Solved Can't set Internet Time

[bug67]

I have my system clock set to automatically synchronize with an internet time server. However, it never keeps accurate time. Every time I go to set it it says, "The Windows Time service is not running." OK. I click "Change settings" and "Update now" and all is well.

This time when I click "Change settings," however, I get a pop-up that says:

Unable to continue

You do not have permissions to perform this task. Please contact your computer administrator for help.

I'm thinking this is because of something I did while trying to fix the time service not running issue. I don't remember what I did exactly. Probably some copy/paste stupidity I found on line that had to do with running a terminal as admin and stopping/re-starting the time server.

Now it's borked. If I could just get some help being able to change Internet time settings like it was, I'd be happy.

 

[seavixen32]

System restore may not help you because the change probably happened too far back.

You could try creating a new standard account and trying from there.

If that does the trick, just set up the account with the same settings as your old one, and then delete the old account.

 

[boohbah]

you could try running sfc/scannow from the command ,
heres the tutorial howto.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1538-sfc-scannow-command-system-file-checker.html

 

[Layback Bear]

Probably because I'm a pea brain I always start with sfc /scannow. If it passes I know I have a starting point. Then I right click on the time (lower right corner) and set to internet time and sync it. If for what ever reason the time doesn't stay correct I replace the cmos battery. I don't care how old it is because I have had bad new batteries. Most of every thing using the internet, updates ect. won't work correctly unless the time on your computer is correct. I have never had to go any farther because those steps have always solved my problem. In XP I had to go into the bios and set the time but with Windows 7 I have never had to do that. I don't know why.

 

[Britton30]

Go to Start>All Programs>Admin Tools>Services, scroll to Windows Time. Make sure start up is set to Automatic or Automatic (Delayed start). Double click the entry if not set properly.

 

[dsperber]

Just in passing, my own Windows Time service is set to "manual" and is currently NOT running. To keep my clock in sync via "atomic time" (every night at midnight, from tick.usno.navy.mil), I instead use an old 3rd-party product I've been using seemingly forever, named Clockwise.

I know, it's not free (but I paid for it once, many years ago with Win98, and I've been using it ever since) and it's been in this form and working perfectly for many years, and it doesn't need any change really. It does exactly what I need from it... which is a very nice clock/calendar display, a world time display showing a user-defined set of cities and their times, event/alarm mechanism, etc.

Here's the "expanded" presentation (which I don't normally use, because it's larger than I want), which allows for a "second time zone" value to also be displayed simultaneously, along with "primary time zone" and UTC:

and here's the "miniature" presentation (which is what I use, placed in a corner of my screen):

Note that with "miniature" there is a minor cosmetic problem using Aero desktop on Win7 along with "125% medium" font size. The title bar is supposed to display the day of the week, which it DOES do for WinXP and for Win7/Aero as long as you use "100% normal" font size. I miss it, but it's going to be fixed by the author in a new updated version that is planned.

There's also a "hidden" presentation version, where it is simply not onscreen at all but nevertheless is running all the time (for alarms and events, and also to update the system clock at midnight... or whatever time you set it to do that).

World time presentation (4x3 by default, but you can change the matrix size and can set the cities in each cell to your liking):

 

[Britton30]

Thanks dsperber, I just set my default time server to tick.usno.navy.mil.
:focus:

 

[bug67]

Go to Start>All Programs>Admin Tools>Services, scroll to Windows Time. Make sure start up is set to Automatic or Automatic (Delayed start). Double click the entry if not set properly.
View attachment 158717

When I look in services, I see no such thing listed as "Windows Time." I bet I axed it when I was futzing around in Command Prompt. How do I get it back?

 

[Britton30]

You can TRY system file checker SFC /scannow, but I'm not sure it will fix a missing sevice.

 

[Brink]

Hello Dave,

If you deleted the Windows Time sevice, then you could do a system restore using a restore point dated before you believe you deleted it. If that's not an available option to you, then I'm afraid that you may be looking at a repair install or clean reinstall of Windows 7.



Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[J.R.]

Time is not set by the usual method as we used to do with XP in the Control Panel or Services. Now to sync time or to set a time interval you have to modify "Time Synchronization" in the Task Scheduler > Time Synchronization (or create a new schedule as I did) (I disabled the built-in time schedule and created my own). Also using the registry to modify time synch does not work in Windows 7.

The only method that Windows 7 uses to synch time is through "Time Synchronization". You can use the Control Panel > Date and Time > Internet Time to set the server you use, but Windows 7 uses Time Synchronization in the Task Scheduler and not the Windows Time found in Services.msc to sync time. I have my Windows Time set to manual. Task Scheduler runs my task every 2 hours to synch time.

 

[dsperber]

Time is not set by the usual method as we used to do with XP in the Control Panel or Services. Now to sync time or to set a time interval you have to modify "Time Synchronization" in the Task Scheduler > Time Synchronization (or create a new schedule as I did) (I disabled the built-in time schedule and created my own). Also using the registry to modify time synch does not work in Windows 7.

