Additional information about Exchange and Daylight Saving Time 2007 is now available
Published Jan 09 2007 06:58 PM 5,502 Views

As a followup to Elizabeth's previous post I wanted to let you know that the "Preparing for daylight saving time changes in 2007" page has been updated with more information related to Exchange, Outlook, Windows and other products. Please keep checking that page for more information:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/timezone/dst2007.mspx

- Nino Bilic

132 Comments
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Hello,

So if I am to read this correctly, all Exchange installations will have to patch the Server's operating system, Exchange itself (also to cover Entourage) and probably all workstation's operating systems and Outlook (if not 2007) to resolve this issue?

regards,
Larry
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So, what do we do if we are still running Exchange 2000 and don't have Extended support?
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We are waiting for the Outlook Data Update Tool since none of our workstations have Outlook 2007.  

We wish it had been released before now since we have release management requirements ... some sites which only allow changes once per month.

We will be hard pressed to get the patches out for our users since the tool has not been released.

Thanks,
Exchange2003
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We wish it had been released before now too.  We schedule meetings months in advance and our calendars are all off during those initial 3 weeks.  Geez, this change has been known for a year and a half.  And no, we can't upgrade from E2K before March 11.  Thanks, Microsoft.
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if appointments are already scheduled for those dates, and the OS and Exchange are not yet updated, will updating the Exchange and OS be enough? or should be update outlook as well ?

btw, we have been having DST issues for 5 years in israel , since DST is change every year.. join the club :)
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The new information posted at the "Preparing for Daylights Savings Time changes for 2007" has rasied more questions than answers.  In a large corporation, there is a great possibility that there will be calendar entries made that will incorrect after all the patching and tools have been applied.
Before the OS is patched on the workstation, Outlook will store appointments in the Exchange database without he new GMT offset.  When the workstation OS is patched, Outlook will begin to store the appointments in the Exchange database in GMT using the corrected offset for the new DST.   This means that all workstations need to be patched before the Exchange tool can be re to "fix" the old appointmnets.  Even with SMS, it takes about 5 days for the patch to be applied.  That means there will be some appoints stored correctly while others will be incorrect.  If you then run the Exchange tool, it will change the time on all appointments from 3/11 - 4/1, thus incorrectly changing those that had the corrected time.  This gets worse when you include, Blackberry devices, Mobile devices, home workstations and Public Folders and applications that use CDO. What solution does MS offer to reduce the risk of incorrectly changing appointments?

Thanks
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I think there's a lot of confusion going on overall.  I was in a conference call with Microsoft TAM and he thinks that there'll be a webcast to go over Exchange and Outlook to get the DST changes.  Just to be clear, there are no patches for Outlook client, but there'll be tools to fix appointments, Outlook Data Tool, against calendars in mailboxes.  This tool will be available in standalone and enterprise.

Go to below link to read more about "Prepare Outlook calendar items for daylight saving time changes in 2007"
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HA102086071033.aspx

Addressing daylight saving time using the Outlook Time Zone Data Update Tool
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931667
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Here's what I'm contemplating with my Exchange 2000/Outlook 2002 environment:
- Update Exchange server OS time zone data via TZEdit.exe
- Apply timezone update to all client OSs (XP SP2) via WSUS
- Run Exchange Timezone update tool against all Exchange mailboxes

My questions are:
-Will the soon-to-be released Exchange Timezone update tool work with Exchange 2000?
-Given that I will not have updated CDO on the Exchange 2000 server, I expect OWA (running on that same Exchange 2000 server) to have DST issues, but what about patched Outlook 2002 clients? Will they be OK?

Thanks
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Jack

  Your plan above will work.  There will be OWA issues during the delta period where appointments made with OWA and viewed with OWA will be one hour off.  the Exchange tool will work against all versions of Exchange.  it does require Outlook 2003 our Outlook

2007 to run.  if you don't have Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2007 you can use the trial version that is located here:  http://www.microsoft.com/products/info/product.aspx?view=22&pcid=04ea691a-7698-417d-bf3b-2d1ce6cce13...

.


There will be a webcast on Feb 2.  I don't have all the details at the moment but will post them when i do.  this webcast is externally facing and is intended for customers and partners.

