TSCMD169 FAQ: How to set the time server from cmd and how to synchronize the clock? Assorted NT/2000/XP/.. CMD.EXE script tricks written by Timo Salmi

169} How to set the time server from cmd and how to synchronize the clock?

Caveats:

It is assumed that the PC is not in a domain with a domain's own centralized time server.
Some of the steps may be superfluous.
You may have to "Run as administrator" at least on the post-XP Windows versions

@echo on & @setlocal enableextensions
@echo =========================
@echo Turn off the time service
net stop w32time
@echo ======================================================================
@echo Set the SNTP (Simple Network Time Protocol) source for the time server
net time /setsntp:time.nist.gov,0x1
@echo =============================================
@echo ... and then turn on the time service back on
net start w32time
@echo =============================================
@echo Tell the time sync service to use the changes
w32tm /config /update
@echo ===========================================
@echo Display the currently configured NTP server
net time /querysntp
@echo =======================================================
@echo Reset the local computer's time against the time server
w32tm /resync /rediscover
@endlocal & @goto :EOF

The output could be e.g.:
C:\_D\TEST>cmdfaq
=========================
Turn off the time service

C:\_D\TEST>net stop w32time
The Windows Time service is stopping.
The Windows Time service was stopped successfully.

======================================================================
Set the SNTP (Simple Network Time Protocol) source for the time server

C:\_D\TEST>net time /setsntp:time.nist.gov,0x1
The command completed successfully.

=============================================
... and then turn on the time service back on

C:\_D\TEST>net start w32time
The Windows Time service is starting.
The Windows Time service was started successfully.

=============================================
Tell the time sync service to use the changes

C:\_D\TEST>w32tm /config /update
The command completed successfully.
===========================================
Display the currently configured NTP server

C:\_D\TEST>net time /querysntp
The current SNTP value is: time.nist.gov,0x1

The command completed successfully.

=======================================================
Reset the local computer's time against the time server

C:\_D\TEST>w32tm /resync /rediscover
Sending resync command to local computer...
The command completed successfully.

Calling the Event Viewer ("eventvwr.msc /s") we can observe (this time having chosen time.windows.com)

If the Windows time service refuses to co-operate it may be necessary to give it a heftier wake-up call:

@echo off & setlocal enableextensions
net stop w32time
w32tm.exe /unregister
w32tm.exe /unregister
w32tm /register
net start w32time
endlocal & goto :EOF

The output could be e.g.
C:\_D\TEST>cmdfaq
The Windows Time service is stopping.
The Windows Time service was stopped successfully.

The following error occurred: Access is denied. (0x80070005)
W32Time successfully registered.
W32Time successfully registered.
The Windows Time service is starting.
The Windows Time service was started successfully.

An example of using an external program to set the time:

Assorted NT/2000/XP/.. CMD.EXE Script Tricks From the html version of the tscmd.zip 1cmdfaq.txt file To the Description and the Index

Assorted NT/2000/XP/.. CMD.EXE Script Tricks
From the html version of the tscmd.zip 1cmdfaq.txt file
To the Description and the Index