Aloha Time Change Update? 1

[alohaakamai3]

Forgive me for the lack of info I am providing at this point, but I have a feeling someone will know something about this.

One of the local Aloha dealers in our area is circulating a letter stating that due to some issue with the Windows time change coming up next Sunday, that the Aloha systems need to be updated for in order to properly run.

Does anyone know anything about this?

It doesn't state whether it's a Windows issue or an Aloha issue, but we are on v5.3.15 here-a fairly recent version.
I would be surprised if there is anything serious that needs to be updated at this point.

This dealer also had a history of trying to push uneccessary services under the guise of "must have or face the dire consequences" marketing.

I suspect there is something to it-where there's smoke there's usually fire-I am just trying to get some facts on what this about.

Thanks!

Akamai

 

[bigblok403]

Windows/Radiant/George Bush Problem. Yes this needs to be done unless you want your time/events/EOD all messed up. I was in one of the meetings and although I did not agree with some of the points Radiant was making, this change should be made and it is not a scam to get more money.

 

[alohaakamai3]

So can't the just turn off the automatic adjustment of DST, and manually change the time on the BOH twice a year?

And this is an OS problem really, correct? Nothing technically to do with Aloha, of then it using the Windows clock....

 

[bigblok403]

Yes you can if you don't mind waiting until the right time to change the windows clock. All this utility does is make the process easier. If it was me with the restaurant, yes I would do it manually right before my EOD to save myself money.

Yes it is an O/S problem. I think Radiant used part of the code microsoft uses to switch around the DST.

 

[Circle9]

Use the utilities at this link to change the DST time:

http://www.posstexas.com/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=69&func=select&id=6

 

[skydiverscott]

Exactly why I get more business from this dealer's customers...

This dealer was notorious for telling customers that they had to set the time on the systems to Arizona because that was where the software company was based in. This way they had customer support calls twice a year because the system wouldn't change time automatically.

This dealer usually installs the POS on a secondary nic on the Aloha server without a gateway set for that server. Due to this, the front of house POS terminals won't be running Windows Update and therefore having their systems updated automatically.

Microsoft is only updating Windows XP and Vista via Windows Update, leaving Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows ME and Windows 95 S.O.L.

As long as you make the changes manually on all of the POS terminals and the file server, Aloha will run fine. I copy the files linked below to the Aloha Bootdrv on the server, VNC into each terminal and manually run the fix, followed by the update on each of the back of house servers.

Here is a link to the tools I am using

http://www.srmservices.com/DST

The DSTFix.exe program will update all versions of Windows NT technology from NT4.0 to XP.
The Windows(* registry file updates Windows 95/98/ME.

Don't forget to update MS Office!! Or else all you Outlook times will be messed up as well!

Regards
Skydiver

 

[bigblok403]

Just a side note about the Radiant DST utility...Try and have the customers close their credit card batch out before the utility is set to run. I have been seeing some problems in customers that have cards still in their batch before the utility runs.

 

[bigblok403]

Yet another sidenote...The EDC fix utility provided by Radiant does not working on operating systems missing the MFC71.dll file. You can download it at

http://www.dll-files.com/dllindex/dll-files.shtml?mfc71

Just drop it in the windows/system32 or winnt/system32 folder.

 

[posknowitall]

Can someone tell my why the time keeps reverting back on terminals? We make the change in the morning and soon after the time changes back 1 hour.

 

[skydiverscott]

Steps I took to ensure correct time on all systems:
1. Make sure you have update the Windows O/S on all terminals and BOH (Windows 95/95) it's a reg file update, on Win2000/XP you need to run the exe program on the terminals. You should be able to VNC or remote admin into the terminals(I have provided it here:

http://www.srmservices.com/DST

). You also run it on the remote terminals using psexec available here:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Security/PsExec.mspx

2. Make sure all the FOH terminals and BOH file server are set to the correct Timezone and enable Auto Daylight Savings Time.

3. For Windows 2000/XP machines, in the ibercfg.bat file, make sure you have a command to synchronize the time with the BOH file server. I add it just after the SET commands and just before the copy new bins line. Here is the command we use:set time \\%server% /set /y. If you are running WIndows 95/98/me, you don't need to do this because ALoha will set the time on the terminals automatically through the NETBIOS RPC by use of the synctime.exe in the Aloha\bin folders.

4. Once all systems have been updated for the Daylight Savings time fix, then you can make changes in Aloha. Use the Radiant utility.

4. Stop and restart the ctlsvr service in the Windows Server manager and then do a refresh.

That should set you up. You could theoretically just do the Radiant Update, but I personally don't like a workaround to avoid setting the correct time on the Operating System. This is a basic setting that should be addressed. It will become especially apparent should come have to do support and require to analyze the terminal log files and the time stamp on the files don't jive with what the BOH log files say. I also wonder what would happen should ALoha encounter log file corruption and try to use a mirror log from the FOH that is an hour older than the log file from the BOH?

 

[posrescue]

Notes on Aloha and Widows DST options

Set time ahead by an hour on the fileserver for 3 weeks then set it back. Hope synctime works. If not using synctime you will have to run net time from a batch file at startup on all the terminals.

Use the Microsoft patch (or autoupdate) to set all new DST rules on the fileserver. Aloha terminals will not respond correctly and your times will be all over the place. Set Aloha to international time. Refresh. Due to incorrect naming conventions used by Aloha in the timezone.ini your terminals my go to the wrong time zone. ie if on eastern time the terminals will actually go to the first zone with the same GMT offset which is Bogota which does not recognize DST and your terminals will be an hour behind. You can use TZedit.exe to change the properties of the new incorrect time zone that Aloha now wants to use to add DST to that time zone on the terminals. Be sure to use the correct offset. If you do this you will have to run that on every new terminal that ever enters the site.

You can use the Radiant supplied patch. It is available from most aloha dealers. It works pretty much as listed with a few exceptions: After running the patch, refreshing and the termianls are back up you may have to change the time zone in Windows then change it back to the correct time zone. After you may have to shut down and restart the Aloha services. (Close out of Aloha Manager, Go to "Run", type "net stop ctlsvr" enter. Go to "Run", type "net start ctlsvr" enter. DO not go into date and time properties on any of the terminals after applying this patch. You may run into issues as pointed out in the above remedy with timezone.ini on future terminals added to the site.

You can set all of your terminals and fileserver to a time zone that does not use DST or turn off DST. Then turn off DST in Aloha. You will have to manually adjust Windows time with a keyboard twice a year.

There are various other remedies as well. Have fun.

**there are various versions of TZedit.exe that Microsoft has put out over the years. Be sure to use one that is appropriate to the OS you are using. The correct version is on the OS install disks including 95 and 98.

 

[posknowitall]

What kind of batch problems> What is the edc fix utility and must it be run if you have nothing in the batch?

 

[posrescue]

The fix utility would only be needed if you had a current batch when applying the Radiant patch. I have not tried it as I avoided the issue with before open / after close changes. I fixed most of my systems without the patch but the end result would have been the same. It is the change to International Time in Aloha that causes the EDC problem. Maybe some kind dealer can link you to that patch if you need it.

 

[Circle9]

Download the zip file below.

http://www.radiantsystems.com/downloads/drivers/general/2007DST_Patch_RS07-001one.zip