| Microsoft Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure
& Resource Center |
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| 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 timeùbefore 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 the section on Year 2000 Tools
at the Microsoft Year 2000
Readiness Disclosure & Resource Center Web site. Microsoft
has not tested, and makes no warranties concerning, any third-party
products or resources such as those listed above.
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