SMS: Software Inventory Incorrect After Daylight Savings Time Change (184999)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.0
- Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.1
- Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.2
This article was previously published under Q184999 SYMPTOMS
If you examine the Packages property within the Systems Management Server
Administrator program for a client computer running Windows NT, you may
notice that packages that were once reported are no longer reported.
CAUSE
Software inventory for a package may have been configured to use the File
Time property, which scans for files by their "last modified time." On a
Windows NT system, files are stored on an NTFS partition by using UTC
(Universal Time Coordinated) for their last modified file times. The last
modified time displayed for a file in Windows NT Explorer or File Manager
shows the adjusted last modified time based upon the client computer's time
zone setting and whether daylight savings time applies.
When performing a software inventory scan based on the file time property,
the Systems Management Server Inventory Agents for Windows NT (Invwin32.exe
and Inv32cli.exe) also apply the time zone and daylight savings time
setting. Therefore, using the File Time property in software inventory can
produce a change in results after a daylight savings time change, because
the last modified time for a file will change (based on the time change
applied by daylight savings time and the time zone under which the file was
first created).
Another problem occurs when foreign package rules are used that may have
been defined by a site further up the site hierarchy. If the site defining
the software inventory rule is in another time zone, or daylight savings
time area, the file's last modified time for a software package will
display its own local last modified time based on the time zone and
daylight savings time setting. A Windows NT client computer running the
inventory agent in a different time zone with the foreign package rule will
not find a match for the package defined using the file time because of the
application of time zone and daylight savings time times to the file's last
modified time.
WORKAROUND
Where possible, do not use the Time property in the software inventory
rule. Instead, create a rule based on another property (such as the file
name, date, size, and so on) that will produce a consistent match
regardless of time or time zone.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Systems Management Server
versions 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2. A supported fix is now available for
version 1.2, but has not been fully regression-tested and should be applied
only to systems experiencing this specific problem. Microsoft recommends
that you wait for the next Service Pack that contains this fix. Contact
Microsoft Technical Support for more information.
Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 9/23/2005 |
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Keywords: | kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbbug kbfix kbInventory kbQFE KB184999 |
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