Workstations knocked off network shared files

jjjdolfan · 25 Aug 2015

I have a small business domain with 10 workstations and the server setup has been the same for the past 5 years without issue. The only changes has been the purchase from time to time of newer laptop workstations.

The issue I've been having, which started a few months ago, is that workstations will loose their connection to the network shares. I also noticed that some laptops computer time will be off by a few minutes. After digging around forums and Microsoft website I came to the conclusion that the problem had something to do with the server network times. I went to the main domain controller and set the network time to a NTP time server. I synced the other two domain controllers and then synced all the workstation laptops.

That seemed to fix things for about a week. Now every week or two people will randomly loose network connection and what I've been doing is
cmd prompt - then I type net stop w32 time then net start w32time - I reboot the laptop and they are back in the netowrk 98 percent of the time. Sometimes I have to repeat the steps twice before they are back on.

This never happened before until recently and I can't find a permanent fix.

My Small network consist of
1. 1-Windows 2000 Advanced Server - Main domain Controller
2. 2 - Windows 2003 Servers
3. 24 port Switch
4. Sonic Wall 2040 Firewall - firewall also handles the DHCP

The office laptops - 8 - Windows 7 Pro a and 2 - windows 8.1 pro.

This problem has become extremely annoying especially when I'm out and co-workers get knocked off the network.

**Pauly** · 25 Aug 2015

You could try Atomic Clock Sync Information from worldtimeserver.com which will stop/start & unregister/register W32Time for you which may help
I have in the past changed the NTP sync time to a much reduced level which has helped, theres a reg entry to do this cant remember exactly where but the clock will correct itself before going to far out and hopefully not losing net/shares access
You could also try a diff sync server but I'm assuming you have already done this

jjjdolfan · 25 Aug 2015

I tried the Atomic Clock program and changed the sync to every day so lets see what happens now.

Thanks,

GokAy · 26 Aug 2015

In a domain environment only DC should sync with Internet, no? Clients are synced with the DC. Since you are adding new clients, what is your licensing? (I am not familiar how it goes now) but it used to be per seat/per server so you may be exceeding the client limit. Also the w32tm /resync will sync immediately, whereas the service itself doesn't auto sync without its time has come as far as I know.