How to Set Clock Time and Date on Ubuntu Server when NTP Synchronized is set to No

In the event our Ubuntu server has an incorrect time, a clock that is offset may prevent users from logging in, or for example, synchronizing databases. If OpenVPN is in use with 2FA and google authenticator, their login is dependent on the time of the server being correct . We want to ensure our end users can log into the server or OpenVPN successfully. Let’s start by viewing the clock on our server, and then synchronize the clock with an internet-based time service.

First issue the command:

date

If we compare this time with an accurate clock, such as a cell phone, we may see this time is no accurate. The date display in the above screenshot shows the Day, Date, Hours, Minutes, Seconds, TimeZone and Year. 

Let’s check to see if our clock is set to be synchronized. Do this by issuing the command:

timedatectl status

Here we see that our “NTP synchronized: no” status indicates our Network Time Protocol synchronization is turned off. 

In order to get our clock synchronized and change it to NTP synchronized: yes, we need to do the following.

  1. Stop the ntp service
  2. Sync the time using ntpd with the -g and -q switches (allows the time to be set without restriction)
  3. Start the ntp service

We can do this by issuing the commands: 

Sudo service ntp stop
Sudo ntpd -gq

This will produce something like the following output:

In this output we can see that our time was offset and adjusted by -49.77 seconds.

Next let’s start the ntp service again with the command:

Sudo service ntp start

Lastly we can confirm that our time is set correctly and that NTP synchronized: is now set to yes with the command:

timedatectl

That should do it! Try issuing the command date again and compare it to an accurate clock. Check to see that your OpenVPN users can log in. If they continue to have issues, check out the article on Troubleshooting OpenVPN

How to Install Visio 2016 Standard with Office 365 ProPlus Click to run using the Office Customization Tool

When trying to install Microsoft Visio or Publisher with a Volume License MAK license key alongside Office 365 Pro Plus, the Visio .iso installer may give the error: “this version of O365 does not get along with the Installer, or you cannot install 32bit with 64bit”. You may even have tried uninstalling the 32 bit version of Office, install the 64 bit version, only to receive the same exact message. You may find installing 64 bit Visio Volume License with 64 bit Office 2016 Pro Plus doesn’t work, nor does 32 bit with 32 bit, nor 64 bit with 32 bit. It can be frustrating.

The problem is that Microsoft has moved away from mixing the Volume License .iso installations (downloaded from the Volume Licensing website here: https://www.microsoft.com/Licensing/servicecenter/default.aspx ) – on the same computer with the “Click to Run” versions of Office you typically download from within Office 365 online. Instead, to get around the issue, you need to use the Office Deployment Tool. This will allow you build a build a package you’ll run from the command prompt to install for example, Visio or Publisher, on the same computer as Office 365 Pro Plus Click to Run. The configuration and setup is not all too difficult and we’ve documented the installation instructions below. 

*NOTE: While I’ve found Visio .ISO/MAK can be happy with CTR, and although I have gotten it to work in a few instances, I wholeheartedly recommend to bite the bullet and use O365 Visio monthly licensing alongside the O365 Click-to-Run suite. It’s orders of magnitude easier to deploy Visio with O365 than to mix CTR with ISO’s/MAKs! It will save you worlds of frustration when someone moves to a new PC, or MAK licensing changes. Instead, go to Office365 licensing, purchase a Visio license, and assign it to a user. Any money saved by mixing MAK licensing with click to run, in my opinion is not worth the headache. That being said, a lot of the instructions below are relevant to a sysadmin’s job, and you should be familiar with how the deployment tools and office ‘configurator’ works, so read on.

