT access on UDP port 123. It sounds hard, guys…but it's really easy. I have PC-cillin for my firewall.
1) Open PC-cillin
2) Click on "Network Security"
3) Click on "Personal Firewall"
4) Double click on the profile name. The one I'm using is "Direct Connection".
5) You will see several tabs in the window that opens. Click on the "Exceptions" tab.
6) Click on the "Add" button.
7) Next to "Target", select the "All applications" radio button.
8) Next to "Connection", select the "Incoming" radio button.
9) Next to "Action", select the "Allow" radio button.
10) From the "Protocol" drop-down list, select "UDP".
11) Next to "Ports", you will see "All ports" and "Specified ports". Select the "Specified ports" radio button
12) Next to "Specified ports", type into the box "123″.
13) Click the "OK" button at the bottom of the window.
14) Now close any remaining windows until you are back to the PC-cillin main window.
15) Click the "Apply" button.
You should now be able to go and update your time and date as described in earlier comments posted here. It worked for me!
My Vista install hasn't successfully connected to an ntp time server since I upgraded from XP. I've made sure port 123 is open in Windows Firewall, but this has made no difference. I just get, perpetually, "An error occurred while Windows was synchronising with foo.bar", regardless of what timeserver I try. I'm not using any other security / firewall products apart from AVG antivirus, and it won't connect either on my work or home network, which makes me think it's the laptop rather than the network. Any suggestions welcome…
When I found this thread, I thought all my time troubles were over–finally, a fix that would allow me to sync with the internet time server and stop being 3 minutes behind after two days! I did the NTP Port fix and was able to sync beautifully.
However, since then my clock has lost time WORSE than it did before I did the sync. I've tried going in to regedit and changing to 1 day, then to 4 hours, but my clock can't seem to stay on time. I turned off internet synchronization maybe two days ago and my clock right now is 13 minutes behind–probably the worst it's ever been. The NIST page with the time servers says, "All users should ensure that their software NEVER queries a server more frequently than once every 4 seconds. Systems that exceed this rate will be refused service. In extreme cases, systems that exceed this limit may be considered as attempting a denial-of-service attack." Does this mean I can safely change my regedit settings to sync every hour? Or should I set up more time servers to connect to and have each one updating at 4 hour intervals? I'm losing my mind here, any help would be appreciated!
Hi Katie, if NIST are saying not to sync more than once every four seconds, then syncing once every hour is well outside this. Or am I missing the point here? Why did you turn your 4-hour syncing off?
David,
I turned the 4-hour syncing off because even at 4 hours I was still losing time worse than before I got the syncing to start in the first place. I hoped that turning the syncing off would reduce the severity of my time lag, but it didn't do anything about it. I rarely turn off or restart my computer, so I don't think the motherboard battery has anything to do with it. I did change my syncing interval to 1 hour earlier this afternoon and coming back to my computer after 3 hours reveals it to be on time (at least within a minute) so I think that's solved my issue for the time being.
Heyyyyyy
Im writing on behalf of my girlfriend, shes has had her new laptop since xmas and just thisweek the time and date have gon completly wrong! also the homepage on internet explorer keeps reseting back to msn.com?
anyone know how we can fix this? reading above some of the comments, could it be the motherboard battery? :S were not very techinal as you can see
anyhelp apriciated thanks
ps. we have tryd all of the above solutions to no sucess
no firewall active,
windows vista
e-systems laptop
Thanks for the help setting up McAfee to allow time sync on Vista…
Here's a tip for you. If the time change is too big, the time sync will fail. For example, if the DATE is off, the clock will not change. To test this, open a command prompt as an administrator and enter "w32tm /resync" and see what error you get. This gives you specific errors, not the silly "something broke" errors from the GUI.
On my system as soon as I adjusted the date, then the clock would sync. Before that it wouldn't work no matter what ports were open, etc.
I had the following error message "An error occurred while Windows was synchronizing with time" come up everything I tried to synchronize my PC time. I followed the above directions, step by step and got positive results. Works fine! Thank you!
The info posted by Mark is correct. I went into the clock settings and manually changed the date and the time to something in the ballpark of "correct". After I did this, I could click on the internet time and sync it. It updated correctly.
HOWEVER….
This still does not fix my original problem. The clock loses time while the computer is on, and it loses major time when the computer is off. I'm thinking that my motherboard battery may be bad. I hate to admit that this might be the case, but I don't know how long my laptop sat in a warehouse somewhere before it was shipped to me. I don't know what the average battery life should be.
I must add a note here…a friend of mine advised me that Vista backs up its operating system using internal memory. He had consulted a lot of online postings, such as this site offers, and he told me I could increase the useful, user accesable memory storage of my computer if I went in and reset how much memory was available to Vista to store its backup "copies". Together we went in and changed the memory available to store Vista backup (to a smaller amount).
I may be wrong, but it seems that my clock problems started shortly after making this change. I will explore setting my Vista backup memory capacity to the original setting to see if this helps my clock problem.
I have had time sync problems with my Toshiba laptop and Vista for a long time now. I just read your tip on firewalls, went into Mcafee and made the adjustment, and it seems to have worked. Thanks !
I have beeen this same issue now for like couple months. I bought a new computer and installed vista on it. The clock has never been in right time, well always when i put it on right time it keep like couple hours. I dont got Mc afee or anything, just windows's own firewall. When i try to synch with internet clock it says an error occured something… have also added more addresses on the update list but doesnt work…