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Microsoft Year 2000 Readiness Disclosure & Resource Center |
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Windows Operating System Interactions with BIOS and Real Time Clock |
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14. Glossary
Application: A program designed to perform a specific function for the user or for another application program. For example, word processing applications and database programs. Applications use the services of the computer's operating system and other supporting programs.
API: Application program interface. A method used to communicate a request to a computer operating system or another application.
BIOS: Basic input/output system. The firmware in a personal computer (PC) that interfaces directly with the hardware to perform input/output and other low-level functions.
Boot process: The first part of the BIOS firmware program. It starts Power On Self-Test (POST), clears the memory, sets up input/output devices, and loads the operating system from the hard disk or ROM.
Century register: Stores the first two digits of the 4-digit year. It reads either "19" in 1999 or "20" in 2000 and is not updated automatically.
Date information: Chronological time information represented as days (DD), months (MM), years (YY), and century (CC).
Firmware: Programming that is inserted into read-only memory chips.
Operating system: Software that manages the physical and logical resources of the computer. The operating system software includes file management, process scheduling, and device interfacing.
POST: Power On Self Test. When the computer is turned on, POST routines instruct the CPU to initialize the memory and ultimately the entire system. POST inventories and tests system components, after which the boot process loads the operating system.
RTC: Real Time Clock. An RTC is a battery-powered clock that is included as part of a microchip in the computer hardware. It stores system description or setup values – including values for the year, month, date, hour, minutes, and seconds.
ROM: Read only memory. Memory contents that can be read but not altered without special programming devices. (Often referred to as firmware.)
System time: The time used within the operating system or applications. This may be different than the time presented by the PC’s Real Time Clock and BIOS.
Time synchronization service: A program used to synchronize system time with an external time source such as an atomic clock. A time synchronization service is available in the Windows NT 4.0 Resource Kit.
© 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS A YEAR 2000 READINESS DISCLOSURE AND IS FOUND AT MICROSOFT’S YEAR 2000 WEBSITE LOCATED AT http://www.microsoft.com/year2000/default.htm (the "Y2K WEBSITE"). THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THE TERMS HEREOF AND THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING THE PLANNING FOR THE TRANSITION TO THE YEAR 2000. THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION CURRENTLY AVAILABLE CONCERNING THE BEHAVIOR OF MICROSOFT'S PRODUCTS WITH RESPECT TO YEAR 2000 PROCESSING AND IS UPDATED REGULARLY AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. WE THEREFORE RECOMMEND THAT YOU CHECK THE INFORMATION REGULARLY FOR ANY CHANGES. THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. MOREOVER, MICROSOFT DOES NOT WARRANT OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING THE USE OR THE RESULTS OF THE USE OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IN TERMS OF ITS CORRECTNESS, ACCURACY, RELIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY OR IN ANY WAY DECREASE THE SCOPE OF THIS WARRANTY DISCLAIMER. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, PUNITIVE OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THE INFORMATION IN THIS DOCUMENT IS FOUND AT THE Y2K WEBSITE AND IS INTENDED TO BE READ IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER INFORMATION LOCATED AT THE Y2K WEBSITE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MICROSOFT’S YEAR 2000 COMPLIANCE STATEMENT, THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CATEGORIES OF COMPLIANCE INTO WHICH MICROSOFT HAS CLASSIFIED ITS PRODUCTS IN ITS YEAR 2000 PRODUCT GUIDE, AND THE MICROSOFT YEAR 2000 TEST CRITERIA.
ANY STATEMENTS MADE TO YOU BY MICROSOFT OR CONTAINED HEREIN IN THE COURSE OF PROVIDING YEAR 2000 RELATED FIXES, YEAR 2000 DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS, OR REMEDIATION SERVICES (IF ANY) ARE SUBJECT TO THE YEAR 2000 INFORMATION AND READINESS DISCLOSURE ACT (112 STAT. 2386). IN CASE OF A DISPUTE, THIS ACT MAY REDUCE YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS REGARDING THE USE OF ANY SUCH STATEMENTS, UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED BY YOUR CONTRACT OR TARIFF.
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