[ntp:questions] Re: Are these Windows XP clients beyond hope?

Neil Trotter neil_trotter at hotmail.com
Mon Sep 19 12:28:38 UTC 2005


In article <PFxXe.111335$G8.21211 at text.news.blueyonder.co.uk>, David J
Taylor said:

> OK, I use MRTG to plot my own data, based on the output from an NTPQ 
> command.

I would like to do this myself for long-term monitoring.

> Overclocking shouldn't be an issue, I think.  I was wondering more about 
> settings like powering down (or lowering the CPU frequency) when not in 
> use.

It's just possible an eco-friendly user has adjusted settings, but I
generally avoid power-saving technology.

> > ... there is obviously *some* variable factor in
> > the mix, be it hardware or configuration.
> 
> My guess is software rather than hardware.

I'm hoping so :-)

> >> - if you do a ntpq -p on those systems, do they appear to be in sync?
> >
> > No, they don't; this is how I was monitoring them.
> 
> Ah, so is the problem that these PCs are not seeing their NTP servers 
> properly.  Perhaps you could elucidate on this point?  How are the PCs 
> "not syncing"?  If there was a batch of bad crystals such that the clock, 
> when free-running, exceeded the 500ppm error which NTP allows, that would 
> be an issue.

I don't think they're having a problem seeing the NTP servers.  There
are 4 XP-based PCs on the network with identical ntp.conf files.  They
share a single gateway/firewall machine.  2 keep time, 2 don't.

Initially I am setting the clock (using "Date and Time Properties")
manually to within 0.5 second.  Having reset the clock, I restart the
ntp service on the client.  Monitoring with ntpq -p shows offset
increasing by >200ms per minute, that is, the clock is gaining at this
rate.

I am wondering if an unreasonably large value in the drift file,
possibly as a result of starting the NTP service with the clock set at
the wrong time in the past, might cause me problems.  I don't have easy
access to the machines during working hours, but can check this tonight.

-- 
Neil
Alternative Network Directory
http://www.and-world.com
http://forum.and-world.com




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