The only method that Windows 7 uses to synch time is through "Time Synchronization". You can use the Control Panel > Date and Time > Internet Time to set the server you use, but Windows 7 uses Time Synchronization in the Task Scheduler and not the Windows Time found in Services.msc to sync time. I have my Windows Time set to manual. Task Scheduler runs my task every 2 hours to synch time.

Very interesting.

Do you get any UAC interactions at all with your approach?

When I first used Clockwise with Win7, I had to set the properties of "Clockwise.exe" to "run as administrator" in order to avoid UAC error popups when it wanted to "update the system clock", and also to "update system registry key" at program close or Win7 shutdown. The program still has WinXP design, and obviously needs to be revised to conform to new Win7 expectations.

There is still a UAC message when the program is launched concerning "requires authorization to update the system", however, and "run as administrator" does not prevent that.

These are all planned for correction in an upcoming Win7-compatible version.

 

[Britton30]

In the task scheduler is does say that the Windows Time service is used for this.

 

[J.R.]

Do you get any UAC interactions at all with your approach?

I have UAC turned off.

I haven't seen a need for UAC, but I suspect there would not be a problem if UAC was on since Task Scheduler is being used.

In the task scheduler is does say that the Windows Time service is used for this.

Windows Time service is used but not the way it was used in XP. Task Scheduler > Time Synchronization uses Windows Time, but Windows Time does not have to be set to Auto. (Task Scheduler) Time Sychronization turns Windows Time on/off as needed. In XP, we used to adjust time via the registry, but not so in W7. The time servers are used in the Date and Time applet in W7, but that's all.

 

[Britton30]

The time servers are used in the Date and Time applet in Windows 7, but that's all.

So the time that is displayed is not windows time as read by apps and schedulers?

 

[dsperber]

Do you get any UAC interactions at all with your approach?

I have UAC turned off.

I haven't seen a need for UAC, but I suspect there would not be a problem if UAC was on since Task Scheduler is being used.

I, too, have UAC turned off on my own machines. So I never even realized that there was a UAC-related issue with the WinXP-designed Clockwise from my own inhouse experience.

It was only when I went to install Clockwise on other family/friend Win7 machines (e.g. new laptops, new replacement home desktops, etc.) who DID have UAC active that I even discovered the set of problems.

So now I'm curious as to what your experience would be (if only for a brief experiment) if you elevated UAC to be on at say the default level, as to whether whatever you're running every two hours runs silently even with UAC enabled.

 

[J.R.]

So now I'm curious as to what your experience would be (if only for a brief experiment) if you elevated UAC to be on at say the default level, as to whether whatever you're running every two hours runs silently even with UAC enabled.

I'll turn it on and get back to you.

 

[dsperber]

Windows Time service is used but not the way it was used in XP. Task Scheduler > Time Synchronization uses Windows Time, but Windows Time does not have to be set to Auto. (Task Scheduler) Time Sychronization turns Windows Time on/off as needed. In XP, we used to adjust time via the registry, but not so in W7. The time servers are used in the Date and Time applet in W7, but that's all.

I'm sure this is the underlying explanation for why the WinXP-based Clockwise produces the UAC conflict it currently does when running on a Win7 system with UAC not disabled, when it goes to update both the Win7 "system clock" as well as the registry.

So it runs perfectly, silently, and quietly, when UAC is set off. And with "run as administrator" also runs silently once you launch it (and respond to the initial UAC message). And, if you will respond to the additional UAC message at program close or Windows shutdown, the program will close normally.

But obviously, it is in need or re-engineering to work its function differently in a Win7 environment. And this task scheduler technique you've devised may be the obvious solution... if it turns out to be UAC-immune.

 

[Barman58]

The Windows Time Service is a network orientated service, and not needed on a stand alone systems. If you are running a major network of hundreds or thousands of systems in a client-server environment it is vastly more important that all the system's times are in sync, than if the time is actually correct.
The servers send out a regular synch pulse which is used by the windows time service on the client machines to set the clocks to match the server time. This assists in backup and other system tasks.

of course it is also normal procedure to keep the servers synced to the atomic clocks via the internet

The win7 time synchronisation with the internet is, as stated above, controlled from the Task Scheduler, and may be adjusted by editing the Task.

The option of running a task with the "Highest Possible privileges" prevents any UAC issues, and may also be used for running any 3rd party program at start-up, without UAC prompts as long as the program itself requires no interaction - there is a full tutorial in the tutorial section

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/67503-task-create-run-program-startup-log.html

 

[J.R.]

So now I'm curious as to what your experience would be (if only for a brief experiment) if you elevated UAC to be on at say the default level, as to whether whatever you're running every two hours runs silently even with UAC enabled.

I'll turn it on and get back to you.

Well, I set the clock to a different time, turned on UAC, and rebooted. At the scheduled interval that Time Synchronization was to occur, Task Scheduler > Time Synchronization ran likes it's supposed to and reset the clock to the correct time.

UAC did not interfer with my schedule in Time Synchronization. There is no conflict.