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FYI - The Exchange DST Daylight Savings Time patch killed one of our database servers.  Kept giving us an error, so I had to go in and find the patch folder under C:Windows - and run the spuninst.exe file located in there to remove the patch.  Reboot and your databases will mount again.  I guess until March, I just have to keep my eyes out to see what MS says about it.  Hopefully try that patch again later.  


Ryab
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   Two questions for Elizabeth Scott.

   1. Do you have an additional info regarding the webcast on 02-02-07?

   2. You mentioned that the Exchange server tool will work on all Exchange servers. When I checked the KB96666 (for Exchange 2003) I noticed that the list of files being changed includes Store.Exe .  Can you please clarify the information for the Exchange server tool as it relates to Exchange 2000?

   Thank you
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Why would we need Outlook 2003 - Outlook 2007 if running the Exchange Timezone update tool against the mailboxes on the exchange server? Our setup is:

- Exchange 2000 Enterprise
- Outlook 2003/2002 (Citrix)

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What happened to the release of Exchange Time Zone Update tool (available February 1) KB article 930879? I have heard no update on it's release.
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We decided that we needed to dogfood this for a pilot in our Exchange Environment so that we could provide comprehensive guidance to our users
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Any update on the Exchange Time Zone Update Tool? It was to be out 2/1/07 but I hear it has been delayed. Can you guys shed some light?
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Please let us know when we can expect the Exchange Time Zone Update Tool to come out !  We need to plan ahead for our update schedule needs lots of approvals ...
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Does anyone know if the Outlook Time Zone Data Update Tool works in cases of non America DST changes, for example Israel Time Zone?
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We have purchased the DST 2007 bundle update for Windows2000/Exchange 2000 and have a few questions. Does the Exchange 2000 executable update contain the CDO file only? If that is the case then we have to wait for the Exchange Time Zone Update Tool. Is this assumption correct?
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Exchange timezone tool was released earlier today:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/930879
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I noticed in the applies to section that Exchange 2000 Enterprise was missing. An error or true?
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Milan,

That was an error, thanks for pointing that out! The body of the KB says:

Versions of Exchange Server that are compatible with the Exchange tool
The Exchange tool can update mailboxes on the following versions of Exchange Server:
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
• Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
• Microsoft Exchange 2000 Server
• Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5
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So J-P asked what users of Xchange2K do if they are off extended support. Here's the scoop. MS is charging $4000 per Xchange server for the patch for daylight savings.

Apply that charge to the 200,000 customer of MS still using Xchange2K off extended support and you're looking at a $800,000,000 cash grab for Microsoft.

Count those zeros again folks... that's eight hundred million possible dollars in the space of a month. And people whine when Apple tries to charge $2-$5 for wireless-n support on their new intel macs... sheesh.

I'm surprised this isn't more widely known and a much bigger issue.
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   It appears as if the tools for Exchange 2000 servers has been released as per the information provided by "Applesmash" and "Exchange".

   I am now wondering if there is something else that Exchange 2000 server users need to purchase based on info from "Milan" and "XchangeRipoff".

    Can someone from Microsoft please clarify once and for all which tools that have been released  will work with which versions of Exchange, and do the Exchange 2000 people really need to buy a $4k fix?

     I have checked the provided links for information, but there still seems to be a lot of confusion and misinformation floating around.
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I noticed a revised KB930879 today and a welcome revision at that! Thank you for the example process on how to update the Exchange server.
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don't pay $4K for the Ex2K patch.  call microsoft and bitch to them.  we got it for free.
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We were looking at upgrading our messaging infrastructure to Exchange 2007 (from Win2K/Exchange 2k). The issues with obtaining a patch for DST2007 are making us seriously reconsider our messaging infrastructure, and we're now looking at other products. Before, it was pretty much a shoe-in upgrade, but there is concern from management about being placed in the same situation that we are currently in, again.
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I'm trying to use the Exhange Calendar update tool.  Besides finding it confusing, it's failing every time I try.  Is anyone familiar with the following messages from the msextmz.log?

Success Event not found in Application log, treating as a failure.

