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WARNING! DON'T MESS WITH YOUR REGISTRY BLAHBLAH BLAH BLAH BLAHBLAH BLAH! DANGEROUS GAMMA RAYS BLAHBLAHBLAH!
How to test your IBM compatible PC for Year 2000 compliance
The lowest level of PC timekeeping is handled by a "real-time clock" or RTC. It's an actual, battery-powered timepiece-on-a-chip that tracks the time and date even when your system is off. The BIOS reads the time from the RTC, and in some cases, will adjust a non-compliant RTC to the correct century. Your PC also has a software-based "system clock" that exists only while the system is on. This system clock gets its information from the RTC via the BIOS at boot-up, then runs independently. It's actually just a counter that, instead of tracking hours, minutes, seconds and dates, simply ticks at a preset rate (usually 18.2 times per second) until it reaches midnight on the 1,572,480th tick and then starts over.
Windows sits on top of all this and does some of its own timekeeping. It converts the raw information from the system clock into the familiar hours:minutes:seconds format. Windows also gets the date from the RTC via the BIOS at start-up and then keeps track of that separately, incrementing the date on its own when the system clock rolls over at midnight.
Why should you perform these tests? While most applications get their time or date information from the operating system, some may ask the system clock itself, and a few get data directly from the RTC via the BIOS. If you don't test these timekeepers independently and in combination, you may miss a fatal y2k flaw.
IMPORTANT!:
If you find a y2k problem during this test, STOP immediately, undo the changes, fix the problem if possible, then come back to start again.
It's important that all changes to the date are made in Safe Mode DOS, so as not to interfere with time-limited software, etc.
Step One: Test the Operating System
At the C:> prompt, type DATE 12-31-99 and press Enter, then type TIME 23:59:00 and press Enter. Wait one minute for the date to change, then type DATE. If the date is January 1, 2000, then the operating system is y2k compliant.
Step Two: Test the OS/BIOS combination
Step Three: Test the BIOS
Step Four: Test the BIOS/RTC Combination
Final Check:
The Leap Year problem: IMPORTANT!:
Another part of the y2k problem is that 2000 is a leap year; if you've passed the above test, you may still have a problem. Starting with Step One, do all of the tests again using February 28 as the date, and see if it can roll over to February 29, 2000.
Before you go back to Windows, make sure you change the date and time back!
BIOS Vendors |
|
AMI Award MicroFirmware Phoenix |
//www.megatrends.com/ //www.award.com //www.firmware.com //www.phoenix.com |
Be aware that on some of the less-expensive computers today, the BIOS/motherboard is a cheap knockoff of the original. It saves you a few dollars, but the name-brand manufacturer won't support it even if it IS upgradeable (which it probably isn't).
==========
//www.ping.be/bios/ - BIOS information - Basic Input/Output Systems in excruciating detail
//www.motherboards.org
//www.sysopt.com/bios4.htm - Detailed BIOS information by manufacturer
Keyboard shortcuts:
The information in this article applies to:
SUMMARYThis article lists keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Windows. MORE INFORMATION
Mouse Click/Keyboard Modifier Combinations for Shell ObjectsSHIFT+RIGHT CLICK:Displays a context menu containing alternative verbs. SHIFT+DOUBLE CLICK: Runs the alternate default command (the second item on the menu). ALT+DOUBLE CLICK: Displays properties. SHIFT+DELETE: Deletes an item immediately without placing it in the Recycle Bin. General Keyboard-Only CommandsF1:Starts Windows Help. F10: Activates menu bar options. SHIFT+F10: Opens a context menu for the selected item. This is the same as right-clicking an object. CTRL+ESC: Opens the Start menu. Use the ARROW keys to select an item. CTRL+ESC, ESC: Selects the Start button. Press TAB to select the taskbar, or press SHIFT+F10 for a context menu. ALT+DOWN ARROW: Opens a drop-down list box. ALT+TAB: Switch to another running application. Hold down the ALT key and then press the TAB key to view the task-switching window. SHIFT: Press down and hold the SHIFT key while you insert a CD-ROM to bypass the auto-run feature. ALT+SPACE Displays the main window's System menu. From the System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the window. ALT+- (ALT+hyphen) Displays the Multiple Document Interface (MDI) child window's System menu. From the MDI child window's System menu, you can restore, move, resize, minimize, maximize, or