Adventures in Time Travel – DST Take One
March 8th, 2007 by Gavin Clabaugh
[Here's the text of a message about the impending DST change I posted on the Riders-Tech list a few weeks ago. Several people had asked me about it, and I figured it made more sense to post this than keep sending it out as email.]
[Note: Because of system troubles, this was also posted on my old Typepad Blog – so if you're experiencing a vague sense of déjà vu… this would be the reason]
A couple of weeks ago, there was a brief posting over on the RIDERS-TECH list – a simple question: “Are people concerned about the DST change?”
I thought, Huh? Naah, not a problem; happens every year after all. These things all know how to change their clocks, right? Humm… Wait, what was that notice I got… Well.. turns out, it’s not that simple – or maybe it is. Some older OS’s, it seems, well… They’ll need some hands-on TLC. And, then there is Java, and Exchange, and Outlook. Read on.
As is my want, I thought I’d throw words and caution to the wind, and send out a short note to the NTEN discussion list (while simultaneously posting an easy solution for some of the questions on the Riders-Tech list. Sorry for cross-posting).
I list below, under resources, an easy GUI utility for those with Win2K and Win2KServer. There are (or will be) easy patches for the still-supported OS’s such as XP and Win2K3, and for Exchange and Outlook. {Pronounced Ooot, as in Boot, as in I’m Canadian}. If you’re running Win9x… – ah, well, you shouldn’t be, that’s all I’ve got to say.
Yep.. I did say Exchange and Outlook. In fact, I said it twice. Turns out the calendar functions (like scheduling across time-zones) are sensitive to such things. Of course, that makes sense. So, all you Exchange admins need to apply some sort of patch. (See below for links to the OS patches) … Apparently if you do that, you don’t need to patch your Outlook clients.
For stand-alone (no exchange) Outlook, there is a direct patch. It was just posted, I put the link below. I believe it will be pushed via Windows Update as a critical, as well. But that’s just idle speculation on my part.
Here’s the back story, by the way:
In 2005 some laws were changed.. and low and behold, daylight saving time was modified. Now we stop wasting (and start saving) time earlier in the spring and later in the fall. Rumor has it that it’s all the work of the powerful “Charcoal Lobby”… If the days are longer, we’ll barbeque (aka barbecue, BBQ, or Barbie-queue) more. Sinister forces at work, no doubt. Nevertheless, just the thought of it has me longing for those heady days of April, when, fork in hand, I can brave the snows of Michigan, scrape the ice of my BBQ, and once again sear a zucchini or two on the grill.
[I know you think I'm joking about the charcoal lobby… but I first learned of this plan over 20 years ago – direct from the mouth of the then president of the paper plates, napkin, and plastic knife/fork/spoon trade association. They were deadly serious; longer days, more barbecue, more charcoal sales – and, of course, paper plates. Whew, it's a tangled web we weave.]
And… now, with a law enacted in 2005, we start DST on March 11 (instead April 2), and we stop it on November 4 (instead of October 29); earlier and later.
Regardless, all our computers need to be told the news and be told to change how and when they calculate the date change. As mentioned, most modern OS’s will do this themselves – assuming you’re running automatic updates, etc. For other apps, it might be different. And for Windows OS’s that are over the hill, you’ll need to do it manually. That includes NT, Win2K and Win2KServer. For me, I’ve also got to remember all the other things that keep track of the date, fax machines, phone systems, and the occasional electric toothbrush.
Resources:
For those daunted by registry hacking their NT, Win2k and Win2K Server boxes, here is an unofficial GUI utility that automates the processes:
http://www.intelliadmin.com/blog/2007/01/unofficial-windows-2000-daylight.html .
Here’s a link to the Outlook Update tool:
Here’s a link to the tools for Servers and XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928388
Here is the overall KB Note:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/914387.
Here’s a link to MS’s DST help and Support Center – it will walk you thru what has to be done, OS by OS, and application by application:
http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst
Finally, here’s a link to a cumulative roll-up for Server2003 and XP:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931836/
Note: You’ll still have to address Outlook and Exchange (unless you want to start missing appointments by an hour or some such).. and Java needs a fixer-up too. If you’re running an older JRE, you’ll need one that correctly reports time from March 11 through April 2, and from October 29 through November 4. Just download a newer version of Java or J2SE.