Microsoft is investigating a bug report by a British firm that Windows 98 cannot cope with the year 2000.
It also seems to have a problem with every other year as well.
Bromley Computer Services Ltd of Shropshire was testing the year 2000 compliancy of its machines running Windows 98 when it discovered a bug.
The software it was using, Prove It 2000, made by a company of the same name, failed the operating system.
It gave the following error message:
"This computer failed this test, there is a high probability that you will have date related problems after 1st January 2000. It is advised that you consider upgrading this Operating System to a later version."
Putting the clocks forward ... or back
Prove It 2000 was informed and repeated the test. It found that Windows 98 leapt two days forward or one day back when the clock ticked past midnight on New Year's Eve, for every year attempted.
Microsoft says it is investigating the claims about the date made by Prove It 2000 and Bromley Computers.
It has pointed out that the "bug" was produced in a "forced environment".
It is hard to see how it could have been produced in any other environment though, given that the operating system has not yet passed through its first real-time New Year.
But, if it is any comfort to users, despite their findings, the makers of Prove It 2000 say Windows 98 is year 2000 compliant.
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