The first thing we need to do is download the Office deployment tool from the following site:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49117

C https//www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49117 
Apps 0365 
Microsoft I 
Download Center 
This is your 365 
Windows 
Office 
Web browsers 
More v 
All Mi 
Discover what's possible every day with Office 365 
FOR 1 USER > 
Office Deployment Tool 
FOR UP TO 6 U 
Important! Selecting a language below will dynamically change the complete page content to that language. 
Language: 
English

Run the .exe you downloaded, accept the license terms, and extract the tool to a new folder you create named c:\admin\ODT

The Microsoft Office 2016 Click-to-Run Administrator Tool 
You must accept the Microsoft Software License Terms in order to continue the installation. 
MICROSOFT SOFW,'ARE LICENSE TERMS 
MICROSOFT OFFICE DEPLOYMENT TOOL 2016 
These license terms are an agreement between Microsoft Corporation (or based on where you live, one of its affiliates) and you. Please 
read them. They apply to the software named above, which includes the media on which you received it, if any. The terms also apply 
to any Microsoft 
• updates, 
• supplements, 
• Internet-based services, and 
• support services 
for this software, unless other terms accompany those items. If so, those terms apply. 
BY USING THE SOFW,'ARE, YOU ACCEPT THESE TERMS. IF YOU DO NOT ACCEPT THEM, DO NOT USE THE SOFTVVARE. 
IF YOU COMPLY WITH THESE LICENSE TERMS, YOU HAVE THE PERPETUAL RIGHTS BELOW. 
I . INSTALLATION AND USE RIGHTS. You may install and use any number of copies of the software on your devices. 
2. SCOPE OF LICENSE. The software is licensed, not sold. This agreement only gives you some rights to use the software. Microsoft 
reserves all other rights. Unless applicable law gives you more rights despite this limitation, you may use the software only as expressly 
permitted in this agreement. In doing so, you must comply with any technical limitations in the software that only allow you to use it 
in certain ways. You may not 
• work around any technical limitations in the software; 
• reverse engineer, decompile or disassemble the software, except and only to the extent that applicable law expressly permits, despite 
this limitation; 
[Z Ick here to accept the Microsoft Software License Terms. 
Continue
Browse For Folder 
Select a folder to store the extracted files 
Desktop 
Documents 
Downloads 
Music 
[e Pictures 
Videos 
v Local Disk C:) 
admin 
Saf es 
SmartMaiI 
temp 
Intel 
keypairs 
PerfLogs 
Program Files 
Program Files (x86) 
Make New Folder

Click OK

The Microsoft Office 2016 Click-to-Run Administrator Tool 
Files extracted successfully

Next, let’s switch gears and configure and run the online XML generator tool to build the XML file which we’ll need to configure the tool we just downloaded and extracted above.

The online XML generator can be found here: https://config.office.com

At this website you can log into your office account (Recommended), or alternatively choose to continue without signing in:

C a https://config.office.com 
Apps 0365 
Microsoft I Office Client 
Welcome to the Office 
365 Client Configuration 
Service 
Sign in with your Azure AD Account to get access to all the features 
Get Office 
Sign in 
Continue without signing in? Choose from the options below. 
Create a new configuration 
Create, modify and export Office 
deplcyment configurations. 
Create 
Import your configuration 
Import and modify 'ßur existing 
configurations. 
Import

In our example we’ll create the file by logging in first by clicking “Sign in.”

Once logged in, click on Customization > Device Configuration > +Create.

C https://config.office.com/officeSettings/configurations 
Apps 0365 
Office 365 Clients 
Home / Device Configuration 
Home 
Security 
Customization 
evice Confi uration 
Policy Management 
Learn More 
O 
Office Customization 
O 
+ Create 
opy Remove 
Name 
64-CTR and Vision.. 
Q) Get Link U 
Date created 
07/05/2019 
Download Upload 
Description v

You’ll notice in the screenshot above we’ve already created a customization file which installs the 64 Bit version of Office Click to Run along with Visio 2016 Standard Volume license. We can download ImageFileNamethis configuration file again at a later date if we lose our .xml file.

In this example, we’ll create a customized file that pairs and combines installations of 32bit Office 365 Pro Plus with Visio Standard 2016 Volume License. 

Click on the + Create button.

