I have a mail server which syncs its clock to a local ntp server. This time server in turn syncs itself with a number of public servers and is working correctly, as far as I can tell (ntpd -dv shows offsets under 1ms).
However, the mail server (an _old_ Pentium III @ 500Mhz) started drifting furiously, and the ntpd (client) doesn't appear to be actually adjusting the local clock, although it sets it correctly (if ntpd -s). The time server is a Soekris net4801, the mail server is an _old_ x86 box (Pentium III 500Mhz). Both boxes run 5.0. $ sudo ntpd -svd ntp engine ready reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -5.781745 delay 0.001901, next query 8s set local clock to Mon May 28 12:22:39 WEST 2012 (offset -5.781745s) reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -0.249842 delay 0.001821, next query 7s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -0.471290 delay 0.001870, next query 8s peer 10.17.16.2 now valid reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -0.724371 delay 0.001822, next query 8s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -0.977404 delay 0.001875, next query 9s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -1.262066 delay 0.001814, next query 5s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -1.420363 delay 0.001776, next query 31s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -2.400023 delay 0.001832, next query 33s adjusting local clock by -1.420363s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -2.057283 delay 0.001924, next query 34s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -3.131575 delay 0.001821, next query 34s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -4.201259 delay 0.001737, next query 34s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -5.275638 delay 0.001835, next query 31s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -6.255265 delay 0.001849, next query 31s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -7.234918 delay 0.001811, next query 31s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -8.214601 delay 0.001750, next query 31s adjusting local clock by -4.481622s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -5.024796 delay 0.001837, next query 31s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -6.004269 delay 0.001842, next query 30s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -6.947157 delay 0.002090, next query 32s reply from 10.17.16.2: offset -7.958516 delay 0.001831, next query 32s ... As you can notice, the drift is of about 2s/min which is huge and quicky amounts to a few hours and the next thing I know I'm getting mails which were sent tomorrow... Is this drift too large to be adjusted smoothly by ntpd? And if so, any idea as to what might be causing this? Many thanks Zi Loff --
