Early Daylight Savings Could Cause Problems

Posted on March 9, 2007

Daylight Savings comes earlier this year and many people's personal computers won't be ready. Normally the time springs forward on April 1st but this year it happens on March 11th -- thanks to the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005). People may manually adjust their PC's computers only to see it try and jump ahead again when they reboot or when April 1st rolls around. Here are some helpful websites for people with Apple or Microsoft operating systems.

  • Microsoft's Daylight Saving Time Help and Support Center
  • Apple's Daylight Savings upgrade software downloads

    ABC's Consumer Blog has an article looking at some of the types of electronics that may have slight problems from the earlier Daylight Savings in 2007.

    If you have an older operating system, though, you'll have to change the computer's clock on your own, and you may have to un-change it when it thinks the clock is supposed to spring forward on April 1. No big deal, but there are tens of millions of older machines out there.

    Electronic Calendars: Microsoft Outlook is just one of many programs people use to keep themselves on schedule. Stand forewarned: Even Microsoft says to get on the phone and check your appointments during the three weeks in March when we were supposed to be on standard time.

    Cell Phones: You should be OK, but you should also pay attention, say tech consultants. Your cell phone typically receives time signals from your service provider, and the major ones have been updating their systems to avoid trouble.

    But some consultants say you ought to check your bill when it comes at the end of the month. That long call you thought was finished before off-peak hours ended? It may not have been.

    The article says handhelds, online banking, international calls and video recorders are some of the other devices that could have problems. Hopefully there won't be any issues or delays at airports, bus terminals or train stations and everything will go smoothly. If there are problems you will probably be seeing this referred to as the Year 2007 Problem or Y2K7 a lot more.

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