W32tm.exe Commands

In addition to configuration using the Group Policy Editor, you can also control the time synchronization service using the W32TM.exe file. Open the file in the console and use the wide range of command options.

Command

Description

?

This help screen.

register

Register to run as a service and add default configuration to the registry.

unregister

Unregister service and remove all configuration information from the registry.

Command

Description

domain

Specifies which domain to monitor. If no domain name is given, or neither the domain nor computers option is specified, the default domain is used. This option might be used more than once.

computers

Monitors the given list of computers. Computer names are separated by commas, with no spaces. If a name is prefixed with a ‘*’, it is treated as a PDC. This option might be used more than once.

threads

Specifies the number of computers to analyze simultaneously. The default value is 3. Allowed range is 1-50.

ipprotocol

Specify the IP protocol to use. The default value is to use whatever is available.

nowarn

Skip warning messages.

Convert an NT system time, in (10^-7)s intervals from 0h 1-Jan 1601 into a readable format.

Convert an NTP time, in (2^-32)s intervals from 0h 1-Jan 1900, into a readable format.

Tell a computer that it should resynchronize its clock as soon as possible, throwing out all accumulated error statistics.

Command

Descripion

computer:<computer>

Computer that should resync. If not specified, the local computer will resync.

nowait

Do not wait for the resync to occur; return immediately. Otherwise, wait for the resync to complete before returning.

rediscover

Redetect the network configuration and rediscover network sources, then resynchronize.

soft

Resync utilizing existing error statistics. Not useful, provided for compatibility.

Display a strip chart of the offset between this computer and another computer.

Command

Description

computer:<target>

The computer to measure the offset against.

period:<refresh>

The time between samples, in seconds. The default value is 2s.

dataonly

Display only the data no graphics.

samples:<count>

Collect <count> samples, then stop. If not specified then samples will be collected until Ctrl-C is pressed.

packetinfo

Print out NTP packet response message.

ipprotocol

Specify the IP protocol to use. The default is to use whatever is available.

Command

Description

computers:<target>

Adjusts the configuration of <target>. If not specified, then default is the local computer.

update

Notifies the time service that the configuration has changed, causing the changes to take effect.

manualpeerlist:<peers>

Sets the manual peer list to <peers>. Which is a space-delimited list of DNS and or IP addresses. When specifying multiple peers, this switch must be enclosed in quotes.

syncfromflags:<source>

Sets what sources the NTP client should sync from. <source> should be a comma separated list of these keyword:MANUAL – sync from peers in the manual peer list.DOMHIER – sync from an AD DC in the domain hierarchy.NO – sync from noneALL – sync from both manual and domain peers.

LocalClockDispersion:<seconds>

Configures the accuracy of the internal clock that w32 time will assume when it can't acquire time from its configured sources.

reliable:(YES|NO)

Set whether this machine is a reliable time source. This setting is only meaningful on domain controllers.Here YES indicates machine as a reliable time service andNO indicates not a reliable time service.

largephaseoffset:<milliseconds>

Sets the time difference between local and network time which w32 time will consider a spike.

Display the current time zone settings.

Display the values associated with a given registration key. The default key is

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time (the root key for the time service).

Command

Description

subkey:<key>

Displays the values associated with subkey.

computer:<target>

Queries registry settings for computer.

Display a computer's windows time service information.

Command

Description

computer:<target>

Query the information of <target>. If not specified, the default is the local computer.

source

Display the time source.

configuration

Display the configuration of run-time and where the setting comes from. In verbose mode, display the undefined or unused setting too.

peers

Display a list of peers and their status.

status

Display windows time service status.

verbose

Set the verbose mode to display more information.

Enable or disable local computer windows time service private log.

Command

Description
disable Disable the private log.
enable Enable the private log.
file:<name> Specify the absolute filename.
size:<bytes> Specify the maximum size for circular logging.
entries:<value> contains a list of flags, specified by number and separated by commas, that specify the types of information that should be logged. Valid numbers are 0-300. A range of numbers is valid, in addition to single numbers, such as 0-100,103,106. Value 0-300 is for logging all information.
truncate Truncate the file if it exists.