Year 2000 Compliance Information for PC Systems
Precautions on Performing Y2K Compliance Testing
Introduction
By their very nature, Y2K exposures are time-sensitive
and time-driven. Basic Y2K testing requires that you set the system date
and time to a point where Y2K exposures can be detected, then removed.
Be extremely careful before resetting the system
timer. Some system resources and functions are time-sensitive and may be
activated or de-activated when you reset the system clock. Such effects
can occur when you either set the system clock forward or backward. Without
careful planning, you could cause the loss of these system resources and/or
functions, some of which might be very difficult and time-consuming to
recover. So, follow the guidelines below in carrying Y2K tests:
Please click here
for information on Y2K Compliance Statement.
Before Testing
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Check that all software licenses enforcement features
installed, Product Authorization Keys or PAKs will not expire during the
testing period.
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Perform a complete backup of the system, including
both system disks and associated data disks. Back up to spare disks drives,
if possible.
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Be sure that there are no pending batch or print
jobs and that no background processes are running unless they are to be
included in the Y2K testing.
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To ensure data integrity, remove the system to be
tested from the production environment if necessary. For examples:
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Disconnect computer physically from network
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Disconnect devices/equipments from computer
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For testing hardware system only, create a bootable
floppy. Use only this medium for the test. The data and programs on
your hard disks will therefore be unaffected. Once created, leave the diskette
in the drive in order to force your computer to be booted from the diskette
(instead of hard disk) during the Y2K testing.
-
If your PC is running a windows system provided/supported by ITSC, you
are required to take special care on the PC's system clock because the
system's date/time setting will be synchronized with central time servers
during each PC re-boot. Please refer to Handling
PC's System Date/Time Before Y2K Testing for more details.
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In case you want to perform Y2K testing on your own PC (systems not provided
by ITSC) and need help, you may send mail to CCHELP for assistance.
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To facilitate our users to test their programs/systems when needed, ITSC
has arranged a PC at ITSC's HelpDesk for the purpose. You are welcomed
to visit our HelpDesk to use the reserved PC to perform your own testing.
To perform testing, you may need to adjust the system date/time of the
PC. In that case, you may ask our HelpDesk colleagues for help.
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Before performing the Y2K test, double check if the
testing will cause any problems/impacts on any files, documents, databases,
systems, or devices.
After Testing
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After Y2K testing is completed, resume systems back
to normal:
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Reconnect computer to network as required
-
Reconnect computer with other devices/equipments
as required
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Restore correct date/time
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Restore data from backup system as required
A Brief Summary
To summarize, the following 3 aspects should be considered for carrying
out Y2K compliance testing:
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Application
: Software application/systems that you need to use
-
Operation
System : Operating System (OS) that the applications/systems
run on
-
Hardware
: PC hardware (Real Time Clock and BIOS on motherboard)