Solved Windows Time will not update from internet

[TrevorT]

Hi, first post and I think that I need the help of a Black Belt

I have been having problems with the clock on my Sony VAIO 64bit Windows 7 machine clock. It is frequently wrong by a few seconds towards the end of the week, so I did some investigations and I set up a daily schedule task for the following actions using the instructions here Make Windows synchronize time more often

%windir%\system32\sc.exe start w32time task_started
%windir%\system32\w32tm.exe /resync

I set it to run daily, but noticed the it wasn't updating my clock. I ran it manually (right click ~ RUN). Didn't update clock, but Windows Date and Time window~Internet Time says that thesynchronisation was successful at either my sheduled time or whatever time I run the shedule task manually, but the clock is still wrong.
Incidentally, I have the same sheduled task running on my W7 32 bit machine and it works OK.

during further investigation, I read the following here.
http://www.sevenforums.com/general-discussion/93325-windows-7-time-synchronization.html

I tried that and got the following messages (msg.)
At the elevated command prompt (with administrator privileges), type the following command
1. Type "w32tm /debug /disable" and press 'Enter' (net stop w32time gave an Error 5 Access denied response!)
msg. Sending disable private log command to local computer... The command completed successfully.

2. Type "w32tm /unregister" and press 'Enter' (without using the first command the second did not work!)
you should get the response " W32Time successfully unregistered"
msg. The following error occurred: Access is denied. (0x80070005)

3. Type "w32tm /register" and press 'Enter'
you should get the response "W32Time successfully registered"
msg. The following error occurred: The specific has been marked for deletion. (0x80070430)

4. Type "net start w32time" and press 'Enter'
you should get the response "The windows Time Service is starting. The windows time service was started successfully"
msg. [SC] Start Service FAILED 1058: The service cannot be started because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it.

It seems like command 1 worked, but the rest didn't. So has command 1 borked it, and how can Ire-enable it?
When I now run the sheduled task, the History log appears normal, but the time still does not update.

Isuing the following from an Elevated command prompt produces:
%windir%\system32\sc.exe start w32time task_started
The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it

%windir%\system32\w32tm.exe /resync
Sending resync commend to local computer
The computer did not resync because no time data was available

Have I broken it, or what? Help please

 

[pebbly]

Hi TrevorT, Welcome to the forums ,Have a look at this link Configuring Time in Windows 7 and Win 2008 R2 It may be of better help to you

 

[TrevorT]

Hi Pebbly. Thanks for the reply.
I had a look at that link, and apart from the setting of the time, it seems to refer to Server 2008 running on a domain network. I have a bog std. Workgroup network. It's not the setting of the time that I am having a problem with, but the automatic update from time.windows.com. I can set the time OK from either Windows time setting or an elevated command prompt.
T

 

[pebbly]

OK TrevorT , misunderstood If indeed the problem lies in step 2 not completing with the access denied have a go at taking ownership of the file Take Ownership of file - Vista Forums that's about all I can suggest ,sorry

 

[TrevorT]

Ah.; I see what you mean. The Windows Time service is not running and not in the Services list on the computer that won't update. That would seem to do the trick, but how can I get it re-started?
T

Edit:
Sorry, we crossed in the post. I'll have a look at the permissions thing in a mo.
T

 

[Qdos]

Perhaps it won't start *unless* access to NTP (time) servers is enabled in your Firewall(s)... just a little something worth checking...

 

[TrevorT]

It would appear thet the router F/W is passing it OK as the 32bit machine and my NAS update OK. I'm also using Zone Alarm on both machimes, so I will check the settings. It seems at the moment that I need to get the Windows Time Service running first though?
T

 

[Solidwave]

Run w32tm /unregister again, reboot, and then continue with your steps #3 and #4 after the system restarts.

Access denied errors when unregistering the time service are often false errors that leave the service in a zombie state until the system is restarted.

 

[TrevorT]

'w32tm /register' worked OK
'net start w32time' produced System error 1290 has occurred. The service start failed since one or more services in the same process have an incompatible service SID. and another load of guff. Will a system restore sort it?
T
EDIT:
The Windows Time service now seems to be running.

EDIT 2 Windows Time is in the service list but not started and will not start.

 

[Solidwave]

Try:

Windows Time service will not start - Microsoft Answers and Windows Time Service error 1290 .

Reboot after making the registry change.

 

[TrevorT]

I'll give that a go after I've had my dinner

 

[Solidwave]

I have a hunch the Microsoft fix in my first link may be wrong. Try it anyway, but if it doesn't work, try using regedit to navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time and make sure the ImagePath subkey reads "C:\Windows\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalService" without the quotes.

 

[TrevorT]

Fixed it by a system restore to yesterday morning. Now the service is running and the sheduled task actually updates the clock. Shame I didn't find out exactly what was causing the problem (probably me tinkering) but at least I have rescued the situation. I guess I'll now have to redo the Windows updates that came sailing in earlier today and still waiting for my dinner .
Thanks for you help chaps and chapesses I'll know where to come mext time I have a prob.
T

 

[TrevorT]

Following on from my previous posts, I re-installed W7 on mt desktop (Shiny new SSD) and had the same lack of time sync problems. I tried the new scheduled service from here, which again did not work when I ran it. Further investigations found that the time service was not running. You can check this out by typing 'services.msc' into the start box, right click it in the results field and 'run as administrator'. Scroll down to Windows Time'. it should be 'Started'. it seems that sometimes this service does not start when required. So to make it start (dont ask me why it works), double click the Windows Time service entry and on the General tab, set the Startup type to Automatic (Delayed Start).
Offset your clock then restart the PC. Give the service a couple of mins or so to start, then manually run the new schedule created above. The clock should sync, and the sched service will run as often as you have set it to and keep your clock in sync, :=)