IT SBIT Services
Schneeberger
DEEN
Known update issues

Windows Autopilot: device provisioning fails when the device clock is off

WorkaroundKnown issue

← All entries

Summary

Windows Autopilot device provisioning can fail on devices whose real-time clock is off by a significant amount of time, for example several minutes or more. Microsoft lists this in its Autopilot known issues and describes a workaround: sync the clock during OOBE.

Symptoms

Provisioning fails, which might be caused by TPM (Trusted Platform Module) attestation errors or ESP (Enrollment Status Page) timeouts.

Affected

  • Windows Autopilot device provisioning
  • Devices whose real-time clock is off by several minutes or more

Workaround

  1. Boot the device to the start of the out-of-box experience (OOBE).
  2. Establish a network connection (wired or wireless).
  3. Run the command w32tm /resync /force to sync the time with the default time server (time.windows.com).

Fix

Not fixed yet. The source names no permanent fix, only the workaround.

Recommendation

If Autopilot provisioning fails with TPM attestation errors or ESP timeouts, check the device clock first. Sync the time at the start of OOBE as described. Check the BIOS/UEFI clock of devices that repeatedly show a wrong time.

Sources

Compiled from the sources listed and translated with AI (Claude); status and dates come from the vendor. The vendor’s statements are authoritative. Updated 1 Nov 2026, 18:25.

Where the information comes from

We continuously read the vendors’ official sources, community reports and trade media and summarise them in our own words, with a link to the source:

  • Microsoft: Windows release health (Windows 10/11, Server 2016 to 2025), Windows message center, known issues of Microsoft 365 Apps (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Edge, Intune, Autopilot, Windows 365 and Entra Connect, Microsoft KB articles with timelines, Exchange and Windows IT Pro blogs, optionally Microsoft 365 service health and message center
  • other vendors: Veeam KB, Citrix (known issues), Ubuntu and Debian (regressions), Broadcom (VMware), Fortinet, Cisco, Mozilla, Let’s Encrypt
  • community (title, short excerpt and link only, without the names of the authors): Microsoft Q&A, Microsoft Tech Community (discussions), Veeam R&D Forums, Eleven Forum
  • targeted web research with AI (Claude), e.g. on the updates of the month – this also finds discussions on Reddit and in forums; such entries are labelled as community reports until the vendor confirms them
  • early warning from trade media (title and link only): Born’s Tech and Windows World, BleepingComputer, AskWoody, Windows Latest, Windows Central, gHacks, The Windows Club, Deskmodder, Dr. Windows, WindowsArea, Frankys Web, heise online

Summary and translation with AI (Claude by Anthropic) – without any data of visitors.

Affected? We can help.

We check whether your systems are affected, apply workarounds properly and plan for dated changes in good time.

Get in touchRSS feed