Unable to sync time using `ntpdate`, error: "no server suitable for synchronization found"

My ntp.conf file:

user@pc[0][07:37:40]:/etc$ cat /etc/ntp.conf
idriftfile /var/lib/ntp/ntp.drift
server 0.pool.ntp.org
server 1.pool.ntp.org
server 2.pool.ntp.org
server pool.ntp.org

Command output:

user@pc[0][07:37:24]:/etc$ sudo ntpdate -dv pool.ntp.org
18 Jun 07:37:35 ntpdate[10737]: ntpdate [email protected] Tue Apr 19 07:15:05 UTC 2011 (1)
Looking for host pool.ntp.org and service ntp
host found : conquest.kjsl.com
transmit(198.137.202.16)
transmit(216.45.57.38)
transmit(64.6.144.6)
transmit(198.137.202.16)
transmit(216.45.57.38)
transmit(64.6.144.6)
transmit(198.137.202.16)
transmit(216.45.57.38)
transmit(64.6.144.6)
transmit(198.137.202.16)
transmit(216.45.57.38)
transmit(64.6.144.6)
transmit(198.137.202.16)
transmit(216.45.57.38)
transmit(64.6.144.6)
198.137.202.16: Server dropped: no data
216.45.57.38: Server dropped: no data
64.6.144.6: Server dropped: no data
server 198.137.202.16, port 123
stratum 0, precision 0, leap 00, trust 000
refid [198.137.202.16], delay 0.00000, dispersion 64.00000
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time:    00000000.00000000  Thu, Feb  7 2036  0:28:16.000
originate timestamp: 00000000.00000000  Thu, Feb  7 2036  0:28:16.000
transmit timestamp:  d1a71a93.1f16c1e3  Sat, Jun 18 2011  7:37:39.121
filter delay:  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000
         0.00000  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000
filter offset: 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
         0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.00000, dispersion 64.00000
offset 0.000000

server 216.45.57.38, port 123
stratum 0, precision 0, leap 00, trust 000
refid [216.45.57.38], delay 0.00000, dispersion 64.00000
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time:    00000000.00000000  Thu, Feb  7 2036  0:28:16.000
originate timestamp: 00000000.00000000  Thu, Feb  7 2036  0:28:16.000
transmit timestamp:  d1a71a93.524a05dd  Sat, Jun 18 2011  7:37:39.321
filter delay:  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000
         0.00000  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000
filter offset: 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
         0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.00000, dispersion 64.00000
offset 0.000000

server 64.6.144.6, port 123
stratum 0, precision 0, leap 00, trust 000
refid [64.6.144.6], delay 0.00000, dispersion 64.00000
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time:    00000000.00000000  Thu, Feb  7 2036  0:28:16.000

transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time:    00000000.00000000  Thu, Feb  7 2036  0:28:16.000
originate timestamp: 00000000.00000000  Thu, Feb  7 2036  0:28:16.000
transmit timestamp:  d1a71a93.524a05dd  Sat, Jun 18 2011  7:37:39.321
filter delay:  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000
         0.00000  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000
filter offset: 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
         0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.00000, dispersion 64.00000
offset 0.000000

server 64.6.144.6, port 123
stratum 0, precision 0, leap 00, trust 000
refid [64.6.144.6], delay 0.00000, dispersion 64.00000
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time:    00000000.00000000  Thu, Feb  7 2036  0:28:16.000
originate timestamp: 00000000.00000000  Thu, Feb  7 2036  0:28:16.000
transmit timestamp:  d1a71a93.857c6fbd  Sat, Jun 18 2011  7:37:39.521
filter delay:  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000
         0.00000  0.00000  0.00000  0.00000
filter offset: 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
         0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.00000, dispersion 64.00000
offset 0.000000

18 Jun 07:37:40 ntpdate[10737]: no server suitable for synchronization found

Solution 1:

my ntp (/etc/ntp.conf) says

server 0.ubuntu.pool.ntp.org
server 1.ubuntu.pool.ntp.org
server 2.ubuntu.pool.ntp.org
server 3.ubuntu.pool.ntp.org

change yours to this and do it as root (sudo -i)

service ntp stop

do the changes:

service ntp start

test it

date

UPDATE: last night I have to configure a machine and found this that could be helpful

~# dpkg-reconfigure tzdata

You can set your time zone and exit (as root: sudo -i)

:~# dpkg-reconfigure tzdata


Current default time zone: 'America/Montevideo'
Local time is now:      Tue Mar  6 13:18:00 UYST 2012.
Universal Time is now:  Tue Mar  6 15:18:00 UTC 2012.

:~# 

Solution 2:

First of all, you do not need ntp server to synchronize time (I see you have /etc/ntp.conf that come from the package ntp, providing the server), and if you use that server, you do not need to use ntpdate manually.

To be more specific regarding the fact that ntp package is not required, time is synchronized every time your network connection go up using ntpdate-debian, that comes in the default installation.

So, to try manual synchronization, stop the server

sudo service ntp stop

then run

sudo ntpdate-debian

that is the debian helper application to run ntpdate without the hassle you have now.