Unable to process mailbox............. 0x80004005

Rich
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After applying a version of Store.exe that is later than 06.05.7651.26 (This applies to KB 926666 – Update for DST 2007 transition for Exchange 2003 SP2) on a computer that is running Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, the Exchange databases may fail to mount if the security descriptor of the database object has been modified to include a well-known user or group and more than one domain exists in the forest. This problem may also occur if a security identifier (SID) present in the database object has conflicting values with another object in the Active Directory for one of the following attributes:


• objectSID


• msExchMasterAccountSid


• sIDHistory


The above three attributes must be unique within the forest.



In the above conditions the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service will experience an ecAmbiguousAlias error when enumerating the groups and users that are assigned permissions to the store databases objects in Active Directory. This error prevents the affected database from mounting.



Exchange SE will release an update which will allow the database object to be mounted by ignoring the well-known group objects and logging an error message when two objects are returned by for a single SID. This update will be available via the download center sometime next week.



For more information please refer to


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/932599


http://mswikis/dst2007/Wiki%20Pages/dstexch008.aspx


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Richv

We are preparing to run the exchange Tool tomorrow morning. I will inform you if we run into the same type of error.
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Within the next week Microsoft will be releasing an update to CDO for E2k3 sp2 which will include support for the Newfoundland Timezone.  This update will be similar to the update that was released last week for CDO for E2k3 sp1
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While the tool looks like it'll be helpful, I agree with Rich that it's confusing.  Personally I think the directions are only useful if you've already done it before and use it as a reminder.

The error I'm getting is
Unable find mailbox timezone:Error 0x80004005.
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dontpayMS: mind sharing? :)
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I've been trying to get this "new" patch to work for hours. I'm getting the same error messages as Wayne.

Why can't those of us with Exchange 2000 get the same easy to install hotfix as those with Exchange 2003?
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So let me get this straight:

The Exchange Calendar Update tool referenced in the above KB article will change the mailbox calendars to reflect the time change, but only AFTER you run the Windows DST patch AND the E2K CDO DST patch?

The E2K CDO DST patch is still only available from MS under the $4,000 "E2K Out of Support So You're Screwed" purchase plan, correct?

This seems tailor made to force small shops like mine to search for an alternative to Exchange.  WTG Microsoft.  They knew this was coming in August of 2005, when E2K was still under Standard Support, this patch should be FREE.
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   After visiting this site for the last several weeks, I am really beginning to wonder if anyone from Microsoft is actually reading this blog.

    I see entries about this update or that scheduled webcast, but nothing substantive that answers the numerous questions and complaints.

    Reading the released KB articles only serves to add more confusion and speculation to an already troubling situation.

    Time is growing short, someone that really knows what is going on needs to step up to the plate and start answering questions.
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Now after spending a few hours trying to figure this Exchange Update tool, I am a bit confused.  Can someone confirm something for me ?  

The difference between MsExTmz.exe and msextmzcfg.exe is that one is to be be configured manually and the other configures itself thru GUIs.  Is that right ??

I also get error messages in my .ini file, after extraction. It goes: Error in reading Time Zone.  What could that mean ??

Also, this is realy weird but I thought that MS would come up with an easy tool to run on each Exchange server to update the database directly and that would be it. Instead, we have to run a weird xp tool that actually runs Outlook onto every mailbox !!!  How slow can that be ???!!!!
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I'm going to ditch the Exchange Calendar update tool and try the VM for Exchange:


http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=03d4251d-370f-486d-bb2f-64ff14c546ad&Displa...


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I cannot find any documentation that addresses the following scenario. Can anyone provide any guidance?

Single Instance or Recurring Meetings where the organizer is in a non-affected time zone but attendee(s) are in an affected time zone.  
It appears from the documentation that since the organizer is not affected even if the Exchange or Outlook tool is run against their mailbox it would not update the item (since they are in an unaffected time zone).  

So what will be the impact to the attendees of such a meeting. Would a meeting in this scenario have to be recreated?

