This bug is in ntpdate 4.2.6p2: https://bugs.ntp.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1709 Bug is fixed in 4.2.6p3
Test results from Debian squeeze: root@debian:~/ntp-4.2.6p3# ntpdate -v 6 Feb 15:43:48 ntpdate[4626]: ntpdate 4.2.6p2@1.2194-o Sun Oct 17 13:45:14 UTC 2010 (1) 6 Feb 15:43:48 ntpdate[4626]: no servers can be used, exiting root@debian:~/ntp-4.2.6p3# ntpdate 10.10.10.11 6 Feb 15:44:06 ntpdate[4627]: no server suitable for synchronization found root@debian:~/ntp-4.2.6p3# ./ntpdate/ntpdate -v 6 Feb 15:44:20 ntpdate[4628]: ntpdate 4.2.6p3@1.2290-o Sun Feb 6 13:43:25 UTC 2011 (1) 6 Feb 15:44:20 ntpdate[4628]: no servers can be used, exiting root@debian:~/ntp-4.2.6p3# ./ntpdate/ntpdate 10.10.10.11 6 Feb 17:44:36 ntpdate[4629]: step time server 10.10.10.11 offset 7203.757666 sec
