IBM Year 2000

PC Year 2000 Server System Solutions
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FAQ

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Is your IBM PC Server System "Ready?"
The Year 2000 Product Readiness Database provides information about whether your IBM PC server system (hardware) is ready for the transition into the Year 2000. The information provided by the Year 2000 Product Readiness Database will help you determine if your server system can benefit from a BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) update, device driver update or manual update. If you have not referenced the database, we strongly suggest doing so before moving on.

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.