> Source: [sk183908](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk183908)

# sk183908 - Gaia OS does not synchronize its clock with NTP servers because the system user "ntp" is missing

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk183908 |
| Date Created | 2025-09-04 |
| Last Modified | 2026-04-16 |
| Technical Level | Advanced |
| Products | Security Gateway, Security Management Server |
| Versions | R82.10, R82, R81.20, R81.10 (EOS), R82.10, R82, R81.20, R81.10 (EOS) |
| OS | Gaia |

## Symptoms

- * Gaia OS does not synchronize its clock with the configured NTP servers.

* The Expert mode command "`ntpq -c peers`" shows "`ntpq: read: Connection refused`".

* The Expert mode command "`service ntpd status`" shows "`ntpd dead but pid file exists`".

* The debug of the "`ntpd`" daemon shows that the NTP configuration is correct, but the "`ntpd`" service cannot run due to a missing user account with the UID 38.

## Cause

The required system user "`ntp`" is missing in the Gaia OS configuration. As a result, the `ntpd` daemon cannot start.

## Solution

This solution requires authentication. Please log in to view the full solution.

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