Daylight Saving Time 2007 Update

Updating Windows Mobile-powered devices for the new Daylight Saving Time


Updated August 27, 2007
Daylight saving was introduced in Western Australia for a three-year trial period starting December 2006. The three-year trial gives Western Australians an opportunity to “try before they buy”. A referendum will be held in 2009 to decide whether it should become permanent. These changes could cause clocks and Microsoft Outlook calendar appointments on Windows Mobile-powered devices to display incorrect times for October 28, 2007 - March 30, 2008 and again in subsequent years. You can find more information about the exact dates and potential impact in the Changes in DST section.

To make sure your appointments on your Windows Mobile devices are accurate, you’ll need to update your device. If you regularly synchronize your device with your PC, you’ll need to update Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Outlook as well.

We have some tools that will help you make these updates:
  • 2007 Time Zone Update for Microsoft Windows Operating Systems
  • Outlook Time Zone Update Tool
  • Exchange Time Zone Data Update Tool
  • Daylight Saving Time 2007 Update Tool for Windows Mobile
Note: All users in Western Australia should immediately install these updates. Users in other countries should install these updates if they travel to Western Australia or if they make calendar appointments that include attendees that are based in Western Australia.

On this page:

IMPORTANT

Please be sure to follow all steps below completely and in order. And be sure to complete ALL steps.

Follow only one set of instructions below, depending on if you synchronize your device to a PC:
  • First make sure your PC is up-to-date.
    (see http://www.microsoft.com/dst2007 for more details)
    NOTE: Make sure you update all PCs that you may connect to your Windows Mobile device.

    • For Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003, the update has already been deployed using Automatic Updates and should be installed if you have Automatic Updates enabled. If you want to verify that it is installed, you can visit Windows Update and make sure all High Priority items are installed.
    • For all products not currently in mainstream support, see KB914387 for steps on manually updating your PC.
  • First make sure to update your PC by installing the 2007 time zone update for Microsoft Windows operating systems; which can be found here. This will update the time zone definitions on your PC.
  • If you use Microsoft Outlook to synchronize your calendar, download and run the Outlook Time Zone Update Tool which can be found here. If you do not use Microsoft Outlook, proceed to step 4.
  • Check to make sure you have the latest version of ActiveSync, which is ActiveSync 4.5.
  • Next, connect your Windows Mobile device to your PC, then download and run the Daylight Saving Time 2007 Update Tool for Windows Mobile which can be found here.

For users that do not connect to PCs, there is an update file (CAB) available to make this update. (Note: there are a number of ways to install a CAB file and below outlines a popular method). Also, Microsoft Exchange users should contact your system administrator to make sure your Exchange Server has been updated as well.

  • Using the Microsoft Internet Explorer Mobile browser on your device, go to http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/ and download the Daylight Saving Time 2007 Update to your Windows Mobile device. This file will install the update directly on the device. On your device, navigate to the file you downloaded, and then click on it to install the update. If you are unable to download the link proceed to step 2.

  • If you are unable to access the link in step 1 on your device, open Windows Internet Explorer on your PC and click here to start the download process. After downloading the file, attach it to an e-mail and send it to an account you can access on your device. On your device, open the e-mail and save the attached file; on some devices, you may need to synchronize your e-mail a second time to download the attached file. Then navigate to the file on your device and click on it to install the update.

    NOTE: After you install this update, your device may automatically restart to ensure that the update is complete.
  • Rapid succession of steps is important
    Run the Outlook Time Zone Update Tool on your PC as soon as possible after the DST update is applied to all of your PCs. If meetings between October 28, 2007 and March 30, 2008 are scheduled after the DST files are installed but before the tool is run, meetings will erroneously be moved one hour earlier. To correct such calendar items, organizers should manually update such meetings to ensure they are scheduled accurately for themselves and all invitees. More information about Outlook Time Zone Update Tool is available at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931667.

  • All connected devices must be updated
    Even if you correctly update your PC with the DST 2007 update, when you view your calendar from a non-updated mobile device running Windows Mobile, your meetings during the DST period will be shifted by one hour. Meetings created on your non-updated device will need to be updated on your PC by running the Outlook Time Zone Update Tool again.

  • If some users have not updated their Outlook, it will affect other users
    The Outlook Time Zone Update Tool only updates meetings for which the user is the organizer, and then automatically sends updates for those meetings to attendees. Meetings that you are invited to but did not organize will not be updated until the organizer updates the meeting and sends you an update. Once the update is accepted, it will display at the proper time. Additionally, meetings created by a delegate on your behalf from an non-updated PC will need to be updated on your PC by running the Outlook Time Zone Update Tool again.