close the child window. CTRL+TAB Switch to the next child window of a Multiple Document Interface (MDI) application. ALT+<underlined letter in menu> Opens the corresponding menu. ALT+F4 Closes the current window. ALT+DOWN ARROW: Opens a drop-down list box. CTRL+F4 Closes the current Multiple Document Interface (MDI) window. ALT+F6 Switch between multiple windows in the same program. For example, when the Notepad Find dialog box is displayed, ALT+F6 switches between the Find dialog box and the main Notepad window. Shell Objects and General Folder/Windows Explorer ShortcutsFor a Selected Object:Key Result ------------------------------------------------------------ F2 Rename object F3 Find: All Files CTRL+X Cut CTRL+C Copy CTRL+V Paste SHIFT+DEL Delete selection immediately, without moving the item to the Recycle Bin. ALT+ENTER Open the property sheet for the selected object. To Copy a File: Press down and hold the CTRL key while you drag the file to another folder. To Create a Shortcut: Press down and hold CTRL+SHIFT while you drag a file to the desktop or a folder. General Folder/Shortcut ControlKey Result ---------------------------------------------------------------------- F4 Selects the Go To A Different Folder box and moves down the entries in the box (if the toolbar is active in Windows Explorer). F5 Refreshes the current window. F6 Moves among panes in Windows Explorer. CTRL+G Opens the Go To Folder tool (in Windows 95 Windows Explorer only). CTRL+Z Undo the last command. CTRL+A Select all the items in the current window. BACKSPACE Switch to the parent folder. SHIFT+CLICK Close Button For folders, close the current folder plus all parent folders. Windows Explorer Tree ControlKey Result --------------------------------------------------------------------- Numeric Keypad * Expands everything under the current selection. Numeric Keypad + Expands the current selection. Numeric Keypad - Collapses the current selection. RIGHT ARROW Expands the current selection if it is not expanded, otherwise goes to the first child. LEFT ARROW Collapses the current selection if it is expanded, otherwise goes to the parent. Property Sheet ControlCTRL+TAB/CTRL+SHIFT+TAB:Move through the property tabs. Accessibility ShortcutsKey Result ------------------------------------------------------------------- Tap SHIFT 5 times Toggles StickyKeys on and off. Press down and hold the right Toggles FilterKeys on and off. SHIFT key for 8 seconds Press down and hold the NUM LOCK Toggles ToggleKeys on and off. key for 5 seconds Left ALT+left SHIFT+NUM LOCK Toggles MouseKeys on and off. Left ALT+left SHIFT+PRINT SCREEN Toggles High Contrast on and off. Microsoft Natural Keyboard KeysKey Result ---------------------------------------------------------- WINDOWS+R Run dialog box WINDOWS+M Minimize All SHIFT+WINDOWS+M Undo Minimize All WINDOWS+F1 Help WINDOWS+E Windows Explorer WINDOWS+F Find Files or Folders WINDOWS+D Minimizes all open windows and displays the desktop CTRL+WINDOWS+F Find Computer WINDOWS+TAB Cycle through taskbar buttons WINDOWS+BREAK System Properties dialog box Application key Displays a context menu for the selected item Microsoft Natural Keyboard with IntelliType Software InstalledKey Result ----------------------------------------------------------- WINDOWS+L Log off Windows WINDOWS+P Opens Print Manager WINDOWS+C Opens Control Panel WINDOWS+V Opens Clipboard WINDOWS+K Opens Keyboard Properties dialog box WINDOWS+I Opens Mouse Properties dialog box WINDOWS+A Opens Accessibility Options(if installed) WINDOWS+SPACEBAR Displays the list of IntelliType Hotkeys WINDOWS+S Toggles the CAP LOCK key on and off Dialog Box Keyboard CommandsTABMove to the next control in the dialog box. SHIFT+TAB Move to the previous control in the dialog box. SPACEBAR If the current control is a button, this clicks the button. If the current control is a check box, this toggles the check box. If the current control is an option button, this selects the option button. ENTER Equivalent to clicking the selected button (the button with the outline). ESC Equivalent to clicking the Cancel button. ALT+<underlined letter in dialog box item> Move to the corresponding item. |
