PC Year 2000 Server System
Solutions
Evaluating PC Server System Status Reports
The Year 2000 Product Readiness Database should have generated one of the following status
reports for your PC server system: "HW Ready *," "HW Ready," "Not
Ready +" or "Not Ready."
HW Ready
If your PC server system was given a status of "HW Ready," (Hardware Ready) then
your server system is already prepared to transition into the next century. You do not
need to take any further action. As a warning, do NOT test your server system with a
device driver, as it may not be compatible on your system.
HW Ready *
If your PC server system was given a status of "HW Ready *," then your server
system may benefit most from a BIOS (Basis Input/Output System) update IF your server
system is running on a "Ready" operating system. Updating to the most current
BIOS level may improve the ability of the BIOS to update the system's hardware clock to
the Year 2000. Your operating system and application software programs MUST be Year 2000
Ready to take advantage of or benefit from a BIOS update. As a warning, do NOT test your
server system with a device driver, as it may not be compatible on your system.
- Obtaining your PC Server System's BIOS
Now that you have determined your server's BIOS level, follow these steps to download it:
- Go to the PC Technical Support site
- Select your server family
- Select the machine type (if applicable)
- Select the model
- Click on the link "Downloadable files"
to display the most recent BIOS level available. Alpha and numeric characters may prefix
and/or suffix a BIOS level file name. (example: BUKT26AUS and M54PE_09N)
- Reference, diagnostic and configuration utilities
necessary to make your server Year 2000 Ready (i.e. EISA Configuration Diskette 3.30 for
BIOS level 09N), are available at the corresponding "Downloadable Files" screen.
Not Ready +
If your PC server system was given a status of "Not Ready +," then the IBM Year
2000 Device Driver may be a solution to help you address your system's Year 2000
challenge. Your operating system and application software programs MUST be Year 2000 Ready
to take advantage of or benefit from a device driver update.
If you determine after reviewing the Year 2000
Product Readiness Database that an IBM device driver has not been tested on your server
model, then you will need to manually reset the date after
the Year 2000 occurs. If your server model has been tested with an IBM Year 2000 Device
Driver and designated Not Ready+, visit the IBM Year 2000 Device
Driver section of this site to download a device driver.
Not Ready If your PC server system was
given a status of "Not Ready," then you need to manually reset the date after
the Year 2000 occurs. Click here for directions on manually
resetting the date on an IBM PC system.
For Windows NT users only: Once a system
has been successfully updated to a Year 2000 date, if you wish to reset the date back to
year 19xx, you must set the date in a stand-alone DOS environment. This will allow you to
return to the year you are in at the time of testing.
Need More Information?
Please visit the IBM PSG Year 2000 Home Page for other helpful
options and more information on the Year 2000 challenge.
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