Since the ancestors of today's PCs were introduced about 20 years ago, some farsighted users wondered aloud about the infant industry's retention of an old shortcut: two-digits years. They realized that someday, somebody would have to fix the myriad of problems resulting from the inevitable day that 1/1/00 becomes later than 12/31/99. That "someday" has arrived. In less than a year, the world will know whether the computer industry's much-delayed attempts to fix the millennium bug have succeeded.

While most of the world's attention has been fixed on major mainframe systems the government, military, and banking interests use, many of us are overlooking the Y2K problem sitting on our own desks: our PCs. There aren't enough experts to go around, so it should now be painfully obvious that it is up to you to tackle Y2K.

The Two-Headed Monster

There are two major causes for the Y2K problem, one is caused by hardware, the other by software.

Hardware

Virtually all of today's PCs have real-time clocks (RTCs) onboard. The interaction between the RTC and the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) chip causes hardware-based Y2K problems. Most RTCs on motherboards don't know how to switch from one century to another. The BIOS has the responsibility to change the century byte (the part of the RTC which displays centuries) from 19xx to 20xx. If the BIOS doesn't correct the RTC's century byte when the clock rolls over from (19)99 to (20)00, the RTC will still read (19)00, and it will be 100 years off!

Software

Software, like the BIOS, has traditionally used two-digit date fields. As we'll see later, software also must be designed to handle the 99 to 00 transition; most software does, but it does so with varying (and incompatible) methods.

You must discover and cure both hardware and software problems to avoid the Y2K problem that otherwise will begin Jan. 1, 2000 (and even earlier, in the case of software that deals with future dates).

Is Any PC safe?

Hardly any category of Windows-based personal computers is immune to the Y2K problem at both the hardware and software levels. The cure should start with the BIOS chip on your computer's motherboard.

The BIOS chip is responsible for interfacing all of the PC's basic hardware with the CPU, operating system, and applications. Each BIOS chip contains a built-in table of devices for which the BIOS is responsible. These include recognizing and controlling the hard drive and disk drives and interfacing with the CPU and other motherboard components, including the RTC. A BIOS that cannot roll over automatically from 12/31/1999 to 1/1/2000, roll over automatically from 2/28/2000 to 2/29/2000 (yes, the year 2000 also is a leap year!), or can't be set manually to 1/1/2000 or to 2/29/2000 as a workaround is a BIOS that helps cause the Y2K problem.

A new reason for upgrading the BIOS. BIOS-compatibility problems have occurred many times during teh life span of the IBM-compatible PC family. Traditional reasons for a BIOS upgrade have included the inablility to use large hard drive (larger than 504MB, 2.1GB, or 8.4GB), the inability to replace the existing CPU with a faster version, or lack of Plug-and-Play support for Windows 95 or Windows 98.

Now we have to add "inability to handle post-1999 dates" to the list of important reasons for a BIOS upgrade. Because many computers sold as recently as early 1997 have noncompliant BIOS chips, a BIOS upgrade is a real necessity for the vast majority of Intel-compatible PC users.

Because this problem affects most computers with onboard clocks, the only computer categories that completely lack a hardware Y2K problem would include the early IBM PC and XT machines and their close compatibles (8088-based), which have never had a clock retrofitted to them. In virtually every case, most users retired these machines long ago, or they have been improved by installing add-on boards with real-time clocks onboard. Adding an RTC to a computer with a noncompliant BIOS is a very popular recipe for Y2K problems.

If I Recently Bought A PC, Am I Ok?

Unfortunately, not really. While the first articles about Y2K problems started rolling out in early 1996, many vendors waited to fix Y2K problems until late 1997 or even 1998. There is no substitute for looking up your major-brand system on your vendor's Y2K-compliance chart or testing your system to determine compliance.

Getting Started

So, will you need to replace your BIOS chip? This question isn't as easy to answer as it would seem. The mojor BIOS vendors (American Megatrends Inc. [AMI], Award Software, and Phoenix Technologies) license their BIOS code to different motherboard/system vendors who may modify the product before using it in a specific system or motherboard. Thus, the best way to dtermine BIOS compatibility is by testing the BIOS. However, I want to provide some general guidelines.

