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Announcement: A new DST hotfix is available for Morocco 2009 Daylight Saving Time for the Windows platform

As Lourdes posted here on the Daylight Saving Time and Time Zone blog, a new hotfix is available for Morocco 2009 Daylight Saving Time for the Windows platform. This is an update for the Daylight Saving Time for the "(GMT) Casablanca" time zone this year (2009) for computers running Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008…

"Morocco has announced the start of DST for 2009 on June 1st at midnight. The clock will move one hour forward at midnight between May 31st and June 1st, and then move one hour back at midnight between August 20th and August 21st in 2009.  There was no DST for Morocco in 2009 prior to this update.

Hotfix download is available
Hotfix Download Available
View and request hotfix downloads

"More specifically, this update sets DST for Morocco as follows:

  • DST starts at 23:59:59 on May 31st, 2009
  • DST ends at 23:59:59 on August 20th, 2009 

"Microsoft has produced a hotfix to implement this change.  If interested in downloading this hotfix, please refer to KB 970613 titled: “A hotfix is available to update the Daylight Saving Time for the "(GMT) Casablanca" time zone for the year 2009 for Windows XP-based, Windows Server 2003-based, Windows Vista-based and Windows Server 2008-based computers”.

Public service announcement: As noted in a prior post, our product teams are moving to a regular rhythm to update their products and services to reflect these time changes. (For each update release, Microsoft accepts change requests up to a few months prior to the release date.) But changes such as these – and without official notification – are difficult for sysadmins and IT professionals around the world to manage.

And here’s my regular advice for governments: in support of these types of changes, we provide guidance and Microsoft’s Policy in Response to DST/TZ Requests. It’s important for countries and territories to work towards seamless transitions to new DST and time zones policies, providing ample advance notice (of a year or more) with published confirmation of planned changes.

In addition – and this is important – we suggest that entities considering the changes implement changes at the next clock tick after 01:59:59 rather than at 23:59:59, 24:00:00 or 00:00:00. Making the change at midnight can impact daily systems, such as back ups, data pulls or other automated tasks.

Just sayin’.

Tags: Microsoft, Daylight Saving Time, Daylight Savings Time, RSS, DST, Clubhouse, Windows Vista, Windows XP, DST, hotfix; 17,90,000 (up from 3.4M a year ago); 18,000,000 (up from 900K a year ago)

Also available via http://tinyurl.com/ld6wvd

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Now available: SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 on WU and the Microsoft Download Center

As I noted the other day in my post Thinking about downloading SP2 for Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008? Please download it from a trusted source, I’d seen several third party sites offering downloads to Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista. As I wrote here, you should only download software from a trusted source – via Microsoft – and avoid peer to peer to save yourself the security risk.

As the MU team posted here, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 will be available in the coming weeks on the Download Center (DLC) and also through Windows Update and WSUS.

That would be today, according to Brandon’s latest post on The Windows team blog

On April 28th, we announced that Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (Service Pack 2) SP2 had RTM’d. Today, we are pleased to announce the Release to Web (RTW) for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2.

WV-SP2_h_rgb

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2, a combined service pack for both operating systems encapsulated in a single installer, will simplify deployment, management, and support for IT Professionals. It includes support for new types of hardware and emerging hardware standards, as well as updates since SP1.  For specific information on what’s included in SP2, visit the notable changes document.

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 is now available for download on the Microsoft Download Center and on Windows Update.  

Download: Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 x86 (5 Language Standalone)
Download: Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 x64 (5 Language Standalone)

I agree with Brandon: As I’ve said before, visit Windows Update, or make sure Automatic Update (AU) is turned to get the latest service pack on once it goes live to AU. You can visit the Microsoft Download Center to get SP2 or use Windows Update (WU) to install SP2, but the easiest way is to turn on Automatic Update (AU) and your computer will automatically download and install SP2 beginning via a "throttled release" schedule in June. There’s certainly no harm in using WU today, and this is easy for individual users. IT Pros should download the bits from the DLC and install accordingly.

Tags: Windows Vista, Vista SP1, Gregg Keizer.

Clubhouse Tags: Clubhouse, how-to, Windows Vista, download, SP2, service+pack 

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Also available via http://bit.ly/7na8b

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Thinking about downloading SP2 for Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008? Please download it from a trusted source!

I’ve seen a couple of blog posts offering downloads to Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista, an upcoming update to the OS.

Here’s the advice for the day: as I wrote here, only download software from a trusted source – via Microsoft –and avoid peer to peer to save yourself the security risk.

As the MU team posted here, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 will be available in the coming weeks on the Download Center (DLC) and also through Windows Update and WSUS…

SP2 includes all updates that were released since SP1. It also includes support for new types of hardware and other technology improvements. For more information on the changes with SP2, see the notable changes document on TechNet.

Here’s a short list of the tools and guidance that’s available for SP2:

MSDN and Technet subscribers may download SP2 now for evaluation and deployment. You may also visit http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd262148.aspx for more details.

And please remember: back up your files.

 

Tags: articles, blogs, Windows Vista.

Clubhouse Tags: Clubhouse, how-to, Windows Vista, download, backup

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Also available via http://bit.ly/16KoVv

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The latest Microsoft “Laptop Hunters” commercial: “I’m a PC and I got exactly what I wanted.”

There’s a new Laptop Hunters "You find it, you keep it" Microsoft PC television commercial out with Lauren (a new law school student) and Sue (her mom)

<br /><a href="http://video.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=0170090f-53b2-40fc-89a4-c759cb088e0a" target="_new" title="Laptop Hunters $1700 – Lauren and Sue get a Dell XPS 13" rel="noopener noreferrer">Video: Laptop Hunters $1700 – Lauren and Sue get a Dell XPS 13</a>

 

Tags: articles, what I read, I’m a PC, Microsoft, Windows.

Clubhouse Tags: clubhouse, Windows Vista, video, laptops

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Also available via http://bit.ly/HY1pS

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Thinking about joining a new club? Take a look at the Windows Clubhouse

Groucho Marx famously said…

"I don’t care to belong to any club that will have me as a member."

Head off to the ClubhouseWell, there’s an exception to every rule. I found such an exception in the Windows Clubhouse.

The Clubhouse is a community where you can connect with other members and help people learn how to use Windows.

"The Clubhouse is all about sharing content and ideas. Showing what you do best. Voicing your opinions. Being an active member in a community that will select the best content for display on the Windows Vista and Windows Live sites."

This is a place where you can create and rate content about Microsoft products, share through posts on your blog and provide feedback on other’s posts.

More info:

I went ahead and posted my own profile here and tagged a few of my favourite blog posts, answers to popular questions on everything from Windows Live to the latest on Windows 7 to show up in the feed.

Tags: articles, blogs, Windows 7.

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Also available at http://bit.ly/HO02R