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Y2K and your PC: You can ensure that your PC is free from Y2K troubles, by addressing three areas--hardware, operating systems and application programs. Hardware: Hardware is declared "Y2K Compliant" if the internal BIOS data and real time clock would continue above the last date in 1999, and not reset itself after 1999 to a date of 1908 (or some other invalid date). All PCs has a CMOS chip built into its system, which has a Real-Time Clock (RTC) that keeps track of the system date. The basic start-up information about your PC is held by the BIOS another chip that retrieves the date and time from the RTC and then passes it on to the operating system and other applications and programs whenever you start or boot your PC. Many CMOS chips are not Y2K compliant, neither are the Real-Time Clocks designed to roll over to 01/01/2000. Also not all BIOS chips are the same, they are partly Y2K compliant and they may function but may not be able to make the millennium transition on their own. If your BIOS is Y2K compliant it can retrieve and correct the date and time from the CMOS before passing it on to the OS and applications. A convenient and effective way to check your system for Y2K compliancy is to download and run any of the free utilities that are available on the Net on download sites like www.download.com, etc, and you could look for utilities like Y2K Diagnostic, Y2K Test, RTC test, etc. Here's are a few guidelines for those who like the do-it-yourself approach (Recommended that you take a backup of your important data before proceeding) 1) Close all programs and restart the system in MS-DOS mode. If the system does not accept this date, your PC has failed in the very first round. If it accepts the date we can go over to the rollover test. 1) Enter the DATE command at the prompt and set the date to 31/12/1999 If not, it means that while the system will accept dates beyond 01/01/2000, it cannot automatically make the transition from 31/12/1999. If it makes the transition successfully, there's just one more test to check if the system retains the date. 1. Set the date to 01/01/2000 and switch off your PC. If the system does not retain the date you will have to upgrade the BIOS--the alternative being resetting the system date every time you start your PC. If the system retains the date, congrats! Your PC has passed the Y2K basic tests--at least as far as the hardware level is concerned. There are a number of ways in which you can make your PC hardware Y2K compliant, if it isn't. 1. Upgrade or replace the BIOS: You can upgrade it by downloading the update patches from the vendor's website if your BIOS is not Y2K compliant. If your PC that doesn't support BIOS updates, you may have to ask your vendor to replace the BIOS with a new one. 2. Motherboard Upgrade: When the majority of the components in the computer can be reused this option is used. 3. Hardware/software fixes: BIOS level problems can be fixed by using an add-on Y2K hardware card, or by using software fixes. Each time your PC starts the software patch is comprised of a memory-resident program that activates 4. Manual transition: You must manually reset your system date on January 1, 2000 if it works in the year 2000 but the BIOS is not able to make the transition from the year 1999 to 2000. 5. Buy a new PC: The final solution is to buy a Y2K compliant PC Operating system If you use the Windows 95/98 operating system even though your BIOS works well, you may have some trouble when it comes to handling four-digit years. To make Windows display dates with 4-digit years, follow the steps below: 1. Go to the Control Panel and click on Regional Settings. Visit www.microsoft.com/year2000. for patches, updates, other information Operating Systems found to be compliant: Servers: Win NT 3.51, compliant with service pack 5 and Y2K patches For information on Microsoft products go to this link: Novell NetWare 3.12, compliant with patches For information on Netware, go to these links: Desktop: DOS 3.3 to 6.22, file system year limit 2108 and Windows 98 is Y2K compliant Application programs Today many of the software applications suffer from Y2K problems. The best way to know if your application is compliant or not is to go to the developer's website where information on updates, patches and other information to fix any Y2K related issues are also available. Other issues to take note of would be the date sensitive data used in databases, spreadsheets used. This would also require corrective action Many shareware and freeware Y2K utilities are available for different purposes. They may have their limitations though. For comprehensive tests and solutions a commercial utility may be called for. Some commercial Utilities: Norton 2000 identifies and helps fix the following types of Y2K issues: hardware problems such as the BIOS and real-time clock, software application compliance, and Y2K issues in end user created data. McAfee's 2000 Toolbox contains utilities to identify Y2K issues in your hardware and software.
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© 1999 Dr. Raj Mehta. All rights reserved. |