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Y2K Bug Hunting - Where to find bug zapping tools
This page is a set of general links to Y2K information sources and possible fixes.
Note: All information is given in good faith. You should make your own checks and assure yourself that your software and hardware are compliant. Links may have changed or expired since this information was first collated. If you find any errors on this page, or have additional resources, please email me with details.
WordStar
- For WordStar Y2K information look here
- For WordStar for Windows Y2K information check this page
- For Xoom WordPro see WordStar for Windows on this page
PC Hardware
- A good page to find PC testing information is Robert Hilliard's Y2K PC BIOS Page
- RighTime have testing and a BIOS patch available here
- Symantec has a free "Norton 2000 Bios Test and Fix" download site
- Various PC Check procedures can be found at these sites:
DOS
MS-DOS
See Microsoft MS-DOS
DR-DOS
DR-DOS 7.02 and 7.03 are fully Y2K compliant and will also automatically fix non-compliant BIOS's. Now available from here. Also check this site.
DR-DOS 7.01 may roll the date back to 1980 although this hasn't been confirmed.
Latest version (DR-DOS 7.03) is available for download from here.
Full DR-DOS archive is here.
Earlier versions, unknown. Consider upgrading to the latest version. (see above).
DR Multiuser DOS v5.1 rolls over to 2156!
Caldera Open-DOS
Caldera's Open-DOS, not known. Consider upgrading to the latest version (now reverted to its original name, DR-DOS).
Novell DOS (NW-DOS)
Novell DOS (NW-DOS), not known. Consider upgrading to the latest version (now reverted to its original name, DR-DOS)
IBM PC-DOS
The latest version, PC-DOS 2000, is compliant. Check IBM's Web site for details.
PC-DOS 7 (Basically MS-DOS 6.x with different utilities) needs a patch which is available free from IBM's Web site.
Microsoft
MS-DOS
[version 6.x] | [ version 5.x] | [earlier versions]MS-DOS 6x is said to be compliant. However:
- The DATE command has problems with two-digit dates
- XCOPY - likewise doesn't like two-digit dates
- MSBACKUP may give errors or warnings due to backups appearing to be older than previous versions. Microsoft hasn't announced any plans to correct these issues as it considers them to be minor neusenses.
Check Microsoft's Y2K site or this Microsoft page for more details.
MS-DOS 5 is said to be compliant with minor issues. This means that the basic DOS is OK (Check the date command out as neither DOS 4 or 6.22 are without problems!), but that utilities supplied with it may not be. Check Microsoft's Y2K site for more details.
MS-DOS 4 and earlier are not compliant and Microsoft has no intention of updating them. The options are to set your PC's clock back to an earlier leap year, upgrade to MS-DOS 6.22 (which also has 'minor' problems) or to DR-DOS 7 or PC-DOS 2000.
Windows 98
Windows 9x Regional Settings if only two digit years are selected programs will fail is a Y2K bug Hoax. Microsoft's response to this hoax can be found here (Link broken)
Microsoft has released a Y2K update 2 to fix the following problems:
- The Personal Web server has problems with leap years.
- The OLE system cannot accept dates of 2030 or greater.
- The DOS Xcopy command has problems with two-digit dates of between 80 and 99.
Windows 95 (all versions)
Windows 9x Regional Settings if only two digit years are selected programs will fail is a Y2K bug Hoax. Microsoft's response to this hoax can be found here (Link broken)
Windows 95 (all versions) need a number of updates to clear Y2K issues. The update is available on CD from Microsoft, or from here. Further details are available from here and yet more are available from here.
Windows 3.1 and 3.11
If you've got Windows 3.1 or 3.11 (Not Windows for Workgroups 3.11) File Manager needs updating to enable it to display the dates of files correctly if the date is in 2000 or later. The update is called W31filup.exe. Check this page for more details.
Other Win3x updates including Y2K can be found at Calmira's Web site - also check out their Win9x style desktop update!
Windows for Workgroups 3.11
If you've got Windows for Workgroups 3.11 (Not Windows 3.1 or 3.11). File Manager needs updating to enable it to display the dates of files correctly if the date is in 2000 or later. The file you need is Wfwfilup.exe update. Check this page for more details.
Other Win3x updates including Y2K can be found at Calmira's Web site - also check out their Win9x style desktop update!
Windows NT4
If you've got Windows NT4 you should check Microsoft's Y2K Web site. One potential problem is with writing the date to the BIOS. See this page for details.
Word 5 for DOS
Won't accept a 4-digit-year and will corrupt your files after 1999. According to Microsoft's Y2K pages, even if you turn off the document-summary feature the program tries to put the date in the file header and will cause data loss.
Word 5.5 is a Y2K update to Word 5 and is a free download.
- Download details (no longer available)
- Word 5.5 download (updated 21 April 2005)
Microsoft - General Information
dBase III
TopWhen Ashton-Tate DBase III+ sees a date ending in a date field ending in "00" it assumes "1900" for the year Galen Gilbert has a work-around.
VDE
VDE 1.81 (in 1996) was the first Y2K-compliant version. The only problem with continuing to use an even earlier version is that any date displays in MM/DD/YY format would show "100", "101" etc for the year instead of "00", "01".
Linux
Linux has no Y2K problems.
Copyright © 1999-2004 Michael Petrie, United Kingdom.