Microsoft KB Archive/891341

= When you try to advertise a program in Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0, the advertised program runs on the client computer several minutes earlier than you expect =

Article ID: 891341

Article Last Modified on 10/27/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Standard Edition

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SYMPTOMS
You set a particular time value for the Mandatory Assignments option on the Schedule tab in the  Advertisement Properties dialog box.

On the SMS site server, you set a particular time value for the Countdown Length option on the Notification tab in the Advertised Programs Client Agent Properties dialog box.

However, when you try to advertise a program in Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2.0, you notice that the advertised program runs several minutes earlier than the time value that you set for the Mandatory Assignments option.

Also, the advertisement finishes in less time than you set for the Countdown Length option.



CAUSE
This problem occurs when the Available Program Manager (APM) scheduler cannot correctly compute the next run time of the advertised program. The APM scheduler cannot correctly compute the next run time of the advertised program when all the following conditions are true:
 * The Advertised Programs Client Agent is configured to provide a countdown before the scheduled advertised program runs.
 * The After running option is set to Program restarts computer.

Note This option is located on the General tab in the Properties dialog box for the advertised program.
 * The Program can run option is set to Whether or not a user is logged on.

Note This option is located on the Environment tab in the Properties dialog box for the advertised program.
 * No user is logged on to the client computer.
 * You set a time for the Mandatory Assignments option on the Schedule tab in the AdvertisementName Advertisement Properties dialog box.

Note Make sure that the time that is set for the Advertisement start time option occurs before the time that is set for the Mandatory Assignments option.
 * You use the Recurrence pattern option to set an interval to run the advertised program.

Note Make sure that the Disable this program on computers where it is advertised option is enabled on the Advanced tab in the Properties dialog box for the advertised program.

When all these conditions are true, the advertised program finishes in less time than the predefined countdown duration that is set in the Advertised Programs Client Agent.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use one of the following methods to run the advertised program:
 * Use the same time value for the Advertisement start time option and for the Mandatory Assignments option for the advertisement.
 * Set the time value for the Mandatory Assignments option to As soon as possible.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the &quot;Applies to&quot; section.



MORE INFORMATION
There are various similar issues with the APM Scheduler that have been resolved by applying the hotfix that is described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article:

872803 A Systems Management Server 2.0 client may run an advertised program

This hotfix does not resolve this specific issue, but is recommended if any of the conditions that are described in this article are not met, or if the symptom varies from the one that is described in this article. The hotfix applies to SMS 2.0 SP5.

Additional query words: reboot PEM instance log on

Keywords: kbprb KB891341

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