Getting wacky dates

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I'm getting wacky expiration dates showing up in the Windows/Temporary Internet Files. They are happening to my cookie files. Nothing out of the ordinary is happening and we're using IE 5.0. I'm getting a full range of expiration dates. I mean dates like 3/5/34, 3/5/61, 12/31/99, 4/5/94, 3/4/05. I mean what is 2000 and what isn't? This may not affect a thing, but still I find it strange. Anybody else have this problem?

-- Larry (cobol.programmer@usa.net), December 14, 1999

Answers

I was having that problem a few weeks ago (if it's the same one) - the dates are actually loaded OK, but you need to download a patch for them to display correctly. Call your NA.

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), December 14, 1999.

Same here, also using IE 5.0. Last modified dates mostly look ok, except for some goofy '94 dates (the PC is a '97 model 200mhz) -- no way '94 dates could be valid.

Lots of odd looking expiration dates, though. Ranging from '01 through '34 (eg 06/06/01, 03/04/29, 12/31/34... etc).

Looks like a could time to cleanup the old hard drive and see what it looks like from here on.

Thanks for the heads up, Larry. As you say, it may not mean much, but it certainly looks like a symptom of a Y2K related problem, doesn't it.

-- TA (sea_spur@yahoo.com), December 14, 1999.


My home PC was giving me those same wierd dates as well ('34, '94) so since it was a 1993 patchworked,upgraded,overused,windowsbugged,piece of You-know-what, I FIXED IT, without the help of any I.T.Consultants. I felt really good after I fixed it,too! I used a hammer. This one at the job is much better! :)

on de rock

-- Walter (on de rock@northrock.bm), December 14, 1999.


Thanks for the verification. Notice that I'm also getting dates like 3/5/61, not just from 00-34 spread. Too weird.

For what's it's worth, I will not tell my boss. My boss and co-workers have given me such a hard time, I wouldn't dare mention this. They can take their polly attitudes and shove it for all I care.

I was busy making y2k fixes to all of my code a few years ago, while they were busy pooh-poohing me. Now look at their work. I just overheard somebody today that they are not done with their fixes. Let them eat shit.

-- Larry (cobol.programmer@usa.net), December 14, 1999.


Wow - interesting. I did all of the microsux patches awhile back, so most of the dates look OK, and nothing out of whack (particularly on the cookie dates; modified or expiration dates...). Anyway, here's something REALLY interesting, and potentially telling:

Every file in my cache/temp internet files from Travelocity.com has a "last modified" date of - get this - 3/1/2000! Looks like someone in the travel biz jammed the dates forward to slip past 1/1 and 2/29/2000. I wonder what other interesting workarounds they've done in their backoffice systems?

-- Nom (nom@de.plume), December 14, 1999.



I noticed the same problem, but after I deleted all the temporary internet files I saw that the problem went away. A lot of windowing going on maybe.

-- Squid (ItsDark@down.here), December 14, 1999.

Larry:

If I turn on my machine on January 1st and nothing happens, do you think a Ctrl-Alt-Del will fix the problem? ;-)

And if the Server at my bank happens to lose all of my deposits maybe a power-off, power-on would "recover" any lost data.

-- Squid (ItsDark@down.here), December 14, 1999.


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