Internet Time Error

redux

Editing the registry can cause problems if the changes are clumsily done, so you might want to use one of your utility programs which can back it up first. But this is fairly simple, only adding one item at a time which you can delete if you mistype, though I've described it in rather pedantic detail

The Registry Editor is a program called regedit. In XP, type regedit in the Run box; in Vista enter it in the search at the bottom of the programs list and it will appear in the column above, then click that.

The active server setting you have in use appears in several places in the registry, so I'm going to suggest instead doing a Find for one of the other servers, which will only be in one place.

From the clock settings, copy one of the other server names; the right-click seems to only work when you've clicked to get one in the window as if about to change it.

Then in the Registry Editor, you see two panes, with a menu bar above. The left pane has folders with names starting in HKEY_. No need to do anything in there.

On the menu bar Edit, then Find... opens a small pop-up window. Paste your server name in, check the boxes are ticked, then press the Find Next button.

The search could take a minute or two, and you should get the list of time servers in the right pane (with relevant folders opened in the left).

Right-click on empty space below the list, then New > String Value. This should cause a new item called New Value #1, which is highlighted, with the same little ab logo on the left as the others, and REG_SZ in the middle column. If not, you've accidentally selected one of the other New options, so delete this one.

If your existing list goes up to 5 so far, rename the new value as 6

Then separately you want to copy the new first new server name you want, perhaps from the list in my post, or you could do more research on the internet beforehand

Then right-click on the item 6 and select Modify. This gives another little pop-up, and you paste in the new server name in Value data, then press OK. Add a couple more servers if you wish, number 7 etc.

Then if you go back to the clock settings and its list of servers, you should see the new ones at the bottom of the list.

You might close the folders in the left pane of Registry Editor if you wish, then close the programme. The next time it's opened it will be at the same place as when closed. Note that the search seems to go downwards, so if you've explored a bit then for later visits it might be necessary to click something near the top in that pane to avoid searching only from below the wanted result

If any of it comes out looking more tricky than this description, don't mess around, and leave things as they started

alanclarke

Sol00 wrote: »

Hi Alan I'm not sure how to do this. I'm on Vista Home Premium 32bit

Double click on the clock at bottom right of screen, click "Change date and time settings..", click the "Internet Time" tab then click the "Change settings.." button, you might get a "Windows needs permission to continue." message, click "Continue". Make a note of current server and then in the Server box type www.ntp.org and click "Update now" button.

If that doesn't work try servers that other people have suggested, I have just updated successfully with www.ntp.org at 5:46

I occasionally get error message you posted, wait a couple of hours and try again, the server might be down or busy.

On my computer www.ntp.org stays as the time server, redux has posted a registry edit, only do this as a last resort.