AMI pre-1998 BIOS versions, as well as BIOSes previous to AMI version number 6.31.01 are not automatically compliant. To determine the BIOS version or date, watch the bootup screen for date/version information. Most AMI BIOSes can be manually set to 1/1/2000 or later as a workaround. For more information, navigate your Web browswer to Amercian Megatrend's Y2K Information Page on their website.

Award Software has three levels of Y2K compliance: manual reset of date to 2000 (BIOSes released before April 26, 1994), can't be reset to 2000 (those BIOSes released between April 26, 1994, and May 31, 1995), and compliant (All BIOSes released June 1, 1995, or later). Award BIOS code dated after Nov. 18, 1996, also passes NSTL 2000.exe testing. For help and fixes, go to Award Software's Y2K Information Page on their website. Award also warns that improper modification of BIOS code by a motherboard vendor can cause Y2K problems for BIOSes that were originally compliant.

Because the Phoenix Technologies BIOS is widely distributed and modified, its Y2K compliance also varies. According to Phoenix's Support Reference: The Year 2000 Website, many systems with Phoenix BIOS version 4.0 release 5 and newer should automatically roll over to 1/1/2000 and beyond, but not all. System makers had this BIOS capability available to them from mid-1995, but not all of the system makers implemented the feature, or may have rolled it out at varying times. Again, test to determine your system's compatibility.

Finding Your Vendor

Your first stop for a BIOS solution is your system vendor. All major system vendors have tested or are in the process of testing their systems for Y2K compliance. With most Pentium-based systems, and sometimes those with older processors (386, 486), the BIOS chip may be a "flash" chip, which is upgradeable with software that you can download from the vendor's website or bulletin board, then being able to install the fix. Major system vendors normally list their websites in their product guides, or they can be easily searched for with any of the major Web search engines. For smaller motherboard and system vendors, finding information can be a lot harder. Try these sites:

You can use Electronic Data Systems' extensive product database for compliance information about all types of computer products. This database doesn't offer links to the vendors' Web sites, though.

For links to system and motherboard vendor sites, try one of the following:

For major vendors, go to WinDrivers.com and use its links to manufacturers' Web sites, or try searching by the system or motherboard's FCC ID number or name.

Award Software also offers a list of motherboard vendors. The table on this Web page tells how to translate the motherboard BIOS serial number to determine the motherboard manufacturer, and lists technical support numbers, Web sites, and other information for many major makers.

A more extensive version of this list for both AMI and Award BIOS motherboares is available from Wim's BIOS page. The Award BIOS numbers are linked as of this writing. This site has a link to Award's flash BIOS Web site for motherboard manufacturer-specific flash BIOS files.

For information that is useful both for upgrading your present BIOS and buying a new motherboard, stop by Motherboards.org. Wim's BIOS page suggests this site for links to the motherboard manufactureres it lists.

If you can't get a BIOS upgrade from your system or motherboard vendor, you'll need to upgrade the BIOS chip, get a Y2K BIOS upgrade card, or use software that patches your BIOS when you start the computer.

If you have a clone system, you may be worried. However, because the interaction of the BIOS chip with the RTC is the critical factor in Y2K hardware problems, you can check with your computer's BIOS chip vendor (normally displayed at startup time, along with the version number and date) for compliance information. One difficulty you may have is that unlike with most major brands, you may need to pay for a BIOS upgrade.

CE/TD Means Trouble In 2000

An even more sinister problem with BIOS/RTC interaction was recently discovered by the research team of Jace Crouch and Mike Echlin. They found that non-buffered RTCs (which are common in everthing from old 386 boxes to brand new Pentium IIs) take longer to correctly perform date calculations in years past 1999. Because of the way systems access the RTC for years starting in 2000, this problem (known variously as TD, Time Dilation, the Crouch-Echlin Effect, or CE/TD) can cause occasional scrambled dates, LPT/COM port failures, and even possible hard drive corruption in rare cases.

To learn more about this problem and purchase test/fix software, see http://www.nethawk.com/%7Ejcrouch/dilation.htm. The software is resold by Compaq Services in quantities, and it can be purchased for individual use, as well.

The Softer Side Of Y2K

Unfortunately, even if your brand-new Pentium II 450MHz screamer has a Y2K compliant BIOS and correctly functioning RTC, you still face a host of other Y2K issues, including: software that is built into accessory hardware (firmware) or that supports hardware (device drivers, utility programs); problems with application software, operating system software, utility software, and networking software; and date dependencies in the data you create with accounting , database, and spreadsheet programs.

