Incorrect start dates are displayed for the scheduled tasks that are deployed by Group Policy preferences in Windows Server 2008 or in Windows Vista

Consider the following scenario:

• You join a computer that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista to a Windows Server 2008-based domain.
• You enable a Group Policy preferences setting that schedules a task to run at a specific time in a Group Policy object (GPO).
• You apply the GPO to the computer.

In this scenario, an incorrect date for the scheduled task is displayed on the computer. This incorrect date is one day earlier or one day later.

For example, you use the Central Time (US and Canada) time zone and schedule the task to run at the 6:00 PM 12/30/2009 time on the computer. However, the 6:00 PM 12/29/2009 time that is one day earlier is displayed.

This issue occurs because the Group Policy preferences engine handles the date incorrectly when it saves a scheduled task. This behavior causes the wrong day to be used to start the scheduled task.

Important�You must apply this hotfix on all computers where you create or update GPOs that have the scheduled tasks preferences settings. Typically, these computers are domain controllers.

Note You have to manually update the date for the scheduled task in any affected GPO after you apply the hotfix.

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. However, this hotfix is intended to correct only the problem that is described in this article. Apply this hotfix only to systems that are experiencing the problem described in this article. This hotfix might receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next software update that contains this hotfix.

If the hotfix is available for download, there is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If this section does not appear, contact Microsoft Customer Service and Support to obtain the hotfix.

Note If additional issues occur or if any troubleshooting is required, you might have to create a separate service request. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for this specific hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Customer Service and Support telephone numbers or to create a separate service request, visit the following Microsoft Web site: Note The "Hotfix download available" form displays the languages for which the hotfix is available. If you do not see your language, it is because a hotfix is not available for that language.

Prerequisites

To apply this hotfix, you must be running one of the following operating systems:

• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)
• Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2)
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2)

Additionally, you must have hotfix 943729 installed if you are running Windows Vista SP1 or Windows Vista SP2.

For more information about how to obtain a Windows Vista service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For more information about how to obtain a Windows Server 2008 service pack, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Registry information

To use the hotfix in this package, you do not have to make any changes to the registry.

Restart requirement

You do not have to restart the computer after you apply this hotfix.

Hotfix replacement information

This hotfix does not replace a previously released hotfix.

File information

The English (United States) version of this hotfix installs files that have the attributes that are listed in the following tables. The dates and the times for these files are listed in Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). The dates and the times for these files on your local computer are displayed in your local time together with your current daylight saving time (DST) bias. Additionally, the dates and the times may change when you perform certain operations on the files.

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 file information notes

Important Windows Vista hotfixes and Windows Server 2008 hotfixes are included in the same packages. However, only "Windows Vista" is listed on the Hotfix Request page. To request the hotfix package that applies to one or both operating systems, select the hotfix that is listed under "Windows Vista" on the page. Always refer to the "Applies To" section in articles to determine the actual operating system that each hotfix applies to.

• The files that apply to a specific product, SR_Level (RTM, SPn), and service branch (LDR, GDR) can be identified by examining the file version numbers as shown in the following table.

  Version	Product	SR_Level	Service branch
  6.0.600 1 . 22xxx	Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008	SP1	LDR
  6.0.600 2 . 22xxx	Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008	SP2	LDR

• Service Pack 1 is integrated into the release version of Windows Server 2008. Therefore, RTM milestone files apply only to Windows Vista. RTM milestone files have a 6.0.0000.xxxxxx version number.
• The MANIFEST files (.manifest) and the MUM files (.mum) that are installed for each environment are listed separately in the "Additional file information for Windows Server 2008 and for Windows Vista" section. MUM files and MANIFEST files, and the associated security catalog (.cat) files, are extremely important to maintaining the state of the updated component. The security catalog files, for which the attributes are not listed, are signed with a Microsoft digital signature.

For all supported x86-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista

For all supported x64-based versions of Windows Server 2008 and of Windows Vista

For all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.

For more information about software update terminology, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Clarification regarding already existing tasks:

The fix does NOT correct already existing/deployed tasks. It only ensures, that newly created tasks are created with the correct scheduled date.

As a result of this, already deployed tasks needes to be changed.

The following steps ensure, that the task is updated wit hthe right time.

- Install the fix on the system, which was used to create the tasks or has a GPMC installed

- Modify the time/date of the scheduled task in the GPO. Best is to modify the time to another value and then back to the original, desired value

- Save and apply the policy

- The client will get the updated tasks during the next policy�refreh and thus the corrected time/date

Additional file information

Additional file information for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x86-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported x64-based versions of Windows Vista and of Windows Server 2008

Additional files for all supported IA-64-based versions of Windows Server 2008