Article

ENVIRONMENT: Windows XP SP2
ZENworks 7, 6.5, 6, 4.2

PROBLEM: Indiana is switching to Eastern Daylight Time on 2 April 2006. Here's an easy way to push out the new time to the computers you're responsible for. (For home computers, here's a little local article that spells out the best way to update it.)

Solution

Create a simple application that calls TIMEDATE.CPL and passes the desired time zone to it.

You can do this by calling control.exe and passing the timedate.cpl,,/Z %std%

%std% can be found in the registry by viewing the desired time zone in 'HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Time Zones' and using the data in the "std" key.

Example

For Eastern Standard Time (Indiana is moving to this), create a simple application with the following settings:

Path to file:

%*WINSYSDIR%\control.exe

Parameters:

%SystemRoot%\system32\TIMEDATE.CPL,,/Z Eastern Standard Time

[Editor's Note: Don't forget to run this as unsecure system user if the logged-in user doesn't have the required privileges.]

If you have any questions you may contact Michael at fraserm@ipfw.edu