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Nicatnite303 - I have the same scenario. From what I have read (someone please correct me if I'm wrong), the tool will skip these user's calendar items. That being said, the participants will see the meeting 1 hour ahead after they apply the DST OS patch on their workstations. If the participants have meetings in adjacent time slots and are updated by the Data update tool on their end, there will be a conflict on their calendars. The same is also possible in the reverse scenario where a user affected by DST adjusts a meeting with a user in a non-dst timezone.
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For anyone who has run the exchange data update tool, do participants of updated calendar items receive the update email and have to manually accept each updated meeting again?
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m2-
Thanks for your response. Your last question is also a good one because the Exchange update tool is supposed to just be a way to run the Outlook tool in a batch form from the server.  The Outlook tool is supposed to give you the option to update attendees or not, but I haven't seen this mentioned in documentation for the Exchange update tool. I am hopeful it will notify attendees of the change by default. Hopefully someone who has already run the updates and tools can chime in...
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On a PC (Windows XP SP2) we installed Outlook 2003, Outlook Update Tool, and Exchange Update Tool. We ran the process and the mailbox_1.ini file was created with 5 users. A nonexistent.txt file was also created with the rest of the users. What is this file? Single instance appointments? Another problem is that when we try to run the batch file that gets created, it works on the first 2 profiles then stops and corrupts the profile we are using to logon to the mailboxes. Has anyone here encountered same type of problem?
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Milan,

Yes I ran into the same situation, up to the point where you try to run the update process.  Mine stopped for I had forgotten to run the "Grant Mailbox Permission" script.  I'm at that point ...

Like you say, most of my mailboxes ended up in the nonexistent.txt file ... go figure !!  Seems to me I read that a mailbox that had never been accessed by/with Outlook would be considered as not having a time zone ...

Will be doing some more tests.
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Milan and chatou7,

You are right - the nonexistent.txt will show mailboxes that do not have time zone information defined. By default this will be any mailboxes that have not been logged into as well as mailboxes such as System Mailbox, SMTP, System Attendant etc.

We are working on a new blog entry that will be kind of a walkthrough of how to run the Exchange side tool with some goatchas that we in Support Services have seen.
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Exchange,

Thank you. That helps. Another question that some of us on the team worry about is "Will appointments that are updated, be resent to users to accept again?"
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I forgot to add another question. Does the exchange tool only look for appointments during the delta period (March 11th - April 1st) and (October 28 - November 4th).
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Milan,

I don't have a concrete answer on whether it will only look for appointments during the delta period.  Our initial thoughts were yes, but it looks like some additional research may be required.  I do know that the only appointments/meetings that will be updated will be those during the delta period.  If I find any other information out about whether it only searches for meetings during the delta period, I will post another comment response for you.

The answer to your other question about meeting requests is yes.  When the meetings are updated on the organizers calendar, an update will be sent out to all attendees that they will have to accept before it is updated on their calendar.
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I am trying to run the msextmz.exe and I am very confused. Is there anyone out there who has run this with success and is there anyone that can document the step by step proccess so that all of us have a guide line to go by. I have read through Microsofts KB information pertaining to the Exchange tool and I have got nothing but confused. please help


Thanks
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Just a couple of notes as to my experience running the Exchange rebasing tool in my lab environment.
-Forget manually editing the ini, what a pain.. run the msextmzcfg.exe util instead.
-Got many mailboxes showing up in the errors.txt file. Had to open up mailboxes_1.txt in Excel, and add all mailboxes from errors.txt (with the correct time zone values).
-Full mailboxes caused issues with the meeting updates not getting to all the invitees. Need to check user mailbox limits and adjust beforehand, at least for VP calendars..
-In the case of a delegate PC that handles meeting invites to confernce room calendars, it declined many meeting updates due to meeting conflicts. Need to set the conference room calendars to accept conflicting meetings before kicking off the rebasing, then turn it back off when done.
- As for "send as" permissions, we opted to set AD "send as" perms to  user objects at the OU level for the user running the Exchange rebasing tool, and that seemed to work just fine. Can always remove the perm after we're done if desired.

Time to restore the lab Exchange server and run another rebasing test...

Also, what's this I hear about MS giving out the E2K DST fixes for free if one complains loud enough??  Must just be rumor, although it would be the right thing for MS to do.... and no loud complaining should be needed either... If they are going to do it, they'd better do it soon else they'll have that many more refunds to hand out to those who ponied up the $4K.




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no rumor.  we were outraged by the $4K fee just as all of you are.  we contacted our MS account manager and ascertained that we have been a loyal enterprise MS customer for years and use many of their products.  up until this $4K patch, we were planning to upgrade to Exchange 2007 mid-year.  we told our account manager that if we had to pay that we would consider another product for our electronic messaging needs.  a few days later MS agreed to waive the fee.  
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