While browsing through some dust-covered archival material in the recesses of the Roman Section of the British Museum, a researcher recently came across a tattered bit of parchment. After some effort he translated it and found that it was a letter from a man called Plutonius with the title of "magister fastorium", or keeper of the calendar, to one Cassius. The text of the message follows: Dear Cassius, Are you still working on the Y zero K problem? This change from BC to AD is giving us a lot of headaches and we haven't much time left. I don't know how people will cope with working the wrong way around. Having been working happily downwards forever, now we have to start thinking upwards. You would think that someone would have thought of it earlier and not left it to us to sort it all out at this last minute. I spoke to Caesar the other evening. He was livid that Julius hadn't done something about it when he was sorting out the calendar. He said he could see why Brutus turned nasty. We called in the consulting astrologers, but they simply said that continuing downwards using minus BC won't work. As usual, the consultants charged a fortune for doing nothing useful. As for myself, I just can't see the sand in an hour glass flowing upwards. We have heard that there are three wise men in the East who have been working on the problem, but unfortunately they won't arrive until it's all over. Some say the world will cease to exist at the moment of transition. Anyway we are still continuing to work on this blasted Y zero K problem and will send you a parchment if anything further develops. Vale. Plutonius
Date: January 1, 2000 Subject: Vacation Pay Dear Valued Employee: Our records indicate that you have not used any vacation time over the past 100 year(s). As I'm sure you are aware, employees are granted 3 weeks of paid leave per year or pay in lieu of time off. One additional week is granted for every 5 years of service. Please either take 9,400 days off work or notify our office and your next pay check will reflect payment of $8,277,432.22 which will include all pay and interest for the past 1,200 months. Sincerely, Automated Payroll Processing
EXPERTS WARN OF THREAT FROM 100GB BUG Dateline: Firebringer News Service (FBNS) Experts warned today of a new and deadly threat to our beleaguered civilization: the 100GB Bug. As most people know, McDonald's restaurant signs show the number of hamburgers the giant chain has sold. That number now stands at 99 billion burgers, or 99 Gigaburgers (GB). Within months or even weeks, that number will roll over to 100GB. McDonald's signs, however, were designed years ago, when the prospect of selling one hundred billion hamburgers seemed unthinkably remote. So the signs have only two decimal places. This means that, after the sale of the 100 billionth burger, McDonald's signs will read "00 Billion Burgers Sold." This, experts predict, will convince the public that, in over thirty years, no McDonald's hamburgers have ever in fact been sold, causing a complete collapse of consumer confidence in McDonald's products. The ensuing catastrophic drop in sales is seen as almost certain to force the already-troubled company into bankruptcy. This, in turn, will push the teetering American economy over the brink, which, finally, will complete the total devastation of the global economy, ending civilization as we know it, and forcing us all to live on beetles. "The people who know---the sign-makers---are really scared of 100GB," one expert said. "I don't know about you, but I'm digging up a copy of THE FIELD GUIDE TO NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS and heading for the hills.
Win98 Source Code Revealed!
/*
TOP SECRET Microsoft(c) Code
Project: Chicago(tm)
Projected release-date: Summer 1998
*/
#include "win31.h"
#include "win95.h"
#include "evenmore.h"
#include "oldstuff.h"
#include "billrulz.h"
#define INSTALL = HARD
char make_prog_look_big[1600000];
void main()
{
while(!CRASHED)
{
display_copyright_message();
display_bill_rules_message();
do_nothing_loop();
if (first_time_installation)
{
make_50_megabyte_swapfile();
do_nothing_loop();
totally_screw_up_HPFS_file_system();
search_and_destroy_the_rest_of_OS/2();
hang_system();
}
write_something(anything);
display_copyright_message();
do_nothing_loop();
do_some_stuff();
if (still_not_crashed)
{
display_copyright_message();
do_nothing_loop();
basically_run_windows_3.1();
do_nothing_loop();
do_nothing_loop();
do_nothing_loop();
}
}
if (detect_cache())
disable_cache();
if (fast_cpu()) {
set_wait_states(lots);
set_mouse(speed, very_slow);
set_mouse(action, jumpy);
set_mouse(reaction, sometimes);
}
/* printf("Welcome to Windows 3.11"); */
/* printf("Welcome to Windows 95"); */
printf("Welcome to Windows 98");
if (system_ok())
{
bsod(random_err());
crash(to_dos_prompt);
}
else
system_memory = open("a:\swp0001.swp", O_CREATE);
while(something)
{
sleep(5);
get_user_input();
sleep(5);
act_on_user_input();
sleep(5);
}
create_general_protection_fault();
}
/* author - Jonas S. Madsen */
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