Windows Time (W32Time) Service Defaults in Windows 8
Maintains date and time synchronization on all clients and servers in the network. If this service is stopped, date and time synchronization will be unavailable. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Default Settings
| Startup type: | Manual |
| Display name: | Windows Time |
| Service name: | W32Time |
| Service type: | share |
| Error control: | normal |
| Object: | NT AUTHORITY\LocalService |
| Path: | %SystemRoot%\system32\svchost.exe -k LocalService |
| File: | %SystemRoot%\system32\w32time.dll |
| Registry key: | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time |
| Privileges: |
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Default Behavior
Windows Time is a Win32 service. In Windows 8 it will not be started until the user starts it. When the Windows Time service is started, it runs as NT AUTHORITY\LocalService in a process of svchost.exe, sharing it with other services. If Windows Time fails to start, the error details are added to Windows 8 error log. When the operating system startup is complete, the user is being notified that the W32Time service hasn't been started.
Restore Default Startup Configuration of Windows Time
1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.
2. Copy the command below, paste it into the command window and press ENTER:
sc config W32Time start= demand
3. Close the command window and restart the computer.
The W32Time service is using the w32time.dll file that is located in the C:\Windows\system32 directory. If the file is removed or corrupted, read this article to restore its original version from Windows 8 installation media.