Tech Support question

[Bob 0119]

Okay, I had an unusual computer problem last night.

For some reason at 00:07am, all of the computers in my office changed time. They all jumped ahead one hour; with the exception of the server.

The computers are set to recieve their time from the server, but the server had the correct time.

Now my first thought was that maybe these computers were using the old daylight savings time, but if that were the case, they should have changed time at 02:00am (jumping from 02:00 to 03:00)

At first, I thought it might have been a dispatcher tampering with the computers, but this affected my computer as well, which is not accessible to my staff when I'm not here.

Any thoughts??

[TeeterSalad]

Unplug them and plug them back in. Works for everything that runs on electricity; I'm pretty sure.





/unnecessary post

[langleyparkjoe]

Bob that's easy bro, it was "user error"

Sike naw.. LLS.. I asked my cousin who's a comp. geek but he said he honestly never heard of that one before.

[Countertrey]

The only thing that I could imagine would be that the windows patch for the change in DST dates was messed up... but I can't see how that would affect more than one pc...

[Bob 0119]

The only thing that I could imagine would be that the windows patch for the change in DST dates was messed up... but I can't see how that would affect more than one pc...

That's what has me screwed up too. If this had happened at 2:00am, I'd say for certain that was it. If it only affected the computers accessible by the employee on shift at the time, I'd say it was someone messing with something they shouldn't have. As it stands now, it's still a mystery. Guess I'll have to keep an eye on it.

[Deadskins]

The only thing that I could imagine would be that the windows patch for the change in DST dates was messed up... but I can't see how that would affect more than one pc...

That's what has me screwed up too. If this had happened at 2:00am, I'd say for certain that was it. If it only affected the computers accessible by the employee on shift at the time, I'd say it was someone messing with something they shouldn't have. As it stands now, it's still a mystery. Guess I'll have to keep an eye on it.

Since you said the time is controled by the server, then that's where I'd start my investigation. If all the computers changed the problem isn't on a single PC.

[KazooSkinsFan]

Okay, I had an unusual computer problem last night.

For some reason at 00:07am, all of the computers in my office changed time. They all jumped ahead one hour; with the exception of the server.

The computers are set to recieve their time from the server, but the server had the correct time.

Now my first thought was that maybe these computers were using the old daylight savings time, but if that were the case, they should have changed time at 02:00am (jumping from 02:00 to 03:00)

At first, I thought it might have been a dispatcher tampering with the computers, but this affected my computer as well, which is not accessible to my staff when I'm not here.

Any thoughts??

One thing to check I didn't see mentioned was that you actually picked the right time zone. People think of East/Central/Mountain/West, but there are actually sub zones, like Arizona that doesn't use DST. I think there's a zone in Indiana too. If you are set up with a sub zone of say the East (assuming you're in the East) then the DST times may be different then the East.

Per the comment on the server, that may or may not be the problem. For example, if your server sets the time GMT, you computer could still be translating it to the zone you have set up on your computer so you still need to check that.

[Countertrey]

Maybe your R2 unit has a bad motivator...

[Deadskins]

Maybe your R2 unit has a bad motivator...

Did you just attend a convention or something?

[Bob 0119]

Yeah, I went to the server first and it had the correct time. Now I'm thinking the time zone thing may be something.

I noticed when I got home my iPod had the wrong time also. When I went to change the time it had "Indianapolis" as the city.

Now I'm back to thinking it was someone messing with something they shouldn't have, perhaps the network password is compromised.

I'll keep up with the details as I find them.

[Deadskins]

perhaps the network password is compromised.

You should probably not be using "Redskins".

[KazooSkinsFan]

Yeah, I went to the server first and it had the correct time. Now I'm thinking the time zone thing may be something.

I noticed when I got home my iPod had the wrong time also

Do you have a time vortex or maybe an intergalactic worm hole in your neighborhood? Those can wreck havoc with linear clocks. You may want to spend the extra for the automatic relative time to material sequencing self setting clock to account for space and time fluctuations. The problem is you could be correctly tracking east coast time on a planet say with a 23 hour day.

[Hooligan]

Hit ESC twice.

Firmly strike the computer.

Repeat.

[HEROHAMO]

Typically when the time starts going bad on a PC it is the Cmos battery on the motherboard. But, it is unlikely that all the Pcs would happen to have the same problem at the same time.

What you could do is recreate the error. You wind the time back to the exact date and time the error happened. See if the same thing happens again. First try winding the time back on your server first. Then try your Client/Pcs independently. Or just one PC and see if the same thing happens. Then you go from there.

If your server Operating system is Windows server 2000, 2003 etc.. You call Microsoft with the exact error and sequence of events.

You also want to make sure you always download and install the updates. It could be a security breach. Windows is very easy for a hacker to infiltrate. Who knows maybe a virus?
Check to see if any new programs have been installed that you dont recognize.

From my experience I think it is just your server. How old is the server?
What OS is it running? Do you defrag the Hard Discs on the server? A regular Network Admin does maintanance weekly on a Server. Is your security software up to date? That is if it is an actual hardware/software issue with your Server.

What I do is save all the extra files to a separate hard drive. So only the Windows essential files are stored on the PC. This way you can easily look at your Windows files and compare what should be in the on the PC C/ProgramFiles C/Windows usually just keep it simple. All the extra data gets saved to an external hard drive.

Prevention is the real key when it comes to the IT world. Once compromised most techs will tell you they just ghost the image and load the stored info again.

[Countertrey]

This is starting to look a lot like a Foamy the Squirrel episode...

I think Foamy gets a little colorful in this episode... soooooo... I can't add a link...

Just google "Foamy the Squirrel Tech Support", and follow the links...

[langleyparkjoe]

Now I'm back to thinking it was someone messing with something they shouldn't have

Bet $5 it was a cowpunk fan!!!!