PC Server 320 / 520 - BIOS 27A and 28A could corrupt system time and date

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Document ID: SCOD-43UNZ8

PC Server 320 / 520 - BIOS 27A and 28A could corrupt system time and date

Applicable to: World-Wide

Source: Retain tip H015613

Abstract: BIOS 27A AND 28A COULD CORRUPT SYSTEM TIME AND DATE

SYMPTOM:
System experiencing invalid time and date regardless the year.

PROBLEM ISOLATION AIDS:

The system is one of the following IBM PC Servers:

a PC Server 320, Type 8640, any PCI/Micro Channel Model.
a PC Server 520, Type 8641, any PCI/Micro Channel Model.

The system is configured with 1 or 2 Processors.
The system's BIOS levels affected are: 27A and 28A
The system's Diagnostics Pass.

FIX:
Download and apply the latest BIOS for the Planar from the following URL:
http://www.pc.ibm.com/searchfiles.html

Search on either "PC Server 320 BIOS" or "PC Server 520 BIOS"

Validate the fix immediately after the new BIOS update is complete. Simply set the system time to 19:00 and reboot the system within 1 minute, then re-check the time.

WORKAROUND:
Make sure BIOS 1A, Read Real Time Clock call (AH=2) is not used in the time period from 19:00 to 19:05, inclusively. Including power on or reboot the machine to load Operating System.

DETAILS:
BIOS could corrupt the Real Time Clock's time and date registers if the following event occur:

1. System reboot in the time period between 19:00 and 19:05, and the Read Real Time Clock BIOS call is executed.

-- OR --

2. Any time a Read Real Time Clock BIOS call is used between 19:00 and 19:05, by software, such as operating system, device driver or applications.

SAS KEYWORDS:
PS2Y, D/T8640, PCSERVER, UNCLASSIFIED, TIME, D/T8641, BIOS, 106602, 27A, 28A, 29A, PLANAR, 8640BRD, 8641BRD, 8640MCD, 8641MCD

Search Keywords

PS2Y, D/T8640, PCSERVER, UNCLASSIFIED, TIME, D/T8641, BIOS, 106602, 27A, 28A, 29A, PLANAR, 8640BRD, 8641BRD, 8640MCD, 8641MCD

Document Category

Retain

Date Created

05-01-99

Last Updated

11-02-99

Revision Date

14-01-2000

Brand

IBM PC Server

Product Family

PC Server 320, PC Server 520

Machine Type

8640, 8641

Model

TypeModel

Retain Tip (if applicable)

H015613

Reverse Doclinks
and Admin Purposes

Date last altered: A99/02/09

	Search Keywords	PS2Y, D/T8640, PCSERVER, UNCLASSIFIED, TIME, D/T8641, BIOS, 106602, 27A, 28A, 29A, PLANAR, 8640BRD, 8641BRD, 8640MCD, 8641MCD
	Document Category	Retain
	Date Created	05-01-99
	Last Updated	11-02-99
	Revision Date	14-01-2000
	Brand	IBM PC Server
	Product Family	PC Server 320, PC Server 520
	Machine Type	8640, 8641
	Model
	TypeModel
	Retain Tip (if applicable)	H015613
	Reverse Doclinks and Admin Purposes	Date last altered: A99/02/09