Virtual Domain Controller Time Sync

Some I.T. departments have incorporated one or multiple virtual servers (virtual machines) on their domain for various reasons. Some use virtual servers to test out "the newest and latest software while others use virtual machines to implement more servers without having to buy more physical servers.

Whatever your case maybe, if you have one of the virtual machines as a secondary domain controller you may have experienced a time sync issue with your primary and secondary domain controllers where both domain controllers want to control the time for the whole domain. This issue can be resolved by turning off the "HyperV Time Synchronization Service" on the virtual machine that the secondary domain controller is on. Make sure you are logged in as Administrator on the virtual machine and do the following:

1. Right click the My Computer icon


2. Highlight and click Manage


3. On the left hand side click the plus sign beside the word Configuration to expand it


4. Click on Services

On the right hand side of the window scroll down till you find the HyperV Time Synchronization Service

and click on it

Right click the service and choose Properties

In the new dialog box that opened up make sure you are on the General tab at the top of the box

About half way down you should see the words Startup Type and a drop down box beside it

Click the drop down box arrow and choose Disabled

from the menu and hit Ok when finished, do a reboot on the virtual machine, and you should be good to go
*** Once you log in after the reboot the primary domain controller should be the only controller in charge of the time for the entire domain. To check this just execute w32tm/monitor on the command prompt. ***

As always for more information on this issue you may post a comment on this post and your friendly neighborhood IT department will get back with you or you can just click here.