Y2K Problem? What Y2K Problem?

So what can I do to protect my PC?

First, check the status of your machine's BIOS chip. Most computer manufacturers will tell you whether a chip is prepared for Y2K, and you can usually correct a problem by downloading a software patch from the Web.

I have an older operating system: What can I do to make it Y2K-compliant?

Users of Windows 3.1 (or DOS) will have more headaches than other PC users. But as the clock counts down to January 1, 2000, Microsoft is supplying downloadable fixes. Go to the Microsoft Web site and look for information on upgrades and patches. But realize that if you're using Windows 3.1, chances are good that you're also working with older applications that aren't ready for the year 2000 -- and that software makers probably won't fix those applications. In other words, now is a really good time to upgrade to Windows 98.

Coordinates: Microsoft Corp., www.microsoft.com/technet/year2k

Do I need to protect machines running Windows 95 or Windows 98?

Even if you're using a later version of Windows, there are a couple of Y2K snafus that could affect you. First, you may be using programs that you carried over from Windows 3.1. If possible, upgrade those programs to Windows 95 or 98.

Second, to catch inaccurate dates in your applications, you might need to change the Windows default for short-term dates. For example, you may not be able to tell whether that "02" in your electronic calendar is registering as 2002 or 1902. Find out by resetting Windows 98 to display two-digit years as four-digit years.

Here's how: Go to the "Start" button, select "Settings," and choose "Control Panel." Then, under "Control Panel," go to "Regional Settings" and choose the "Date" tab. In the "Short Date Style" box, select the "m/d/yyyy" option. This option allows you to look at database files, spreadsheets, and the like to see if the information in them corresponds to the right century.

I've checked out my copy of Windows 98: What do I need to do about the rest of the software on my machine?

While you're examining the "Regional Settings Date" screen in Windows 98 (see the preceding paragraph), look for an instruction that tells the system to interpret any two-digit year as falling between 1930 and 2029. This function is known in computer parlance as a system's "pivot year."

Every software program has a "pivot year," which varies from package to package. A pivot year determines whether the software assigns a two-digit year to the 20th or the 21st century.

Say that you're using Microsoft Access 97, which uses the number "30" as its pivot year. Thus, if you enter "18," Access will assume that you mean 2018. If you enter "98," the program will assume that you mean 1998. To check the pivot year of your software, look for a date option in the program's settings, or visit the software manufacturer's Web site.

Will the Y2K bug keep me from cruising the Web?

No one can guarantee that, come January, your Web experience will be free of troubles. There are simply too many vulnerable links in the Internet chain: your phone company, your Internet-service provider, Internet routers, even electricity-generating utilities. Trouble at any one of these points could slow or stop traffic on the Net. But there is one thing that you can do on your own: Make sure that you have downloaded the latest Web browser to your machine.

Any version of Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer that is labeled 4.0 or higher is Y2K-compliant. If you have an older version, go to the Netscape or Microsoft Web site and download a newer one. The time that you spend downloading now is worth the aggravation that you'll avoid later. Both programs are free.

Coordinates: Netscape Communications Inc., www.netscape.com; Microsoft Corp., www.microsoft.com

So that's it?

Not quite. One of the frustrating things about Y2K is that the more promiscuous you are with data, the greater the chance that your computer will be reinfected. For example, if a colleague emails you a spreadsheet that isn't Y2K-compliant, that document could torpedo your efforts to avoid problems.

And if you do online banking or bill paying, or any of the other online tasks that are becoming more and more popular, you could encounter even greater headaches. Fortunately, you don't have to waste time checking every application and every bit of information on your computer. Instead, simply check out the five sidebars that accompany this article: They're full of remedies and resources.