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!:
These tests assume a basic familiarity with DOS and the BIOS setup. In the BIOS setup, changing the wrong thing can make your computer into an expensive paperweight. If you decide to do these tests, TAKE YOUR TIME! Don't do anything you aren't completely comfortable with.
Remember, a computer is a tempermental beast. You should be able to follow these tests without problems, but?well, maybe not. Therefore, this page is provided for informational purposes only, as there is no way inet-asst.com can provide assistance for individual computer users.

Step One: Test the Operating System
Boot to a DOS prompt: When your computer is starting, press the F8 key to call up the boot menu. (If your boot menu doesn't show up, press F8 repeatedly until you see it.) Select "Safe Mode Command Prompt Only" to bypass start-up files.

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
Without changing anything from Step One, reboot to DOS. At the C:> prompt, type DATE. If the date is January 1, 2000, then your OS/BIOS combo is y2k compliant. If not, you have a problem with your BIOS or RTC.

Step Three: Test the BIOS
Reboot and enter the BIOS setup. This is usually done by pressing the DEL key, the F8 key or the F1 key; at boot-up, you'll see a line telling you how on your system. Set the BIOS date to December 31, 1999 and the time to 23:59:50 or so. Wait until the BIOS's time display rolls past midnight and see if the date and time are changing properly. If they do, the BIOS is y2k compliant.

Step Four: Test the BIOS/RTC Combination
Still inside the BIOS setup, reset the date to December 31, 1999 and the time to 23:58:00. Save and exit the BIOS setup, reboot to DOS, turn off the computer and wait long enough for the date to change. Turn it back on and enter the BIOS setup. If the date is January 1, 2000, your BIOS and RTC are working together properly to handle the date change.

Final Check:
Without changing anything from Step Four, exit the BIOS setup and reboot to DOS. At the C:> prompt, type DATE and press Enter. If it says January 1, 2000, you're fully y2k compliant.

The Leap Year problem:
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.

IMPORTANT!:
Before you go back to Windows, make sure you change the date and time back!

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:

   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. 

   Key                        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. 

   Key                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. 

   Key                                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. 

   Key               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 

   Key               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 

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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