From...

September 22, 1999
Web posted at: 11:17 a.m. EDT (1517 GMT)

by Max Green

(IDG) -- A recent National Science Foundation poll found that fewer people than ever are concerned about Y2K disruptions. Whether or not this faith is misplaced, it's always a good idea to prepare for the worst -- especially when the cost of prevention is so low. Most of the programs on this list are free, and the ones that do cost money are a bargain compared with the expense of restoring your data if a disruption does occur. This list of popular downloads includes a humorous screen saver and a countdown program as well, so give them a try and experience peace of mind in knowing your PC is Y2K compliant.

1. Millennium Bug Kit: This $50 utility will make your PC year-2000 ready. Its power on-off Real-Time Clock tests your computer's internal clock, and the utility fixes any inconsistencies in the BIOS without reprogramming the chip. It also makes sure your computer understands that the year 2000 is a leap year.

2. IntelliFIX 2000: Check each component of your PC for Y2K compliance. IntelliFix 2000 diagnoses and repairs all of your computer's BIOS date problems and corrects your computer's CMOS real-time clock, ensuring that your PC is permanently free from future date conflicts. Note: This trialware download requires registration.

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3. DateReport: This free Excel 97 add-in analyzes your spreadsheets to identify potential Y2K problems.

4. Attack of the Y2K Bug: Watch the dreaded Y2K bug wreak havoc on your desktop with this free humorous screen saver. Attack of the Y2K Bug features cute little "Y2K" bugs demolishing your screen.

5. Norton 2000 BIOS Test and Fix: Compare your PC against a database of known year-2000 problems. This free utility generates a bootable disk that tests your system, then provides a comprehensive report of its findings. It tests your system's BIOS, real-time clock and system clock, and more.

6. Office 95 Year 2000 Update: This update addresses known year-2000-related issues in Microsoft's Office 95. Years entered as 00-29 are assumed to be in the range 2000 through 2029, whereas years entered as 30-99 are assumed to be in the range 1930 through 1999. You can install the update if you have the Office 95 suite or if you have any of the individual programs installed.

7. Test2000: Head off the risk of your system going haywire and your data disappearing into the ether by making sure it complies with year-2000 standards.

8. Y2K Test: Check your PC's real-time clock to make sure that it is year-2000 compliant. Y2K Test examines your PC's system, BIOS, and real-time clocks, and tells you if your system passes or fails.

9. NSTL Ymark2000: Check your system for year-2000 compatibility using this test routine. It may cause problems with some Compaq DeskPros, so read the instructions.

10. Y2K Screen Saver: Display the countdown to the millennium in the form of a screen saver for Windows 3.x, 95, and NT. It shows the months, days, and minutes to the new century.