Check Your PC for This

Small problem and fix for a Y2K glitch

After running a quick little test, much to my surprise, I learned that both of my computers would have failed on 01-01-2000 due to a computer clock glitch. Fortunately, a quick fix is provided:

Double click on "My Computer".

Double click on "Control Panel".

Double click on "Regional Settings" icon.

Click on the "Date" tab at the top of the page.

Where it says, "Short Date Sample", look and see if it shows a "two digit" year. Of course it does. That's the default setting for Windows 95, Windows 98 and NT. This date RIGHT HERE is the date that feeds application software and WILL NOT rollover in the year 2000. It will roll over to 00.

Click on the button across from "Short Date Style" and select the option that shows, mm/dd/yyyy. (Be sure your selection has four Y's showing, not two) Then click on "Apply" and then click on "OK" at the bottom. Easy enough to fix. However, every single installation of Windows worldwide is defaulted to fail Y2K rollover.

How many people know about it? How many people know to change that? What will be the effect? Who knows. But this is another example of the pervasiveness and systemic nature of the problem.

As far as MAC users, you will have to contact the dealers to see if there is a similar problem and fix.

-- flb (fben4077@yahoo.com), July 24, 1999

Answers

Mac Users - Goto: Control Panel; Date & Time; Date Formats... check "Show Century." That's it.

-- dw (y2k@outhere.com), July 24, 1999.

I would like someone to verify this fix before I start mucking around. And this is fixing Windows or the hardware?? I am confused! But it takes very little to do that to me. Thanks...Taz

-- Taz (Tassie@aol.com), July 24, 1999.

Taz, it just resets the default on Windows. Your date will read 7/24/1999 instead of 7/24/99 on your clock on the start menu and things like when you ask MS Word to insert a date.

It's an easy thing to do, and you can't hurt anything.

dw, sorry but that's all it said about Mac, and I don't know anything about Mac.

-- flb (fben4077@yahoo.com), July 24, 1999.

flb, I have a question for you..... I went to the setting like you said....and I have both, the two diget year and the four diget year. Neither have a tab to switch from one or the other, it appears to be using both dates. Is that possible?

-- bulldog (sniffin@around.com), July 24, 1999.