Issue related to Microsoft's patch for Daylight Saving Time.

[Guest]

Description

In addition to updating the system clock according to the terms of the new
DST legislation, it *appears* that update KB931836 or a related update has
also either:

- Updated the timestamps of all files in the Windows filesystem so as to add
an hour to the "Date Modified" timestamp of certain files; or

- Made a change to code within Windows that returns file timestamps to
programs like Windows Explorer and the like so as to add an hour to the "Date
Modified" timestamp of certain files for which the file timestamp has been
requested.

Affected Users

- Windows XP users. At a minimum, this issue is being experienced by XP
Professional and XP Media Center users.

- The issue will affect users who rely on the maintenance of accurate file
timestamps in the Windows filesystem. For example, if you browse the "Date
Modified" date/time of files using Windows Explorer, the command prompt
window dir command or other directory browsing tools, you will be affected.

- The issue will adversely affect the proper operation of programs that rely
on accurate "Date Modified" timestamps (such as software development tools
that use said timestamps to build correct and consistent versions of
programs).

- The issue will adversely affect any tool that compares the "Date Modified"
timestamp of a file as it now exists with the "Date Modified" timestamp of
any file as that timestamp existed previous to the time of the most recent
DST clock change. Programs that store the timestamps of such files in files,
databases etc. will be affected.

Probable Origins

So long as your computer has Windows Update set to automatically download
and apply updates to Windows, you should have an update installed which
"enables your computer to automatically adjust the computer clock on the
correct date in 2007 due to revised Daylight Saving Time laws". That update
is known specifically as update KB931836. It is my theory that update
KB931836 caused the issue described in this message. This statement should
not be taken as proven fact, and is subject to Microsoft's further analysis.

Note

Yesterday, I had attempted to report this issue through both Microsoft
Professional Services as well as a contact who works for MSDN Magazine. If
this issue has been posted on other lists, please accept my apologies. It
was not my intent to cross-post. This is the first discussion board posting
I have created for this issue since discovering the issue.

Thank you.

 

[jm]

Description

In addition to updating the system clock according to the terms of the new
DST legislation, it *appears* that update KB931836 or a related update has
also either:

- Updated the timestamps of all files in the Windows filesystem so as to add
an hour to the "Date Modified" timestamp of certain files; or

- Made a change to code within Windows that returns file timestamps to
programs like Windows Explorer and the like so as to add an hour to the "Date
Modified" timestamp of certain files for which the file timestamp has been
requested.

I think this has always been an issue with NTFS file systems. Every
time daylight saving starts the time stamps jump an hour and all the
files that were time stamped during the winter time have the wrong
file times. After it ends they all go back again.

I think it is widely regarded as a bug but it is basically a flaw in
Windows design that stores all file time stamps in UTC. Windows does
not look at the date a file was time stamped so as to determine
whether daylight saving should be taken into account or not when
computing its time stamp.

No software system should be using time stamps for version control
anyway. If you have a global network then a file will have a different
timestamp depending on where it is accessed from because Windows will
convert it to the local time of the user's workstation.

The main problem this causes is for file and folder synchronization
software and backup programs but all the decent products are aware of
the issue now anyway.

Julian Moss
www.tech-pro.net - tested quality Windows software

 

[Frankster]

Description

In addition to updating the system clock according to the terms of the new
DST legislation, it *appears* that update KB931836 or a related update has
also either:

- Updated the timestamps of all files in the Windows filesystem so as to
add
an hour to the "Date Modified" timestamp of certain files; or

- Made a change to code within Windows that returns file timestamps to
programs like Windows Explorer and the like so as to add an hour to the
"Date
Modified" timestamp of certain files for which the file timestamp has been
requested.

Affected Users

- Windows XP users. At a minimum, this issue is being experienced by XP
Professional and XP Media Center users.

- The issue will affect users who rely on the maintenance of accurate file
timestamps in the Windows filesystem. For example, if you browse the
"Date
Modified" date/time of files using Windows Explorer, the command prompt
window dir command or other directory browsing tools, you will be
affected.

- The issue will adversely affect the proper operation of programs that
rely
on accurate "Date Modified" timestamps (such as software development tools
that use said timestamps to build correct and consistent versions of
programs).

- The issue will adversely affect any tool that compares the "Date
Modified"
timestamp of a file as it now exists with the "Date Modified" timestamp of
any file as that timestamp existed previous to the time of the most recent
DST clock change. Programs that store the timestamps of such files in
files,
databases etc. will be affected.

Probable Origins

So long as your computer has Windows Update set to automatically download
and apply updates to Windows, you should have an update installed which
"enables your computer to automatically adjust the computer clock on the
correct date in 2007 due to revised Daylight Saving Time laws". That
update
is known specifically as update KB931836. It is my theory that update
KB931836 caused the issue described in this message. This statement
should
not be taken as proven fact, and is subject to Microsoft's further
analysis.

Note

Yesterday, I had attempted to report this issue through both Microsoft
Professional Services as well as a contact who works for MSDN Magazine.
If
this issue has been posted on other lists, please accept my apologies. It
was not my intent to cross-post. This is the first discussion board
posting
I have created for this issue since discovering the issue.

Thank you.

Here is an article that sounds like it applies.... (Time stamp changes with
daylight savings)

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/129574

-Frank