What Is the NEW Daylight Saving Time Change?

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is being extended by four weeks starting this year. It starts three weeks earlier and ends one week later under provisions of the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005. This is the first nationwide change to the DST schedule in approximately 20 years. The new and former DST dates for 2007 follow:

DST Begins (advance 1 hour): Sunday, March 11, 2007 (formerly 04/01/07)
DST Ends (back 1 hour): Sunday, November 4, 2007 (formerly 10/28/07)

All computers and time-dependent systems which have been designed to automatically adjust for DST must be patched to properly reflect the changes in Daylight Saving Time effective in 2007. Adding new functionality to a system's current software is called Patching. Patching is typically done at the Operating System (OS) level and is essential to do since many applications rely on time/date accuracy.

Does This Affect Me?

The key to this change is awareness. I have no doubt that it will be a hot topic on the news on March 9th and 10th, but working proactively to prevent issues is our goal at this time. Remember all the press that Y2K received?   This change can affect anything that may automatically account for DST, from computers to auto-adjusting clocks, and including PDA’s, phone systems, firewalls (and other I.T. equipment) as well as other devices.

In addition, clients using Microsoft-based products such as Outlook are required to apply an additional update. Failure to apply updates in a timely manner could result in significant confusion and problems. For students and travelers who use Outlook Web Access (OWA) exclusively, the only patching required will be on their computers. Since your email is being pulled over a web-browser, the date/time function will come from two places: 1. The Exchange Server at the Law School and 2. Your Computer's Operating System.

What is IT Doing?

For any updates on DST issues, please continue to come back to this page and there will be notices listed here. IT is patching and upgrading the systems, servers, phone systems and applications it supports for CULS to be ready for Daylight Saving Time. We believe that nearly all CULS computers have had the new DST patch installed on them. If you would like to check your machine, links to the patches are at the end of this page. If you try to install an already installed patch, you will just get a message informing you that it is already installed.

What Do I Need to Do?

Certainly, home computers and personal laptops need to have the patch installed. Until everyone gets this patch, there will be time variations on calendars and emails that could cause confusion. It may be a good practice to temporarily put the date/time of any calendar requests in the subject line just to make sure. Please check below for more information on where to go to patch personal equipment.

What Will Be Affected?

The following is a list of operating systems, software, and devices that will be affected by the change. Click any of the links for more information. Keep in mind that this is only a partial list. All software and devices that have an internal clock will be affected. If you are not sure if you need to patch a particular device or application, check the manufacturer's website or call the IT's HelpDesk for assistance at extension 6432.

Windows Vista

Windows Vista does not require any update to be installed for the DST changes.  Some applications running on Windows Vista (such as Outlook) may need to be updated.

For more information: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx

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Windows XP

Windows XP requires a patch in order to recognize the changes to Daylight Saving Time.  The patch has been made a Critical Update that can be downloaded through Windows Update.  If you have Automatic Updates enabled (all CULS-owned computers on the domain have this enabled), this patch will install itself automatically.  However, some applications running on Windows XP (such as Outlook) may need to be updated.

Click here to download the Microsoft Windows XP DST update (from the Microsoft Download Site). Y ou must have Service Pack 2 installed in order to run this update.

Note:  Updates are not available for non-SP2 versions of Windows XP.  If Service Pack 2 is not installed, first you should install that through Microsoft Windows Updates, and then apply the update for DST.

For more information: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx

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Windows 2000

Windows 2000 is no longer fully supported by Microsoft.  Updates are only available under Microsoft's Extended Hotfix Support.

For more information: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx

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Mac OS X

Mac OS 10.4.6 or later already have the necessary updates, so no patches are required.  Applications running on Mac OS X may need to be updated.

Mac OS 10.4.5 or earlier can be updated to Mac OS 10.4.6 to be aware of the changes to Daylight Saving Time or the time zone can be manually changed.

  • Go to the Apple menu, select System Preferences, click Date & Time, then click the Date & Time tab.
  • Drag the clock to the correct time - or - click the up/down arrows for the correct time.
  • Make sure Set date & time automatically is not checked.

If you choose to update your time manually, you will need to follow these steps four times per year on:

  • the second Sunday in March,
  • the first Sunday in April (the original DST will cause your time to adjust automatically),
  • the last Sunday of October (again, due to the original DST settings kicking in), and
  • the first Sunday of November.

For more information: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303411

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Outlook 2007

Microsoft Outlook 2007 is already aware of the changes to Daylight Saving Time, so no updates are required.  Microsoft does, however, recommend that customers run the Outlook Time Zone Data Update tool (from the Microsoft Download Site).

