Old PC systems at WORK, WIN311, will it work

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My work place has lots of old Pentiums and such that still run on Windows 3.1. The boss said that the computers are all compliant, however can they read files with a date of 00? Is this a big problem? Where can I find information on old WIN311 Systems and problems associated. The Microsoft site says that WIN311 is compliant. Is this true? Are we ok if the computer clocks (&BIOS) is ok?

PS: I posted this on an other thread but I did not get any answers. This may not be a problem for you, but my job depends on those old computers!

Answers please!


-- I'm (Worried@Concern.com), August 12, 1999


If you are so darned worried, why don't you use a real name and address?

-- Gordon (gpconnolly@aol.com), August 12, 1999.

Hey wait a minute here did your boss say that everything was compliant, WOW thats great, why dont you roll everything forward tonight say to Feb 31 2000 and see what happens. shut her down if you can..rebot firsthing in the morning. come back on this thread and let the doctor know how you made out..even if you have to use someone elses PC.???????

-- Les (yoyo@tolate.com), August 12, 1999.

Tolls are nice, but they do not give useful information.

This is a real issue, my job DOES depend on these OLD machines being able to read old files, and to continue in PRODUCTION!

Real answers Please!

-- I'm (Worried@Concern.com), August 12, 1999.

From what I have read, Win3.1 is not compliant and your older pentiums are more than likely junk. Please continue to ask the question till you get this confirmed.


-- FLAME AWAY (BLehman202@aol.com), August 12, 1999.

You really are a jerk.

-- Harddrive (lost@likeyou.com), August 12, 1999.

I'm, I will assume this is a serious post. Microsoft calls Windows 3.1 "compliant" IF you comply with instructions...go back to the site. Basically it is not fully compliant, there are some minor y2k issues. However, it will work fine, display the date correctly, etc (assuming your PC is ok, if it's not most will take the date manually on Jan.1 2000 and be good to go from then on for almost all typical uses. Your Pentiums, if not fully compliant, almost certainly will be able to maintain the Jan. 1, 2000 date if enetered manually. I suggest you update the Windows 3.1 file manager (available from the website y2k page for it) - this will correct the file date display which will be ;0 (or :0, been a while since I tested this) for the year 00 unless you update.

By the way, the "PC is toast" thing is just another myth - I haven't seen a single confirmed case of a standard IBM compatible PC that won't run (although perhaps with a date of Jan 4, 1980) come January 1, 2000. Regards,

-- FactFinder (FactFinder@bzn.com), August 12, 1999.

FactFinder is correct, get the File Manager update. W/3.11 itself is actually pretty good, and most Pentiums aren't bad, even if you do have to set the date when you boot... remember the original PC days?

But, your other software may be the big problem. Since it is "older" software, it may have Y2K issues, and, since it's older software, the vendor may not support it, or offer Y2K updates. You need to check out what you are running, if you really want to stick with 3.11. My backup 386 still runs it! <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yaahoo.com), August 12, 1999.


And I'm not saying that you shouldn't "check out" ALL of your software, no matter what OS you run. It may be harder to get Y2K info on W/3.11 programs, that's all.

Just trying to put out a fire, before it starts! <:)=

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), August 13, 1999.

sysman was right. Good answer. I have tested MANY 286s and they are all toast so far. 15 of the 25 386s are also toast. some 486s, about 20 are like the 386s in that you will have to set the date AND time on 2000-01-01 and may also have to set it again on leap years.

Most of the 486s and 586s (pentiums) can be tested for the date rollovers with FREEWARE from many sites on the net. Just do a search on Y2k +tools and you can find them. These tools won't crash your system (usually).

The biggest problem you will probably have is your out of date software. Here is a quick test. If your program uses any type of date projection functions like a calendar, make an appointment or a to-do-list entry for 01-01-2000 and see if the "software" will accept the date. Most windows 3.1x software does those calculations in DOS mode where you don't see it.

I may not be explaining this right, I am not a programer or technician. I have a group of neighborhood kids here in the garage most evenings and we work on anything. We have tested ( and junked ) a great many PCs over the years.