We first give the configuration a title, something like:

32-Office365CTR_and_Visio2016-32-VL_Key

Our configuration will be setup something similar to the following:

32-Office365CTR and 
.xml 
A 
Products and releases 
Architecture 
Which architecture do you want to deploy? 
@ 32-bit 
C) 64-bit 
Products* 
Which products and apps do you want to deploy? 
Office Suites 
Office 365 ProPlus 
Visio Standard 2016 - Volume License 
Project 
Select Project product 
Additional Products 
Select Additional product 
Update channel 
Select the update channel, which controls the timing of feature updates Learn more CS 
Semi-Annual Channel 
Which version do you want to deploy? Learn more CS 
La test

Take note that Office365 has different versions, and you click the “Learn More” link to decide which version to install or accept the default “Latest”. You might want to install the version that all of your other deployed Office365 versions are using. If you choose “Latest” you’ll most likely get a newer version of Office365 installed than everyone else. As a reference, I’ve copied one of the version tables below:

The following table lists the supported version, and the most current build number, for each update channel. 
Channel 
Monthly 
Semi-Annual 
Semi-Annual (Targeted) 
Semi-Annual 
Semi-Annual 
Version 
1907 
1902 
1902 
1808 
1803 
Build 
1 1901.20176 
1 1328.20368 
1 1328.20368 
10730.20360 
9126.2428 
Release date 
July 29, 2019 
July 9, 2019 
July 9, 2019 
July 9, 2019 
July 9, 2019 
Version supported until 
Version 1908 is released 
September 8, 2020 
September 10, 2019 
March 10, 2020 
September 10, 2019

Also take a look at the primary language, and any other Office Suite apps you don’t want installed. It’s worth it to click through each heading to see what’s inside. 

Next, we need to provide our Visio Standard 2016 volume license key. Do this by first logging into the Microsoft Volume Licensing Center here: https://www.microsoft.com/Licensing/servicecenter/default.aspx , find your product, your version, expand the license keys, and copy the license key into the Office Customization Tool under the heading Licensing and Activation > Product Key > Multiple Activation Key:

Office Customization Tool 
Learn more about the Office Customization Tool C.f 
32-Office365CTR and 
.xml 
anu acuvauull 
Product key 
C) KMS Client Key 
Product key entry is not required for Key Management Service (KMS) activation. 
@ Multiple Activation Key (MAK) 
Multiple Activation Key (MAK). Type a valid 25 character volume license key with no spaces. 
Visio Standard 2016 - 
Volume License 
Autoactivate 
Automatically accept the EULA 
o 
Shared computer activation 
12345-12345-12345-12345-12345 
on 
Off 
Off 
Allow the licensing token to roam 
Network. local, or HTTP path 
Next

Finish by clicking Done in the upper right-hand corner. 

Next, place a check next to the configuration file we’ve just created and click Download:

Office Customization 
+ Create [C Copy Remove Get Link Download Upload 
Name 
'—0365-64-CTR and_Visi020... 
32-Offce365CTR and Visi02016-32-VL 
Date created 
07/05/2019 
07/29/2019 
Description v

Once you’ve downloaded the .xml file, copy it into the c:\admin\ODT folder.

Open the command prompt on the computer onto which we’ll be installing Office 365 and Visio. 

Change directory to c:\admin\ODT with the command:

cd c:\admin\ODT

Run the setup.exe tool from the command Prompt first with the /download switch, followed by the name of your .xml configuration file (use tab to auto-complete the long file name.) For example the filename would look like:

setup.exe /download configurationFileName.xml

The download will be “silent” – it will take about 10 minutes to download the installer to the c:\admin\ODT\Office folder.

Once the download completes, the cmd prompt will be waiting for input again. Next run the setup.exe, except this time, with the  /configure switch (again, reference your .xml file.) The /configure switch will process and install your applications as demonstrated in the following screenshot. For example the command would look like the following:

setup.exe /configure ConfigurationFileName.xml
(c) 2e18 Corporation. All rights reserved. 
: / dmmload 
: 'configure 
7/5/2019 
Type 
XML 
Office 
Installing Office 
Well be done injust a moment

When it finishes both the click to run Office365 will be installed as well as the Visio Volume License MAK version.

Drawing I 
- Visio Standard 
Account 
User Information 
S out 
Switch account 
Account Privacy 
Manage Settings 
Office Background: 
Clouds 
Office Theme: 
Product Information 
Product Activated 
Microsoft Visio Standard 2016 
This product contains 
Change Product Key 
Office Updates 
Updates are automatically downloaded and installed. 
About Visio

We’re done! Now if we need to do another install on a different computer of our Office365+Visio, we can copy the deployment tool and the .xml file to the computer and run the command prompt installer again.