The DST Shuffle

Started by DocJon · 13 posts · 1,902 views

  1. #1
    I can't solve this. I've been looking into this for . . . fuck, I don't know how many hours. I hardly know what time it is at this point without looking at my watch. I'm having trouble with what time Google, and Gmail, think it is at my location.

    Since the "spring forward" part of Daylight Savings Time this year, my emails have been time-stamped incorrectly. For example, earlier this evening, I sent myself an email, and when I immediately received it, it said it had been sent an hour ago. Now, this is not a big deal, since very seldom does the time-stamp on an email matter to me. However, I use a world-time widget on my iGoogle home page that I think is also being affected by this. I'm just tired of this, and I want it fixed.

    I've also had problems with my computer keeping the correct time since the "spring forward" part of DST. I'd set the time, and eventually the damn computer would reset it, incorrectly. I decided to uncheck the "Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes" checkbox in my "Date and Time Properties" window (where you set the day and date on your computer). Problem solved. My computer keeps the correct time, and doesn't get reset.

    HOWEVER, from reading about my Gmail troubles, it appears that Gmail uses my computer time/zone/DST settings to time-stamp my emails. Since I don't have the "Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes" box checked, I think it's correcting for me, and it's wrong. So I checked the damn box, reset my time using the internet sync option, and rebooted. Now my computer time is an hour off, and my sent emails are TWO hours off.

    I've heard there's a patch out for XP related to the DST changes that have been made. I have Service Pack 3 installed, but I can't get Windows Update to work, so I have to patch off-line with DL'ed patches. Anyone know if that patch is available off-line?

    This is just more convoluted than it needs to be. Fucking computers trying to be too fucking clever. . .

    A quick run-down of the facts:
    • My time-zone is set correctly on my computer.
    • If I set DST to be automatically adjusted by my computer, it automatically makes the time incorrect.
    • Gmail (and some iGoogle widgets) appear to access my system time to time-stamp mail, and for other time-related uses.


    Such a simple thing, made SO not simple.
  2. #2
    Log into Google.
    Go to: https://www.google.com/accounts/ManageAccou...=mail&hl=en
    At the top of that page select:

    edit your personal info without creating a public profile.

    Check Display all timezones and make sure yours is set correctly. You may also be able to change it an hour off to compensate.

    I hope this helps you.

    Also maybe change the Internet Time settings to use time.nist.gov. I think this is reliable.
  3. #3
    Paladin wrote:Log into Google.
    Go to: https://www.google.com/accounts/ManageAccou...=mail&hl=en
    At the top of that page select:

    edit your personal info without creating a public profile.

    Check Display all timezones and make sure yours is set correctly. You may also be able to change it an hour off to compensate.

    I hope this helps you.

    Also maybe change the Internet Time settings to use time.nist.gov. I think this is reliable.


    I tried the settings yesterday, and just now, at the link you provided. I attempted to change my time-zone, so that it would correct the issue I'm having in Gmail. No go.

    I had the computer update the time via the internet. The time on my computer is correct.

    It doesn't seem to matter what I type into Gmail, or where I type it. Gmail takes my local time from my computer. I've read this, and via experimentation demonstrated it. The problem is, the time on my computer IS CORRECT.

    I THINK the problem is related to DST on my computer, because I have problems with how it's implemented in XP. When I had the "Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes" checkbox checked, it would, sometime overnight, automatically make my time incorrect. I have the checkbox unchecked to keep the time on my computer correct. As long as I keep that unchecked, my time is correct and the internet time sync works fine. If I check the box and let it sync over the net, the time is wrong. I can correct the time, but the next time it syncs, it's wrong again.

    If Gmail asked me what time zone I was in, and ignored my computer settings, I would be fine. Other sites do this, and the time is correct on those sites. I have a small DST problem on my computer that is easily kludged to work, but because Gmail taps into that, the problem is extending into other areas I can't fix.
  6. #6
    Another place I've had Time problems is the BIOS setting. It's possible your mobo could be the problem.

    Also, with SP3, I'm shocked that the DST patch isn't included.

  7. #7
    Atomm wrote:Another place I've had Time problems is the BIOS setting. It's possible your mobo could be the problem.

    Also, with SP3, I'm shocked that the DST patch isn't included.

    Yeah, I was surprised as well. It wasn't the BIOS, at least it wasn't if it STAYS fixed.

    Here's what I did
    I DL'ed the trial version of this program:
    http://www.intelliadmin.com/NetworkAdministrator.htm

    It has the latest DST patch in it, and one of the things you can do with the trial version is apply it to 3 different machines. So I installed it, applied the patch, and used it to verify it was patched. The verify seems to work, as I verified before applying it, and it found it wasn't patched. Now it thinks it is patched.

    Next, I filled in the "Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes" checkbox, and tried to sync my computer time with the internet. Both servers (one of which was the one Paladin recommended) failed to update. . .so I went looking for NEW servers. Ya know, that's not so easy. No one says, "Here's a list of servers you can use in XP/Vista etc to sync your computer time from the net." They all have go about saying it in a roundabout way, and if the first one or two you try from their list don't work, you think maybe these servers weren't meant for this after all.

    Eventually, I found this:
    http://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/servers.cgi
    and the second one I tried from that list worked, so HAPPY HAPPY!

    My time is correct, my DST checkbox is filled, and the email I'm getting on my Gmail acct is correctly time-stamped!

    THIS looks pretty silly now. . .

    but the part in the upper-right corner used to be off by an hour from the time listed in the email (which was the time I sent it).

    Weird, confusing shit.
  8. #8
    Atomm wrote:Another place I've had Time problems is the BIOS setting. It's possible your mobo could be the problem.

    Also, with SP3, I'm shocked that the DST patch isn't included.



    That is what I thought or I would have mentioned that patch. I had to apply that to all my computers at work when the idiots changed the dates. 🙂
  9. #9
    Paladin wrote:That is what I thought or I would have mentioned that patch. I had to apply that to all my computers at work when the idiots changed the dates. 🙂

    This is the patch I linked to in post #4.

    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=en

    I looked at it again just now, and it says it came out in November 2008, which is after SP3.

    Thanks for the help, guys. I spent hours trying to nail this down. My Gmail time-stamp problem had it's roots in a problem with Windows XP!
  10. #10
    Well and you should check windows update. Time stamp issues will make it so you can't validate.
  11. #11
    Nice sleuthing Doc. Have you ever thought about a job in IT? 😛

    I didn't realize you need time servers. I mess with that stuff on the network side all the time. If you ever need another list, look up NTP aka Network Time Protocol. There are a ton of lists out there.

    In fact, one of my favorite cisco commands is show ntp ass.
  12. #12
    Atomm wrote:I didn't realize you need time servers. I mess with that stuff on the network side all the time. If you ever need another list, look up NTP aka Network Time Protocol. There are a ton of lists out there.

    In fact, one of my favorite cisco commands is show ntp ass.


  13. #13
    Yea, sorta like that.... 😛