Win32: help needed

[OsUPhAn]

I am not sure if this question will even make sense, but here goes: I am looking for an operating manual or treatise that explains how Win32 works. Specifically something that details how you can use "parameters" to select and pull data from your computer. Unfortunately, it needs to be something close to "official", not just an explanation by an IT guy.

Any help would be greatly appreciated and greenies for you.
Thanks

[OCBucksFan]

Err, you're going to have to be a little more elaborate here, do you mean API instruction calls? Or Dll functions? Win32 is pretty generic, as far as I can tell that just means the 32 bit windows client/server. I mean the basics of pulling data from your server uses Remote Procedure Calls, meaning one computer requesting functions from another. So I don't know if you mean how do you make that talk to your pc or what? have you checked technet? That may have the information you are looking for, because the only "Win32" I know if has to do with Citrix Presentation Server...

[OsUPhAn]

After some research I can be more specific now. I have a network that runs Widows Time service (W32Time). W32Time synchronizes the times for all the computers in the network. However, the further away from the reference clock, or time source, on network hierarchy that the computer is, the less accurate the times. I have an event log displaying different warnings when the time-stamp of a particular computer has been inaccurate.

What I am looking for is something that tells me what types of parameters can be used to create an event log and how those parameters can be manipulated to get different results. I have found some general information explaining event logs and the type of information they can display, but nothing dealing with parameters.

Thanks for all your help.

[OCBucksFan]

Configuring the Windows Time Service

A little article that helps with configuring windows time service.

Official Microsoft documentation.

Registry entries for the W32Time service

The best thing is to make sure the NTP server that your servers are syncing with is actually up and servicing.

[CleveBucks]

Use the w32tm command to modify time sync settings instead of modifying the registry entries manually where possible. That has worked better for me pretty well. Check these pages from MS Technet:

W32tm

Windows Time Service Tools and Settings

Are you in a domain environment? If so you probably want to specify both MANUAL and DOMHIER. It will attempt to sync with your domain controller first, then go to a list of manual time servers specified in the command to sync with.

You should also probably set your clients to not be time servers themselves. Look for the AnnounceFlags registry entry. That way your clients are only syncing with known reliable time servers and not each other.