NTP sync on Windows 7

Question

How would you make a Windows 7 machine synchronise with free NTP servers on the Internet?

This contains details for Windows Server 2008, but after tweaking the registry and trying to restart the service, it doesn't seem to work on Windows 7.

C:\Windows\system32>net stop w32time
The Windows Time service is not started.

More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 3521.


C:\Windows\system32>net start w32time
System error 1058 has occurred.

The service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it.

Solution

Open services.msc and make sure the Windows Time service is set to automatic, not disabled. If it is, post back, and we can try to repair it.

If the computer is on a domain, you could then follow the same advice for 2008, although if group policy is set, it would over-ride your settings the next time it updated.

If not on a domain, you can click on the clock and the Internet Time tab makes it easy. This tab is hidden if part of a domain.

Here are the steps to repair the Windows Time service. From a command line, do the following:

1. net stop w32time
2. w32tm /unregister (ignore error message)
3. w32tm /unregister
4. w32tm /register
5. net start w32time

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/cannot-enable-windows-time-t340975.html