What is the Y2K Hardware Problem

1
What is the Y2K Hardware Problem?

• Eric Galyon
• Academic Computing and Networking Services

2
Objectives

• Inform everyone about the cause of the problem
• Explain what exactly happens when the problem
  occurs
  
• Discuss the recommended solutions to the problem

3
The Three Clocks

• RTC (Real Time Clock)
• BIOS
• Operating System Clock

4
How are the clocks set?

• The computer battery runs the RTC while the
  computer is off
  
• At startup, the BIOS reads the RTC to set its
  time
  
• At startup, the OS reads the BIOS to set its date

5
Where is the problem?

• The RTC rarely changes to the year 2000
• Newer BIOSs check the RTC for the date 1900 and
  automatically set the year to 2000, older BIOSs
  do not
  
• The OS receives its initial time from the BIOS

6
What should happen (with a compliant BIOS)?

• The RTC will typically not roll over to the year
  2000
  
• When the machine is started on or after January
  1st, 2000, the BIOS automatically changes the
  date to 2000
  
• The operating system will receive the correct
  date from the BIOS

7
The four types of BIOSs and their failures

• Compliant BIOS
• Typical Non-Compliant BIOS
• Restricted Range BIOS
• 1900 BIOS

8
Compliant Bios

• Automatically rolls over to the year 2000 when
  the computer is left on
  
• Automatically sets the RTC to the correct value
  the first time the machine is started after the
  year 2000

9
Typical Non-Compliant BIOS

• Does not automatically roll over to the year
  2000
  
• Once the date has been set in the BIOS, the BIOS
  will hold the date and work properly. It may
  not, however, recognize the year 2000 as a leap
  year

10
Restricted Range BIOS

• Only recognizes dates between 1984 and 1999
• Will not hold the year 2000 even after it is set
  the date must be reset after every reboot

11
1900 BIOS

• Very old and rare BIOS that defaults to 1900
  after every reboot
  
• Will not hold the year 2000 even after it is set
  the date must be reset after every reboot

12
How to tell which BIOS a machine has

• Compliant BIOS
• Will pass every test

13
How to tell which BIOS a machine has

• Typical Non-Compliant BIOS
• Will fail the powered on and powered off roll
  over test
  
• Will not fail the leap year tests

14
How to tell which BIOS a machine has

• Restricted Range BIOS
• Will fail the powered on and powered off roll
  over test
  
• Will set the date to 1984 during the leap year
  powered off test

15
How to tell which BIOS a machine has

• 1900 BIOS
• Will fail the powered on and powered off roll
  over test
  
• Will set the date to 1900 during the leap year
  powered off test

16
How to fix the problem

• The appropriate fix depends on which type of BIOS
  the machine has and whether the machine is
  mission critical (a file server or a computer
  that controls a piece of hardware) or a standard
  business machine

17
Fixing a Mission Critical machine

• Upgrading is the best policy

18
Fixing a Non Mission Critical machine

• Compliant BIOS
• No action is necessary for hardware compliance

19
Fixing a Non Mission Critical machine

• Typical Non-Compliant BIOS
• Use the TF2000 software solution
• The solution will prevent the user from having to
  manually set the date after the year 2000

20
Fixing a Non Mission Critical machine

• Restricted Range BIOS
• Upgrade the machine or BIOS
• The TF2000 software solution can be used but is
  not recommended

21
Fixing a Non Mission Critical machine

• 1900 BIOS
• Upgrade the machine or BIOS
• The TF2000 software solution can be used but is
  not recommended

22
Summery

• Most year 2000 problems originate from the BIOS
• Mission critical machines should be replaced, not
  patched
  
• Machines with abnormally non-compliant BIOSs
  should be replaced, not patched

23
Dont Forget!!!

• Even brand new machines can have non-compliant
  BIOS
  
• Hardware compliance is only the first step, to be
  truly year 2000 compliant you must also check the
  operating system and applications