Firmware Y2K Issues

The notion that only compouters have upgradeable firmware (BIOSes) is a big mistake. Many types of products on the market other than computers have firmware that may not be Y2K compliant. For example, Hewlett-Packard's Y2K Web Site shows the range of possibilities in some of its popular PC and networking peripherals:

• Some HP Fax products will display incorrect dates after 1999.
  
  
• Some OfficeJet Printer/Fax units have similar problems, with a software patch promised to be available in early 1999.
  
  
• HP's popular JetDirect network-printer management software may need updating for some users. One HP multifunction (copier/printer/fax) machine won't allow automatic online registration after 12/31/1999, but it will operate properly.
  
  
• Some HP network scanners and CD-ROM towers will require a firmware patch that is presently available.

Battery backup units with software shutdown features pose another potential Y2K problem. Major manufacturers' current product lines are Y2K compliant, but you should check your battery backup's software against your vendor's compiance list and download or purchase new software, if necessary.

Any software can have a Y2K problem. It's important to realize every piece of software on your system, from the operating system to the humblest utility program can be a source of Y2K problems.

Software vendors typically list their products' Y2K compliance at three levels:

• Noncompliance: software just won't work at all with dates past 1999. In some casaes, patches may be available from the software vendor; otherwise, you'll need to upgrade. This generally applies to older applications that were replaced by newer products long ago.
  
  
• Date Windowing: two-digit dates are placed in either the 20th or 21st centuries according to the vendor's rules. If every vendor used the same date-windowing method, this would be an acceptable workaround that would work until all such applications became outdated. Unfortunately, not only do different vendors use different date windows, but also the same product may use different date windows in defferent versions. This poses a major problem for organizations or users who pass data between different applications or try to save files in a backward-compatible mode for use with an older software version. Many applications have used this method for several years, and many present software versions still rely upon it.
  
  
• Fully Compliant: this level requires the use of four-digit year dates. Most new software versions achieve this level; however, the import of two-digit year data could cause problems.

You can find an easy-to-read color coded list of major applications that rates their compliance and provides links to the manufacturers' web sites at http://www.blouberg.co.za/y2k/vendor.html.

Software Risks

Depending upon the software you use and how up to date it is, you may run into a variety of Y2K related problems. For more information on specific programs and use, see the "Software Area" of this site.

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Problem: Incorrect enterpretation of two-digit year date fields.

Software Affected: Accounting, spreadsheet, database applications, custom programs, and general office suite type applications.

Why It's A Problem: Some older versions of these programs assume all two-digit dates are 20th century (19xx) and can't work with dates past 1999.

Workaround: Newer versions of these programs often use a technique called "date pivoting" or "date windowing" that assumes dates before a certain yeaer are 21st century (20xx), while more recent dates are 20th century (19xx).

What's Wrong With The Workaround: Different applications, and even different versions of the same application use different date windows.

For example, "24" is recognized as "1924" by Microsoft Excel 5.0/7.0, and Lotus 1-2-3. But, "24" is recognized as "2024" by Microsoft Excel 97 and Quattro Pro versions 7 & 8. Quattro Pro version 6 recognizes "24" as "1924" now, but as "2024" Jan. 1, 2000, and afterward!

Note that the inconsistency with how two-digit dates are treated can cause "contamination" of data when spreadsheet files with two-digit dates are transferred from one program to another, or when an older spreadsheet version is updated to the latest release. Four-digit years fix the problem, but thes can be a time consuming change.
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Problem: Lack of Y2K information about previous versions of software.

Software Affected: Utility, applications, and operating systems.

Why It's A Problem: You're forced to upgrade your software to stay safe.

Utility software is tied so closely to the "state of the art" in operating systems and hardware that using an obsolete utility program can actually risk damage to data. For example, Symantec wisely refuses to test versions of Norton Utilities prior to its final MS-DOS/Windows 3.1 version (version 8) for Y2K compliance because the older versions can't safely support data compression, large hard drives, and other common features of recent computers.

