Server 2022 AD DS and w32time

Software & Web Applications
1

So I recently set up a Server 2022 eval on my lab to work with vSphere which requires DNS running before “installing” vCenter. I did my usual process which included setting w32tm as follows:

w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:172.30.0.2 /syncfromflags:manual /reliable:yes /update

I then stopped and started the service, also had some reboots in there but when I querried the status, it showed everything working. The above IP address is my local GNSS locked NTP server.

Last night I got AD DS installed and set up DNS and DHCP in preparation for the next step with vSphere.

Today I did the MS updates which of course requires a reboot, and I found in my logs that the system was trying to sync from DOMHIER (which the first AD can not do). Thinking that was strange, I checked w32tm and the query said it was all good and syncing to the manual peer list.

I ended up setting w32tm back up with the above commands, checked the status, then reboot (twice). the system error is gone so I know it worked OK.

What I’m wondering is if there is a better tool to set up the time for the domain, something that will work properly after creating the domain? Otherwise I just need to remember that I need to config w32tm after the AD DS role is installed and configured.

2

Maybe try Group Policy Settings? When I need something more consistent and permanent for windows time issues. I usually set them in that area.

Towards the bottom of this article talks about GPO settings and location / descriptions.

3

If the DC is a VM and you have VMware tools installed on the VM make sure in the VMs config it isn’t set to sync from host. When VMware tools is installed it will automatically sync to host by default, which is almost certainly not what you want. That might be the issue. I can’t see anything wrong from what you have said you have done.