Note:  If Outlook 2007 is installed on Windows XP, the Windows XP Update for DST must be installed prior to running the Outlook Time Zone Data Update tool.

For more information: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx

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Outlook 2003, XP, 2000

Microsoft Outlook 2003, XP, and 2000 require the Outlook Time Zone Data Update tool (from the Microsoft Download Site) in order to properly function.

For more information: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx

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Clocks

Clocks in the classrooms synchronize with Time Satellites. Those clocks have had a computer chip replaced to match the new Daylight Savings Time Calendar.

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Card Readers

The Card Readers that allow students to enter the building on the nights and weekends has been patched for Daylight Savings Time. The Card Readers should allow students to continue access to the building at all times.

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Phones

The VoIP phones in the building have internal clocks to record voicemail messages, caller ID logs, etc. These clocks have had a software upgrade to acccomodate daylight savings time. The Rolm phones (ivory ones) are owned and operated by main campus. They do not believe a patch is required at this time.

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ACT! Software

The ACT! DST Utility and documentation are now available for you on www.act.com/daylightsavingtime. Please read the instructions on this Web page carefully to find out who is impacted and how to use the Utility. IMPORTANT NOTE: ACT! Handheld Links and ACT! For Palm OS are affected as well and the ACT! team is working on a hot fix. Please check www.act.com/daylightsavingtime for updates. Customers will be notified as soon as the this hot fix is available. You can run the ACT! DST Utility if you do not synchronize ACT! with handheld devices using the ACT! Handheld Links or ACT! For Palm OS. Please understand that we recommend you do not run the ACT! DST Utility at this time if you synchronize ACT! with a handheld device using the ACT! Links or ACT! For Palm OS. We are working on the handheld hot fix and expect it to be available next week. Before applying this utility or the Microsoft utility, we recommend backing up both ACT! and Outlook to prevent from data loss. Outlook 2003, XP, 2000 Microsoft Outlook 2003, XP, and 2000 require the Outlook Time Zone Data Update tool (from the Microsoft Download Site) in order to properly function. For more information: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx

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Pocket PC

Visit Microsoft's Website at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/daylightsaving/default.mspx for information about how to update the Operating System on your Pocket PC running Windows Mobile.

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Pocket PC PDAs: Verizon

Verizon Wireless and Nokia are committed to providing updates to your Wireless Sync PC Monitor Software in order to support compliance with the new Daylight Saving Time (DST) requirements that are mandated by the recent US Energy Policy Act of 2005. This will affect most Wireless Sync customers and it is highly recommended that you update the Wireless Sync PC Monitor Software on your computer.

The Wireless Sync PC Monitor Software will require an update to adjust its internal tables with the new DST rules. Your Wireless Sync PC Monitor software is currently running on a computer and is either configured as Individual, Workgroup, or Outlook Monitor. The update must be applied to the computer where the Monitor software is installed.

If you are a Workgroup member, this software is deployed only once on a single computer. The update must be applied to the computer with the Workgroup Monitor installed. Please forward this message to the Administrator or owner of your Workgroup computer, so they can perform the update.

A prerequisite for this update is that the computer running the Wireless Sync PC Monitor has its Windows operating system updated with the appropriate patch from Microsoft. Please consult Microsoft's support site at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx for details. Check with your IT Administrator to see if this update has already been completed for you.

To apply the Daylight Saving Time (DST) update to your Wireless Sync PC Monitor, simply open the Internet browser from the computer running the PC Monitor Software and type in the following URL:

http://www.wsync.com/pcmonitor

Follow the instructions below to update your PC Monitor for the DST changes.

  1. From http://www.wsync.com/pcmonitor click the "Install PC Monitor Now" link
  2. Follow the instructions on the Install Software page and click "Install" to download the update. The download may take a few minutes.
  3. Once the client is downloaded, follow the on-screen prompts to update the PC Monitor software on your computer. This software update will have the necessary changes for DST and will replace the current Wireless Sync PC Monitor software on your computer.
  4. The PC Monitor software will self-configure itself, and you will not have to make any changes to settings or preferences.
  5. When the PC Monitor software installation is complete, click "Download Complete" in Internet Explorer. Your PC Monitor software is now fully up to date.

Once the Wireless Sync PC Monitor software has been updated, you will need to update Microsoft Outlook or IBM Lotus Notes on your computer. Check with your IT Administrator to see if this update has already been completed for you.

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Palm PDA

Please visit Palm's Website on DST for the most up-to-date documentation and patches: http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/dst.html?sssdmh=dm13.130166