|
Microsoft Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure & Resource Center |
|
|
|
|
Windows Operating System Interactions with BIOS and Real Time Clock |
|
2. Abstract
This paper addresses the interaction of the computer’s Real Time Clock (RTC) and basic input/output system (BIOS) with the following Microsoft® operating systems: Windows NT® version 3.51, Windows NT® version 4.0, Windows® 98, Windows® 95, Windows® 3.x, and MS-DOS® version 5.x or later. Windows® operating systems insulate applications from most, although not all, Year 2000 rollover issues.
Microsoft appreciates the inputs to this document provided by Compaq, Dell, Gateway, Greenwich Mean Time, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Phoenix Technologies, and the RighTime Company.
A key part of preparing your computing environment for the turn of the century is knowing what your PC’s operating system will do, what the RTC/BIOS will do, and what the RTC/BIOS will do as it performs Power On Self Tests (POST) after the rollover. This paper includes easy-to-use tests to help customers determine whether or not their machine’s RTC/BIOS combination and operating system are Year-2000 ready. Microsoft recommends that customers install the free updates for operating systems and applications that Microsoft makes available from time to time—before conducting Year 2000 rollover tests.
Microsoft recommends that customers carefully evaluate their systems and test their computing environment from end to end to address overall Year 2000 issues. Microsoft technologies, services and partners can be key components in your Year 2000 solution efforts. Microsoft partners offer expert services and tools to help you evaluate the Year 2000 readiness of your PC hardware and applications. These services look at both Microsoft and non-Microsoft platforms so that you can evaluate existing applications no matter what operating environment they are currently running on. For links to third-party tools and service providers, see Year 2000 Tools located at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/year2k/tools/tools.htm. Microsoft has not tested, and makes no warranties concerning, any third-party products or resources such as those listed above.
|
|
|
Features
