

This static CD-based web site is representative of the www.microsoft.com/y2k site as of September 15th, 1999.

BIOS Date Value Does Not Immediately Update on January 1, 2000

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 4.0, 4.0 SP1, 4.0 SP2, 4.0 SP3, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5
Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 4.0, 4.0 SP1, 4.0 SP2, 4.0 SP3, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5
Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition versions 4.0, 4.0 SP4, 4.0 SP5
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

SYMPTOMS

Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5 addresses the following problem in Windows NT 4.0:

When the Windows NT System Time value rolls over from the year 1999 to 2000, the Century Byte value stored in the real time clock (RTC) is not changed until up to one hour later when the time daemon writes out the date. This issue only affects systems with older BIOSes that do not automatically update the century byte on reboot (contact your hardware manufacturer for BIOS details).
This issue may cause unexpected behavior under two conditions:
When your computer is configured using the dual boot option where another operating system may not handle this situation properly. All versions of MS-DOS fall into this category.

Some computer hardware BIOS configurations detect this behavior as an invalid date and present a query for the correct date. This may prevent a computer from restarting without user input.

NOTE: This problem only occurs if the computer is restarted during the time lapse when the dates were out of synch.

On August 5, 1999, Microsoft released an updated version of BIOS-fix that was originally included with Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5. In addition to the above, the latest version of this update corrects the following problems:

If a computer is set to a time zone which does not participate in Daylight Saving Time, refreshing the real time clock for the Year 2000 does not work.

The original update did not replace the multi-processor kernel if it existed. The updated version does.

RESOLUTION

Windows NT

A supported fix that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. If you are not severely affected by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows NT 4.0 service pack that contains this fix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the fix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

If you are running Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5:

This update has been posted to the following Internet location as Biosfixi.exe (x86) and Biosfixa.exe (Alpha):

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/NT40/hotfixes-postSP5/Y2K/BIOS2-fix

To determine if a localized version of this software update is available, change "USA" in the URL above to the appropriate localized abbreviation. Click here for a list of these abbreviations.

If you are running Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 4:

This software update has been posted to the following Internet location as Biosfixi.exe (x86) and Biosfixa.exe (Alpha):

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/NT40/hotfixes-postSP4/Y2K/BIOS2-fix

To determine if a localized version of this software update is available, change "USA" in the URL above to the appropriate localized abbreviation. Click here for a list of these abbreviations.

For information on obtaining Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 5, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q152734 How to Obtain the Latest Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack

Terminal Server

A supported software update that corrects this problem is now available from Microsoft, but it has not been fully regression tested and should be applied only to systems experiencing this specific problem. If you are not severely affected by this specific problem, Microsoft recommends that you wait for the next Windows NT 4.0, Terminal Server Edition service pack that contains this software update.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the software update. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services phone numbers and information on support costs, please go to the following address on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp

The English version of this update should have the following file attributes or later:

   Date       Time     Size        File name      Platform
   -------------------------------------------------------
   06/17/99   06:30p     991,808   Ntkrnlmp.exe   x86
   06/17/99   06:30p     971,008   Ntoskrnl.exe   x86

   06/19/99   02:43p   1,461,504   Ntkrnlmp.exe   Alpha
   06/19/99   02:43p   1,459,712   Ntoskrnl.exe   Alpha

This software update has been posted to the following Internet location as Biosfixi.exe (x86) and Biosfixa.exe (Alpha):

ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/bussys/winnt/winnt-public/fixes/usa/NT40tse/hotfixes-postSP4/Y2K/BIOS2-fix

To determine if a localized version of this software update is available, change "USA" in the URL above to the appropriate localized abbreviation. Click here for a list of these abbreviations.

STATUS

Windows NT 4.0

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 4.0. This problem was first corrected in Windows NT version 4.0 Service Pack 5.

Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT Server 4.0, Terminal Server Edition.

MORE INFORMATION

How to determine which version of the update you have installed:

Original Windows NT 4.0 Post-SP4 Biosfixa.exe

   11/23/98  05:01p             1,413,440 ntkrnlmp.exe
   11/23/98  05:00p             1,385,152 ntoskrnl.exe

Original Windows NT 4.0 Post-SP4 Biosfixi.exe

   11/23/98  05:01p               948,160 ntkrnlmp.exe
   11/23/98  05:00p               928,192 ntoskrnl.exe

New Windows NT 4.0 Post-SP5 Biosfixa.exe

   07/27/99  10:10a             1,417,664 ntkrnlmp.exe
   07/27/99  10:09a             1,389,248 ntoskrnl.exe

New Windows NT 4.0 Post-SP5 Biosfixi.exe

   07/27/99  10:11a               951,296 ntkrnlmp.exe
   07/27/99  10:10a               931,200 ntoskrnl.exe

New Windows NT 4.0 Post-SP4 Biosfixa.exe

   07/15/99  03:40p             1,413,504 ntkrnlmp.exe
   07/15/99  03:40p             1,385,152 ntoskrnl.exe

New Windows NT 4.0 Post-SP4 Biosfixi.exe

   07/15/99  03:36p               949,824 ntkrnlmp.exe
   07/15/99  03:36p               929,792 ntoskrnl.exe

Original TSE Post-SP4 Biosfixa.exe

   06/19/99  02:43p             1,461,504 ntkrnlmp.exe
   06/19/99  02:43p             1,459,712 ntoskrnl.exe

Original TSE Post-SP4 Biosfixi.exe

   06/17/99  06:30p               991,808 ntkrnlmp.exe
   06/17/99  06:30p               971,008 ntoskrnl.exe

New TSE Post-SP4 Biosfixa.exe

   08/04/99  11:47a             1,461,568 ntkrnlmp.exe
   08/04/99  11:46a             1,432,320 ntoskrnl.exe

New TSE Post-SP4 Biosfixi.exe

   08/03/99  01:13p               992,448 ntkrnlmp.exe
   08/03/99  01:12p               971,648 ntoskrnl.exe

Additional query words: y2k tse wts

Keywords          : kb2000 nt4sp5fix 
Version           : winnt:4.0,4.0 SP1,4.0 SP2,4.0 SP3,4.0 SP4,4.0 SP5
Platform          : winnt 
Issue type        : kbbug