Re: The sky is falling! (1-1-2000, fer sure!) - rev 1.0

[Orin Eman <orin@wolfenet.com>]

> >Subject: ECU viruses
> >
> original message snipped, except "do a yahoo search on "y2k problem" for
> more info. . ."

> Well, I took my own advice (duhhh.) and did it - and did I ever get an
> eyeful!!!!!

> Problem is that *NO* desktop computers (Mac and some older PS-2s seemingly
> excepted) handle the year 2000 rollover properly - not 286, 386, 486, 586,
> Pentium, 686, nothing! And they all screw up in different ways. Dell says
> "Oh you'll just have to set the date manually - every time you turn it on
> or reboot!!!!"

I don't think it's that bad... 

http://www.microsoft.com/CIO/Articles/YEAR2000FAQ.htm

covers a lot of the OS issues.

"Microsoft is aware of BIOS that only work through 1999 and either
cannot be reset at all to 1/1/2000 or need to be reset every time
the system is turned on. Given the source of this BIOS problem,
the large majority of these systems are believed to be located in Asia."

In addition, most PCs sold in the last few years have flash upgradable
BIOSes.  While not trivial, it isn't that difficult to reflash a BIOS.

Orin.