What you can do to ease the transition

All Windows Mobile powered device users affected by the time change should give extra attention to meetings and appointments scheduled between October 28, 2007 and March 30, 2008. View any appointments that fall into these date ranges as suspect until you communicate with all meeting invitees to make sure that the item shows up correctly on everyone's calendar.
  • Include the time of the meeting in the e-mail request so that invitees can double check the correct meeting time. Example: "Project brainstorming - 11:00 a.m. Central Time."
  • When in doubt, verify the correct time with the organizer.
  • Prior to applying the DST updates, print out your weekly calendars for the affected time periods so that you can keep track of which meetings were scheduled before and after you run the tool.

Changes in Daylight Saving Time

In 2007, daylight saving will begin at 2am Western Standard Time on the last Sunday in October, and end at 2am Western Standard Time (3am summer time) on the last Sunday in March the following year.
Trial introduction of Daylight Saving Time:
With the new law, will start With the new law, will end
Last Sunday in October Last Sunday in March
Will be: October 28, 2007 Will be: March 30, 2008
Changes in DST will cause the following problems for Windows Mobile powered devices in Western Australia unless the updated detailed above are applied:
Impact between October 28, 2007 and March 30, 2008
  • The device clock does not automatically update to DST and is one hour later than actual time.
  • Calendar items display one hour later than they actually occur.

Updating your device

Your device stores the pre-2007 DST dates in a table in its memory. Installing an update to the stored DST dates will prevent the problems described above. A separate update will fix Outlook calendar issues that might occur for appointments scheduled during the new DST-affected time periods listed above.
  • Q. The update fails on my device
  • A. This error is rare, and can be fixed by restarting your device. Restarting usually means turning off your device and turning it back on (also sometimes called soft reset). Please refer to your device's user manual for accurate instructions on how to turn the device off and then on again.

  • Q. I get an error message that says “Error processing timezone, please manually set the timezone”
  • A. This error is rare, and can be fixed by restarting your device. Restarting usually means turning off your device and turning it back on. Please refer to your device's user manual for accurate instructions on how to turn the device off and then on again.

  • Q. I get an error message about an unsigned file
  • A. The installer will only work with devices that contain the Mobile2Market certificate. This certificate is installed on almost every Windows Mobile device ever released, this error is not expected on US devices. If your device rejects the update and shows you a security error, it does not have the required certificate. In this case you will have to wait for your mobile operator to issue this update signed with their own certificate. You should contact your Mobile Operator immediately.

  • Q. How do I know if I need to update my device?
  • A. You should update your Windows Mobile-powered Pocket PC or Smartphone if it uses any of the following operating systems:

    • Windows Mobile 5.0
    • Windows Mobile 6

  • To see the operating system on a smartphone, click Start > Settings > More > About. On a Pocket PC, tap Start > Settings > System tab > About.
  • Q. What if my device locks up during the installation?
  • A. This may occur in some devices, and you should restart the device. Restarting usually means turning off your device and turning it back on. Please refer to your device's user manual for accurate instructions on how to turn the device off and then on again.

  • Q. How can I determine how my device synchronizes with Outlook?
  • A. If you are not sure which set of instructions to follow, open Microsoft ActiveSync on your device. The ActiveSync screen will display either Exchange Server and/or Windows PC, along with the last date of synchronization.
    • If the most recent synchronization is with Windows PC, follow the instructions “For Windows Mobile users who connect to a PC to synchronize.”
    • If the most recent synchronization is with Exchange Server, follow the instructions “For Windows Mobile users who connect their device to Microsoft Exchange Server.”
  • Q. How do I know if my device is a Pocket PC or a Smartphone?
  • A. Pocket PCs have touch-sensitive screens and use a stylus to select among options. Smartphones do not have touch-sensitive screens and use hardware buttons to select among options. See the help page on how to tell for more information.
  • Q. How are people in countries outside of Western Australia affected?
  • A. All users in Western Australia should immediately install this update. Users in other countries should install this update if they travel to Western Australia or if they make calendar appointments that include attendees that are based in Western Australia.
  • Q. Are users of the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system affected ?
  • A. Yes. Updated time zone definitions are not included in Windows Vista. More information about time zone updates for Microsoft Windows operating systems is available at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/933360.
  • Q. Does Microsoft’s recently released Windows Mobile 6 platform require this update?
  • A. Yes. It does require an update.