Win32_BIOS WMI Class Returns Incorrect ReleaseDate Value (281553)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Management Instrumentation 1.5, when used with:
    • the operating system: Microsoft Windows 2000
This article was previously published under Q281553

SYMPTOMS

The Win32_BIOS Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) class represents the attributes of a computer's basic input/output system (BIOS). When this BIOS has a release date after the year 1999, WMI incorrectly populates the ReleaseDate attribute of the Win32_BIOS class.

CAUSE

The computer's BIOS is accessed through the System Management BIOS (SMBIOS) standard interface. According to the SMBIOS standard, the BIOS release date is represented as a string in either a mm/dd/yy or mm/dd/yyyy format. If the year portion of the string is two digits, the year is assumed to be 19yy. Note that the mm/dd/yyyy format is required for SMBIOS version 2.3 and later.

When a computer starts, Windows 2000 obtains the computer's BIOS release date through the SMBIOS interface and stores this value in the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\Description\System\SystemBiosDate

-and-

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Biosinfo\SystemBiosDate

Regardless of the date string format that is used by SMBIOS, Windows 2000 stores the computer's BIOS release year as a two-digit value. For example, if the release date is "01/28/2000," the registry keys are populated with "01/28/00."

The WMI WIN32 Provider uses the preceding registry keys to populate the ReleaseDate attribute of the Win32_BIOS class. This provider, which was designed to the SMBIOS standard, also assumes all two-digit years to be 19yy. Because Windows 2000 stores the BIOS release date in the registry by using two-digit years, a release year of 2000 is incorrectly populated in the Win32_BIOS ReleaseDate attribute as 1900.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later:
   Date        Time      Version       Size       File name    
   -----------------------------------------------------------
   1/17/2001  04:36p   1.50.1085.47   1,077,328  Cimwin32.dll

Using the Hotfix Installer

NOTE: You can use this method only for Intel-based computers that are running Windows 2000.
  1. Copy the hotfix file (Q281553.exe) to a local folder on your computer or to a share on your network.
  2. Run the Q281553.exe file and follow the directions.
  3. Restart your computer.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 3.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about how to obtain a hotfix for Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

265173 The Datacenter Program and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server Product

For additional information about how to install multiple hotfixes with only one reboot, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

296861 Use QChain.exe to Install Multiple Hotfixes with One Reboot

After you apply this hotfix, all two-digit years before 80 are assumed to be 20yy. All other two-digit years are assumed to be 19yy. For additional information about how to install Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 hotfixes at the same time, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

249149 Installing Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 Hotfixes

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/23/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbQFE kbSysAdmin kbbug kbenv kbfix kbWin2000PreSP3Fix kbWin2000sp3fix KB281553
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