IBM Year 2000

PC Year 2000 Device Driver
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FAQ

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Is your IBM PC system "Ready?"
The Year 2000 Product Readiness Database can provide information as to whether your IBM PC model (hardware) is "Ready" or "Not Ready." Another option is the PC Year 2000 Evaluation Tool, which is also designed to test the hardware of a PC one system at a time. If your PC is designated as "Not Ready," the IBM Year 2000 Device Driver may be a helpful option for you to consider. If you have not determined if your system is Year 2000 Ready by referencing Product Readiness Database, we strongly recommend doing so before moving on.

Is your Operating System "Ready?"
In addition to testing your hardware, or PC system, we also suggest you test your operating system to ensure that it is ready for the Year 2000. To successfully transition your PC system into the next century it is important that both your PC model and its operating are Year 2000 Ready. Use the links below to help determine if your PC's operating system is "Ready."

Operating systems useful links

Is a Device Driver the best option for you?
IBM has developed IBM Year 2000 Device Drivers to support several operating systems and is an option for you only if your PC is running one of those operating systems. To ensure that the Device Driver will function properly, it is critical that the device driver be used on a PC with a Year 2000 Ready operating system. Each of the operating systems that that the device driver supports are listed below with a description of that operating system's device driver option:

Device Driver for OS/2 Warp 3.0, OS/2 Warp 4.0 and OS/2 Warp users
The device driver for OS/2 Warp 3.0, OS/2 Warp 4.0 and OS/2 Warp Server driver is also available as part of the OS/2 Device Driver Pack and is included in the latest OS/2 Warp Service Pack.

Device Driver for Microsoft Windows 3.1x, PC Servers for
Novells Netware 3.12 and 4.11 users

The DOS version of the Year 2000 device driver has been tested on MS Windows 3.1x systems. This same driver has also been tested on PC Servers for Novell Netware 3.12 and 4.11 with the Year 2000 service patches installed.

Device Driver for Microsoft Windows '95 and Windows NT users
The device driver for MS Windows '95 and Windows NT users is tested on all Windows '95 operating systems, and it supports these systems as well as Windows NT versions 3.51 and 4.0 operating systems.

* Please install all sevice packs recommended by the operating system developer. Novell Netware 3.12 and 4.11 systems require the Year 2000 patch.

Making the Transition
Once downloaded and installed, the device driver is designed to automatically update the century digits of the hardware clock correctly if the machine is powered "on" during the century transition. It is also designed to ensure that the century digits of the hardware clock are correctly updated when the machine is rebooted after the Year 2000 occurs.

Evaluating PC System Status Reports
The Year 2000 Product Readiness Database should have given your system a status report of either one of the following: "Not Ready +" or "Not Ready."

Not Ready +
If your PC system was given a status of "Not Ready +," your PC model has been tested with all of the device drivers described above. Please select any one of the device drivers and follow the instructions to prepare your system for the transition into the next century.

Not Ready
If your PC system was given a status of "Not Ready," then your PC model was not tested with any of the device drivers listed above. You need to run the Year 2000 Device Driver Compatibility Program, which will create a self booting diskette that can check your PC BIOS, and it will determine if your PC system is compatible with any of the IBM Year 2000 Device Drivers described. Instructions for downloading and running this program are included. If you decide to install a device driver it is critical that you test your PC model with the driver.

IBM PC Server Systems
If you own a PC Server system, visit the IBM Year 2000 PC Server Systems section of this site. This section provides specific information about device drivers and other options especially designed for IBM PC server systems.