1999-05-27 Version 1.5 of SLUG2000 is now released. A really silly typo exists in previous versions of SLUG2000. Line 350 reads IF Y$= but should read IF YY$= This means that the year change detect routine was switched off. Not a serious problem, but for the fanatic perfectionist, not good enough. The toolkits and SLUG2000 source will be refreshed and reloaded on the websites. The following versions are now dropped as redundant: SLUG2011 - full function, compiled with MS QB 1.1 SLUG2Q11 - non display, compiled with MS QB 1.1 So we are back to two optional executables: SLUG2000 - full function, compiled with MS QB 4.5 SLUG200Q - non display, compiled with MS QB 4.5 This was detected in the process of testing Y2k fix tools. I set the date manually to 1980-01-01 and the fixer interpreted this as 2080-01-01, and although SLUG2000 breezily wishes you HAPPY NEW YEAR, it whizzes past and fails to get confirmation of the year change. O the Joys of IT. Chris Anderson 1999-03-01 Version 1.4 of SLUG2000 is now released. A small percentage of machines have been found where SLUG2000 has problems. The object compression has now been removed. The executables are somewhat larger as a result of this. An optional "Quiet" version called SLUG200Q, which produces no display when operating normally is included. The Microsoft Quickbasic compiler version 1.1, which seems to do a "Clear Screen", regardless of the program, has been superceded by compiling under Microsoft Quickbasic 4.5 The Four optional executables included are: SLUG2000 - full function, compiled with MS QB 4.5 SLUG200Q - non display, compiled with MS QB 4.5 SLUG2011 - full function, compiled with MS QB 1.1 SLUG2Q11 - non display, compiled with MS QB 1.1 Alternatively, SLUG2000 or SLUG200Q can be run directly from the autoexec.bat using the basic interpreter of your choice. e.g. BASICA SLUG2000.bas GWBASIC SLUG2000.BAS QBASIC SLUG2000.BAS QB /RUN SLUG2000.BAS ------------------------------------- 1998-07-25 The Y2k Cinderella Project is pleased to announce the availability of SLUG2000 Version 1.3 A check has been added to ensure that the Time is not accidentally set backwards (on the same day). 1998-07-05 The Y2k Cinderella Project is pleased to announce the availability of SLUG2000 Version 1.2 On Sun, 05 Jul 1998 15:26:13 +0300 Atanas Kebedjiev wrote: >Chris, > >The problem with some "smart" BIOS chips is that they will reset the >date to their own year of manufacturing. The DOSCHK page even reports >such that will persist in resetting the date to 1999-12-31. > >* The CHK1980.BAT and its companion ENTER.TXT ("applied laziness" in >action to save the user hitting the Enter key) exploits Charles >Petzold's idea quoted in your earlier correspondence and might do just >fine if called upon the AUTOEXEC.BAT first line for "traditional 1980 >bug" BIOS. > >The SetDate program operational logic is much like the Slug2000 1.1 >quoted , with two extra checks. (The SetDate.pas source file may be >reviewed as well) > >*SETDATE.EXE and the DATE.LOG file should reside in the root directory. >First line of the AUTOEXEC.BAT should be "setdate" > >* If the DATE.LOG file, storing the date in ISO 8061 format, is missing, > get user date >*Any boot date prior to the date recorded in DATE.LOG will >get user date. A UNIX style "Run time backwards?" confirmation is >demanded. >* Any boot date that is in a later year than the date recorded in >DATE.LOG will issue a warning congratulation and get user date. >* If logged and system dates are both equal to 1999-12-31 at boot time >( the case reported by DOSCHK ) again get user date. This will cause an >inconvenience on the actual date, but who is going to work on THAT DAY >but Y2K fixers? >* In all the above cases except logged and system dates being equal to >each other and different from 1999-12-31, a new DATE.LOG file is created > >* If date has advanced but year is the same, do nothing > >Finally, I want to sincerely congratulate you for all the outstanding >Year 2000 work (there is no time for "activities" and "initiatives" any >more) that you are doing. Have you already been contacted to write the >humorous history of the Year 2000 crisis? > >Regards from Bulgaria > >Atanas Kebedjiev >INTRANSCO, Inc. > Thanks Atanas. I have checked out SETDATE. I like it. Great Minds think alike. It is now available on the Cinderella FTP site under "Contributions". You have now inspired me to write even more modifications to SLUG2000, so I am now releasing SLUG2000 v1.2. I take your point about 1999-12-31 and will treat this as a "special" date. My poor old machine had a real workout while I was testing SETDATE and the new SLUG2000 v1.2. I find it incredible that I could create so many combinations of trappable errors in so short a space of time. And most were totally unintentional. B>) These tools are really useful when you are testing Y2k apps in earnest. ------------------------------------------------- The Y2k Cinderella Project is pleased to announce the availability of SLUG2000 Version 1.1 This "belt and braces" upgrade has been tested with several BIOS "sniffers" and "fixers" and has picked up error conditions ignored by other Year 2000 products. The main reason for version 1.1 was to include the facility for testing with the date set forward past 2000-01-01, allowing a "sanity" check when such testing is completed and where the operator forgets to set the system date back to the current day. This is to avoid current production files being inadvertently given future dates. Where a spurious date is detected during Year 2000 testing, the operator can allow this date to be used as a test date by typing 'ok'. At the next boot, the inconsistency will again be trapped, allowing the operator to switch off testing and resume normal processing by entering the correct current date. The other requirement is to prepare for operations after 2000-01-01. At some future date, for example 2010-03-01, the CMOS battery might run down or some other event would cause the RTC to reset to zero. Thus reintroducing the problems associated with Y2k Tickover. Other Y2k BIOS sniffers and fixers would force the system date to 2000-01-01. SLUG2000 would trap this new error and allow the correct system date of 2010-03-01 to be inserted by the operator. SLUG2000 is designed to work for you today, up to Tickover and beyond Tickover until 2099-12-31. SLUG2000 protects your system against resetting the System Clock to zero. SLUG2000 can be used standalone or in conjuction with other BIOS sniffers. SLUG2000 is designed to be used in conjuction with COUNTRY=002,,c:\dos\country.sys in config.sys but will operate with other formats. SLUG2000 automatically maintains a disk file called MYDATE, containing the last date on which the system was booted. SLUG2000 should reside in the root directory. SLUG2000 should be the first statement executed the autoexec.bat. Operational Logic: any boot date in 1980 will call the DATE command and require the correct date to be input. Any boot date prior to the date recorded in MYDATE will call the DATE command and require the correct date to be input. Any boot date that is in a later year than the date recorded in MYDATE will call the DATE command and require a correct date to be entered. SLUG2000 executables are scanned with the McAfee virus scanner. SLUG2000 is freeware and may be downloaded from either of the Cinderella FTP sites. CHRIS ANDERSON 1998-07-04 ---------------------------------------