windows "internet time" "RPC server is unavailable"
Finally (after all these years) I got annoyed enough to track down why Internet Time wasn't working on all of my XP or Vista boxes.
Despite the Internet Time synch tab being there out of the box on the system clock, there is a manual step needed to enable it. The Windows Time service needed to back it up isn't registered by default (check the Administrative Tools service applet). So, at a DOS prompt, enter
w32tm /register
Then in the Administrative Tools service applet manually start the Windows Time service.
Then and only then will the Update Now button work.
Addendum 12-Mar-12
Searching for other mentions of the service registration, there appear to be some problem reports where the service is registered, but the time synch still fails. This is not a problem I personally have ever seen, but in those articles, the fix reported in these cases is
w32tm /unregister w32tm /unregister w32tm /register
where you have to ignore the errors from both the first two commands to de-register the service.
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22 comments :
This fixed a problem I had where the time was not updating on an XP SP3 PC. But I've always had this on by default with an XP install. Odd that yours wasn't on by default.
Finally! Someone with a solution that worked. Thanks!!!
For years, I have also wondered why Internet Time was broken. Great solution!
Why did the POS (piece of ...) stop working in the first place. Was ther some stupid windows update that turned it off?
Thank you. A lot of hits about this problem on the internet. But yours actually works.
Ok.. I am pretty knowledgeable of computers and have been working on them for people for years. This is a problem that so many people have. Thank you for this simple fix. I can believe I did not think of it... Makes me look good... THanks again and thanks google for finding this obsecure thread... Only one that worked
Thanks Steve for helping me out with "the rpc server is unavailable" when trying to update windows automatic time. Only one of my XP computers had this problem. All have sp3, and I found it very strange that one had this RPC server issue. I could have looked at my wristwatch, and set time manually like I have done for years, but needed to solve this issue to keep my "lazy" status in tact. :)
Thanks one more time, from Alexandria, VA (USA). It's nice to get this outstanding glitch in the operating system finally working. You the man, Steve Gilham!!
Finally a solution that just works! Thanks!
Not even the KBs of microsoft gave me a working solution. Only "solutions" that won't work.
1000 thumbs up. if i had to read another "helpful" post where it's so obvious that i just have to adjust my timezone, i was going to punch someone in the throat
Don't know if your still checking these comments but your advice worked perfectly!
Thanks for solving a problem I gave up on months ago, and sharing your knowledge. Ive had this happen on all 4 of my machines.
They were all installed using a customized xp cd image I created. (Removes crap that I never use, presets services, drivers etc.)
I'm guessing that maybe was the reason. BIG THANKS MAN!
GR8 hint.
Thank You
holy moly,
been looking for something for months now and none of them worked although very fancy -
just stumbled across this and it worked on the first go - brilliant sir
Jim
This solution is still a blessing. I tried all the other complicated fixes (even from MS) but yours is the only one that worked. I fixed all three PC's we have at home.
Thanks !!!
Good to see a fix for a problem without lots of silly questions and dead-ends. Thanks
I just fixed a system that had a broken Norton firewall on it that wouldn't let the time sync (same errors as mentioned on this post) and also wouldn't let any browser get to sites using https. Ripped out Norton, problem solved.
Thanks for the fix. I looked all over the internet and mostly received offers to fix for a price to buy the software. Your's was free, easy, and worked!
I tried but I get this:
"The following occurred: Access is denied. (0x80070005)"
Good job. It worked. How the heck did you ever track down that you had to register the Windows Time service in the first place - just curious. Great detective work!
Rich
I was lucky enough to hit on the right combination of keywords to find an some page that described the fix, after a lot of on-again off-again attempts to find a resolution.
As it had taken so much effort, it only seemed fair that I republished it as a blog with more obvious search terms in the title.
Thank you man-bear. You are a god.
Thank you... Thank you... Thank you...
I've been looking for a fix to this problem for months... and you provided the perfect and simple solution!
Thanks for the more obvious search terms, which Google found for me.
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