This attitude is far less commendable with other types of software. For example, Symantec isn't testing any previous-version products, including recent releases of Windows 95/Windows NT products, such as pcANYWHERE32 7.5. Only current (as of end of 1997 or beyond) products are tested. The effect of this approach is to force users to either perform their own Y2K compliance testing or buy the latest version. Because many close-out firms still sell older application versions, check that bargain software's Y2K compliance before you buy. Buying a non-compliant program at any price is no bargain with less than a year to go to 2000!

This problem also can take place tih programs that have been transferred from one vendor to another. For example, IMSI Software not sells the former Quarterdeck HiJaak Pro graphics converter, which Quarterdeck also aquired by merger. IMSI has no information on Y2K compliance for older versions of this product, and Quarterdeck no longer provides support for HiJaak Pro in any version. If you check the last-known vendor of your software for Y2K comliance and find no mention of your product, it may have been sold or transferred.
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Problem: Recent noncompliant applications with no Y2K fix available.

Software Affected: Various applications.

Why It's A Problem: You're forced to upgrade your software to stay safe.

The lack of software developers' serious attention to the looming specter of Y2K problems can hit you right in the pcketbook. Just ask a user of Microsoft's popular FrontPage 97 Web-building software, for example. While many 1997-vintage applications are either fully compliant or require, at most, minor adjustments, FrontPage 97 is flatly noncompliant, accourding to Microsoft's Y2K Information Site.

Microsoft's answer is for you to upgrade to FrontPage 98. And, if you use the server extensions, upgrade those, too. This looks suspiciously like a way to force users into the latest version of a program. FrontPage 98 has better features, but the lack of Y2K compliance in FrontPage 97 means upgrading is no longer a "good idea someday," but a must-do-now requirement. I personally think that this SUCKS and should be found to be unlawful! But that is another whole issue.
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Problem: Backups made with non-Y2K compliant softwre may not be usable past 1999.

Software Affected: Tape backup utilities.

Why It's A Problem: You're faced with discarding your old backups or recreating them.

You may have several years' worth of valuable financial and other types of data on backup tapes. In most cases, just witching tothe latest version of backup software is all you need to do for Y2K compliance. But, according to Hewlett Packard, users of HP's Colorado Backup for Windows 3.x have a big problem; this software creates backup tapes that can't be used on or after Jan. 1, 2000. The solution? Restore the backup to a temporary folder, and back it up with a Y2K compliant version of Colorado Backup for DOS or Colorado Backup for Windows 95.

Regardless of your backup software, be sure to verify its Y2K compliance, and determine what you must do to make your backups usable in the future!
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Don't Solve Only Half Of The Problem

You should be spending enough time in the next few months to correct the Y2K problem, but let's assume you pass the buck to somebody else and nobody finds and fixes the problems in time. Fixing just the hardware Y2K problem or upgrading all your software to Y2K standards isn't sufficient. You must take care of both sides of your computer environment to stay safe. Below are some of the problems you could see as 1999 becomes 2000.

Systems running with unresolved Y2K BIOS problems. Operating system or BIOS Dates "fall back" to 1/1/1900, causing incorrect date/time stamping of files; incorrect backup software operation, voice mail programs, etc. due to sorting "old 1900" files before "newer 1999" files; possible discarding of "old 1900" files because of apparent age, even though they are actually the newest files; and software failure due to licensing routinges looking for valid dates and finding OS/BIOS dates before their valid dates.

Systems running with Y2K compliant hardware but non-compliant software. Software will fail on and after 1/1/2000 if it is non-compliant; some of the problems include: incorrect sorting of data if the software uses two-digit year data, electronic banking transactions can't be completed, and unreadable date information displayed by applications and/or operating systems for files.

Kick The Solution In Gear With A Reboot

Because some operating systems (such as Windows 95) will properly display dates past Dec. 31, 1999, if running during the changeover, many systems running utility programs (such as antivirus, backup, or disk maintenance) over the Friday night to Saturday morning rollover time period may work correctly -- until shutdown.

The problem will then take place when the BIOS/RTC is re-read during the next bootup. If Y2K compliance steps aren't taken, the "century byte" will still indicate 19xx, and your operating system will display (and use) the wrong date, as will the applications that depend upon it.

There is no substitute for examining the hardware and software in your computer and those components connected to it. You must check for compliance and determine what to do now. Waking up after Christmas 1999 is way too late to start!.