KBA-01559: Symptoms of Server Time Sync Failure

Question:

Why are users getting You do not have update access to the document at this time when they try to save?
Why are users getting some other user has exclusive access when they try to add an item?
Why does my site’s System Admin | System Information page show the error, “* Warning: SQL and IIS server time clocks differ by x.xxx seconds“?  How can I re-sync the server clocks?

Answer:

When the system acquires exclusivity of a document, the time on the SQL and IIS server must be synchronized.  If time synchronization has failed, users will begin to see these messages because the exclusive time reserved does not match the request.   (So, perhaps some other users snuck in and acquired exclusive access.)

Additional Comments:

The infrastructure for server time synchronization dates back to the last century. Generally all servers and workstations coordinate time with their domain controller. In turn, the domain controller acquires the time from an external time server somewhere else on the Internet. In an Administrative command window, try W32TM /query /status on both servers. Hint: if you don‘t understand this article, pass it on to your IT provider.


KBA-01559; Last updated: June 11, 2024 at 11:42 am