A case in point. Many older PCs had "PFS WindowWorks" or even earlier version called "Eight-In-One", both great ( easy and functional ) word proccessing programs with DB, calendar etc. Neither will work into 2000 even when loaded onto a 4,5,or 686 system. The BIOS and CMOS are ok but the software itself locks up the system. This is a big worry for me. I have mom&pops organizations that are still using DOS 5.0 and "peachTree" accounting software from the same era. They can't afford to scrap and rebuild their systems.

I hope this helps in some small way. It is bread-winners like you "Worried" that will help save all of our bacons when the crunch comes by asking the "real" questions.

I still haven't received an answer from my company's Y2k guru.

Individual Preparedness for those that can, Community Preparedness for us that can't.

-- Richard Bloom (rfbloom@usa.net), August 13, 1999.

Richard Bloom, I want to let you know I am proud of you. You spending your time with neighbor kids and teaching them computers as you are is probably giving them a head start on technology. The interest you generate in their minds will take them far in their drive for learning and understanding computer technology, way beyound the other kids who stare at TV or have brand new computers and only use them for playing games.

You deserve a pat on the back.

-- Cherri (sams@brigadoon.com), August 13, 1999.

Richard Bloom,

Excellent Post. Just one question though.

What kind of Failure did the BIOS have? Did it not reboot? Did the POST fail? I'm more interested in the Hardware than the Software.

If the HW doesn't work on a 286 386 486 then it won't matter what OS you have on the darn thing. (My experience is that the BIOS rolls the Date and therefore on the Software, but that there may be no way to reset ANY OTHER time keeping mechanism in the firmware/hardware if it exists.)

Great post though. And I'll voice with Cherri on your Community Service!!!!!


-- Thomas G. Hale (hale.tg@att.net), August 13, 1999.

Factfinder; (and others)

Thank you for your help! I will go to the MS site and get the File Manager update. This is a big worry to me as I am not much of a computer jock (more like a computer Joke) and need these things to do my job. I feel a little better but still concerned. Thanks

-- I'm (Worried@Concern.com), August 13, 1999.

Thanks folks, what we do in the garage is so much fun for me. With more schooling, I would have loved to be a teacher.

The older sytems (BIOS, CMOS)when 12-31-99 / 11:58pm is set for the date (in the DOS date / time from a DOS screen ), we let them run on their own. The 286's usually roll back to 1980 - 1984, depending upon the BIOS brand. The 386's usually go back to 1984 -1990 also many 486's and some 586's also go back to 1990 although we have found a few that go to 1992-1995 and some even rollover correctly. The ones that rollover correctly usually handle the leap year issue correctly but not all of them. You have to test these machines.

FYI The 286's and 386's are now considered "garbage" in our area, they are not accepted as "recyclable material" so we use them for word proccessing only.

All the kids have to fill out an "employment form" with their parents. Whenever they work in the garage, whether I give a lecture or we are actually working on something, they get straight time. Whenever they perform "community Service" voluntary work for other than Mom and Dad, they bring in a work order signed by the person they worked for, they receive double time. When a project is completed, bicycle, computer, scateboard, whatever, if more than one wants it, whoever has the most time on their card gets to keep the project and their time card is zeroed.

I have an eight year old girl and an 11 year old boy that want to build a robot out of floppy drive motors, cool eh? Now I become the student and they are the teachers.

Keep the posts coming folks. I was a little depressed until I found a few of these threads here. Most "adults" don't want to face Y2k in my neighborhood. The "WannaBeWorkers" are dealing with it just like we do everything else here in the garage.

Waht's the problem, do we know how to fix it, is it worth fixing, would somebody be hurt if we did/did not fix it, will we be better humans for fixing it, lets fix it. Case in point, sewers, how do you close of a sewer line. Answer, open cleanout between house and street, install childs inflatable bouncy-ball into downhill side, inflate, tie-off, install 3 or 4 small sandbags with ropes tied to them to remove them when everything is back to "normal" and tamp the sandbags to hold the ball in. The kids figured this one out and we tried it at our house.

These kids are not afraid to try anything. They have given me hope at this turning point of human history.

Take care folks, God Bless and good health to you and yours. Richard Bloom

-- Richard Bloom (rfbloom@usa.net), August 14, 1999.

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