Are these Windows XP clients beyond hope?

I spent an hour or two earlier tweaking ntp.conf files to accord with
various advice found at http://ntp.isc.org/bin/view/Support/WebOrder.

Things I learned today, which I probably should have known anyway:

1. It's a good thing to use a bunch of servers, ideally 5 or more.

2. It's OK to use iburst.

3. When using pool.ntp.org servers, use the numbered sub-domains only
(i.e. n.country.pool.ntp.org), this to avoid the possiblity of server
duplication.

4. List "nearest" servers first.

(To be truthful, I may have made #4 up, as it just seems to make sense -
but I *think* I remember reading this).

I administer 2 small networks, both consisting of a mix of Fedora Linux
servers and Windows 2K/XP workstations, all x86 hardware.

The Linux servers poll internet time sources only. Windows clients run
Heiko's build 1354, and poll local linux servers and the internet.
Windows clocks are not intended to be polled on our networks (that's
just my rule).

All machines are keeping good time except 2 of the windows XP clients at
one of the sites, and these are drifting wildly. Since all the config
files are similar, and 2 other XP clients on the same network (with
identical config files) are staying sync'd, is this just a case of
hopelessly bad hardware clocks, or is there something else I can try?

My config file on the windows machines look like this:

====
driftfile %TEMP%\ntp.drift
restrict 127.0.0.1
restrict 10.0.1.0 mask 255.255.255.0
restrict 10.0.0.0 mask 255.0.0.0 nomodify notrap nopeer

tos minclock 6 minsane 6

server kermit.local iburst
server ntp1.myisp.com iburst
server ntp2.myisp.com iburst
server 0.uk.pool.ntp.org iburst
server 1.uk.pool.ntp.org iburst
server 2.uk.pool.ntp.org iburst
server 0.europe.pool.ntp.org iburst
server 1.europe.pool.ntp.org iburst
server 2.europe.pool.ntp.org iburst

server 127.127.1.1
fudge 127.127.1.1 stratum 12
====

All constructive nitpicking gratefully heard :-)

--
Neil
Alternative Network Directory
http://www.and-world.com
http://forum.and-world.com
.

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