IBM-AUSTRIA - PC-HW-Support    30 Aug 1999

INVALID SYSTEM DATE IN PS/2 MODEL 95 RUNNING OS/2

    Record number:       H166544
    Device:              D/T8595
    Model:               M
    Hit count:           UHC00000
    Success count:       USC0000
    Publication code:    PC50
    Tip key:
    Date created:        O99/05/19
    Date last altered:   A99/05/19
    Owning B.U.:         USA


Abstract: INVALID SYSTEM DATE IN PS/2 MODEL 95 RUNNING OS/2

SYMPTOM:

System reports a POST 163 error due to an invalid date, or the date becomes incorrect once OS/2 is loaded in a PS/2 Model 95, that was upgraded from a Type 1, 2 or 3 Processor card with a Type 4 Processor card using BIOS 9.

Note: This is not a year 2000 problem. The error occurs in 1999 and years before 1999, but not in year 2000 and beyond.

PROBLEM ISOLATION AIDS:

•  The system is any of the following IBM servers:

    a PS/2 Model 95, Type 9595, any model.
    a PS/2 Model 95, Type 8595, any model.

•  The system has been upgraded from a Type 1, 2 or 3 processor card to a Type 4 processor card.
•  The system is configured with any version of OS/2 with any level of fix pack applied.
•  The BIOS level affected is: 9

  Note: If the system was originally manufactured with a Type 4 processor card, this tip does not apply.

FIX:

A defect in the ABIOS had been corrected in BIOS Revision 10.

WORKAROUND:

If BIOS revision 9 is being used in a OS/2 system, the system date is required to correct manually every time the system is shutdown and restarted during the year of 1999.
It works fine in year 2000 and beyond. Use the System Setup utility to set the correct date.

BIOS version 3 and 5 do not have the problem, however, BIOS version 3 and 5 are not Year 2000 ready.

DETAILS:

A defect in the ABIOS within BIOS 8 and 9 could cause invalid system date when boot to OS/2, the defect is caused by mis-handling of Real Time Clock register's information, and it affects only OS/2.
Update to BIOS 10 will fix the problem. Although it's not required, BIOS 10 can be installed in systems using other supported operating systems beside OS/2.

BIOS 10 image file (00N8671.EXE) is available from the following URL:

http://www.pc.ibm.com/searchfiles.html
search on "00N8671"

The corresponding Text file (00N8671.TXT) is viewable on-line and may be printed.

To creating a BIOS update diskette, the downloaded file (00N8671.EXE) is a self-extracting executable file that will prompt for a diskette. Follow instructions on the display to create the diskette.

Once the new BIOS is installed, the system SETUP provides the following information on the Display Revision Levels screen indicating the version and date of the newly installed BIOS:

                 486DX/2 66MHz System        Pentium System
                 Type 4 Processor card    Type 4 Processor card
       ----------------------------------------------------------
       BIOS P/N          00N8672                 00N8671
       Date              04/30/99                04/30/99
       Model             F8                      F8
       Sub-model         xx                      xx
       Revision level    10                      10

Note: The Sub-model's "xx" is system dependent.

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