The Year 2000 PC Problem
 
Is your PC ready to handle Year 2000? You can’t be sure unless your system is properly tested. If the PC does not support Year 2000, then the software that runs on it will not either. The year 2000 PC problem is defined in terms of hardware, software and conversion priority.
 
Hardware:
Every personal computer contains two clocks - a built-in hardware clock and a virtual clock. The hardware clock (real-time clock) runs whether the system is on or off. The virtual clock (system clock) is set to the real-time clock when the computer is turned on and exists only while the computer is operating. The real-time clocks used in today’s PCs do not track centuries, only years; such as ’94, are tracked. When year 2000 occurs, the real-time clock will indicate year ’00. It is the BIOS responsibility to track the century and preserve that information in real-time clock’s non-volatile CMOS memory. The BIOS assumes that the years 1900 through 1979 cannot occur (Microsoft operating systems do not support dates earlier than 1980). If the BIOS does not track the century, the operating system will assume 1980. The BIOS should set the century information to 20. The real-time clock’s ability to rollover to year 2000 must be tested. A manual test cannot examine this function. If a PC’s BIOS does not support the rollover to year 2000, the manufacturer may offer a BIOS upgrade.
 
Software:
Operating systems and other systems software routinely use date information. The software configuration on each PC has to be documented and its ability to handle 21st century operations has to be verified. Software upgrades may be an option for non-Y2K compliant products.
 
Conversion Priority:
Most organizations are focused on remediating their mainframe applications and may not give PCs the attention they deserve. This can be a costly mistake due to the large number of PCs that organizations use. There are options available to handle the Year 2000 PC problem. It is best to perform early PC testing and produce a risk assessment report. This will allow time for selecting the most cost-effective option.