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Configuring VMware Tools to synchronize guest time with host time.

I had a question this morning about setting tools to synchronize time with the host, and I wanted to share the results. Thanks to LucD for the outline.

Get-VM | % { Get-View $_.ID} | `
    % {
        $spec = new-object VMware.Vim.VirtualMachineConfigSpec
        $spec.tools = New-Object VMware.Vim.ToolsConfigInfo
        $spec.tools.syncTimeWithHost = $true
        Get-View($_.ReconfigVM_Task($spec))
      }

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9 Replies
pfuhli
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

This question might be a little bit off topic but it refers to the same problem of setting time sync in a bunch of Windows guests.

Is there also the possibility to deactivate the Time Service in Windows guests using Power Shell? KB article http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1318 stats that this should be done when configuring the VMware Tools for being responsible for time sync.

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AndyShine
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I haven't tried it but how about:

Stop-Service w32time

Set-Service w32time -StartupType Disabled

Andrew

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pfuhli
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi Andy,

thanks for the suggestion after a little playing around I found a way to do this remotely:

to start: (Get-WmiObject -computer <put-computername-here> Win32_Service -Filter "Name='w32Time'").StartService()

to stop: (Get-WmiObject -computer <put-computername-here> Win32_Service -Filter "Name='w32Time'").StopService()

for status query: Get-WmiObject -computer <put-computername-here> Win32_Service -Filter "Name='w32Time'"

Regards,

daniel

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pfuhli
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Is it possible to query for time sync in VI SDK 2.0.1?

We are just running VC 2.0.2 Smiley Sad

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LucD
Leadership
Leadership

The SDK API Reference seems to state that it is only available as from SDK 2.5.

See ToolsConfigInfo


Blog: lucd.info  Twitter: @LucD22  Co-author PowerCLI Reference

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selestia
Contributor
Contributor

Is there any pre-requisites to using this? I have powershell and the vm pack installed ... I however get failures about $host.SetShouldExit

Not sure if I need to set something before hand?

Thanks

Matt

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admin
Immortal
Immortal

Shouldn't be any prerequisites. I don't understand your error, could you post the error message?

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selestia
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

I managed to get it sorted over the weekend - so all is well. I actually used your script and formatted it like another post which was setting the tools upgrade flag. If it useful I can post this as well?

Thanks

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SimonM1
Contributor
Contributor

Hi all,

I wanted to run an audit of the syncTimeWithHost property (rather than just set it across all VMs). However, whenever I look at my VMs, this property is always null, e.g.

$vm = Get-VM -name server

$view = get-view $vm.ID

$config = $view.config

$tools = $config.tools

$tools

ToolsVersion : 55869

AfterPowerOn : True

AfterResume : True

BeforeGuestStandby : True

BeforeGuestShutdown : True

BeforeGuestReboot : False

ToolsUpgradePolicy :

PendingCustomization :

SyncTimeWithHost :

DynamicType :

DynamicProperty :

Why is the SyncTimeWithHost property always null (even though it is set as true withint the VMTools gui on the guest)?

Any ideas? Many thanks.

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