How to set clock on Windows XP to synchronize to network time standards.

If time sync is not working and gives an error message "RPC server is unavailable", the problem might be that the Windows Time Service is missing or not started.

Solution to RPC Server is unavailable error message:
Click Start...Run.....cmd
w32tm /register
net start w32time

Verify:
Click Start...Run... services.msc
Check the service "Windows Time" exists; and it should be in "Automatic Start" mode.

How to set the clock on Windows 2000 to synchronize to network time standards

Click Start...Run.....cmd

net time /setsntp:pool.ntp.org

net  stop  w32time

net  start  w32time

control

Now the control panel pops up,

click Administrative Tools icon
click Services icon
double click the line Windows Time
change Start Up Type from Manual to  Automatic
click Apply
Reboot

Advanced information for Windows 2000:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters

Legend:
VN/DT = Value Name : Data Type
Desc. = Description
Value = Values

VN/DT   AvoidTimeSyncOnWan : REG_DWORD
Desc.   Synchronize with a computer that is at a different site.
Value   0 = Site is ignored [default]
        1 = Do NOT synchronize with a time source that is at a different site

VN/DT   GetDcBackoffMaxTimes : REG_DWORD
Desc.   The maximum number of times to double the backoff interval
        when successive attempts to find a domain controller fails.
        An event is logged every time a full wait occurs.
Value   0 = The wait between attempts is minimum and no event is logged
        7 = [default]

VN/DT   GetDcBackoffMinutes : REG_DWORD
Desc.   The starting number of minutes to wait before looking for a domain controller,
        if the last attempt failed.
Value   15 = [default]

VN/DT   LocalNTP : REG_DWORD
Desc.   Start the SNTP server.
Value   0 = Don't start the SNTP server, unless this computer is a domain controller [default]
        1 = Always start the SNTP server  (change the value to 1 if you want the Windows box to be a SNTP server)

VN/DT   NtpServer : REG_SZ
Desc.   Stores the value from NET TIME /SETSNTP
Value   Blank by default. Sample data value:  pool.ntp.org

VN/DT   Period : REG_DWORD
Desc.   Control how often the time service synchronizes.
Value   0 = once a day
        65535, every 2 days
        65534, every 3 days
        65533, every week (7 days)
        65532, every 45 minutes until 3 good synchronizations occur,
                   then once every 8 hours (3 per day) [default]
        65531, every 45 minutes until 1 good synchronization occurs, then once every day
        Number of times per day
         
        NOTE: Period can be a type REG_SZ with special values:

        BiDaily, every 2 days
        Tridaily, every 3 days
        Weekly, every week (7 days)
        SpecialSkew, every 45 minutes until 3 good synchronizations occur,
                     then once every 8 hours (3 per day) [default]
        DailySpecialSkew, every 45 minutes until 1 good synchronization occurs, then once every day
 
VN/DT   ReliableTimeSource : REG_DWORD
Desc.   Does this computer have a reliable time.
Value   0 = No [default]
        1 = This computer has reliable time (this is only useful on a domain controller)

VN/DT   Type : REG_SZ
Desc.   How does this computer synchronizes.
Value   Nt5DS = synchronize to domain hierarchy or manually configured source [default]
        NTP = synchronize to manually configured source
        NoSync = do NOT synchronize time

VN/DT   Adj : REG_DWORD
Desc.   Maintains computer clock information between reboots. Do NOT change.

VN/DT   msSkewPerDay : REG_DWORD
Desc.   Maintains computer clock information between reboots. Do NOT change.