Y2K global glitch list complete BY Bob Brewin 01/21/2000 The International Y2K Cooperation Center will release Monday a global scorecard on what it terms the "minor" impact of bad year 2000 date code had on computer systems worldwide.

Computer and computer systems worldwide generally fared far better than pessimists expected, but the report from the center makes it clear that some key systems did experience minor problems, which it will highlight in what it internally calls a "glitch list."

The center identified failures that ranged from critical --- such as hiccups at two nuclear power reactors in Spain and faulty credit card transactions in the U.S. -- to minor problems with systems some people probably viewed as annoying and definitely noncritical, such as the "minor problems" reported by the Hong Kong government with breath-analyzer machines used for testing states of intoxication.

Below are the preliminary results of the worldwide report the International Y2K Center plans to release next Monday:

Australia

Telstra Corp. reported phone failures in South Australia, particularly from New South Wales and Victoria -- the problem was attributed to software failure. Also, Microsoft Corp. Excel spreadsheets are experiencing software glitches.

Brazil

Reports of glitches in toll roads and problems with printers in convenience stores in Sao Paulo.

Canada

Computer controls on prison cell doors in British Colombia failed.

China

Government computers encountered minor glitches. Central bank branches reported glitches, and taxicab operators reported meter failures.

Costa Rica

Ministry of Science and Technology reported minor problem in billing system at a petroleum refinery.

Denmark

Second-largest bank identified glitch in Unitel payment and information system for corporate clients. Hospital patient record problem also reported.

France

Minor problems were discovered at ground stations for Syracuse II military satellite system.

Gabon

Isolated glitches popped up in some accounting systems.

Germany

A local savings bank in Cologne reported balance errors.

Greece

Older models of cash registers throughout Greece displayed dates in 1900 format, not 2000.

Grenada

A compliant version of the computer systems for customs services was not commissioned as of Dec. 30, 1999, however, manual backup systems proved just as efficient. Compliant systems will be installed by Jan. 30, 2000.

Hong Kong

A blood sample analysis machine displayed wrong dates, but the machine still functioned. Minor glitches were reported in government computers, as well as in "breath-testing" equipment for sobriety checks.

Indonesia

Central Bank Clock displayed the year 1900 shortly after midnight, but were quickly fixed.

Israel

Defense, public and government institutions and banks reported minor Year 2000 problems.

Italy

Court computer systems encountered minor date problems.

Jamaica

Year 2000 snafus occurred in computerized traffic lights at eight intersections.

Japan

Tokyo Electric Power reported monitoring failure, with a total of 22 reports of minor failures in power system computers. Japan Railways reported problems with ticket vending machines, while an aviation computer system, which collates flight and weather information for small planes and helicopters, experienced minor problems.

Kazakhstan

Ekibastuz Hydroelectric Power Station-2 has handled its technology processes manually since Jan, 1, 2000, because noncompliant computers had not been replaced because of a lack of funds.

Latvia

Customs Board reported minor Year 2000 software problems.

Malaysia

Penang province satellite television went out during date rollover. Reports of Year 2000 glitches in defibrillators and heart monitors were noted.

Moldova

Some minor problems occurred with computers resetting dates to 1994. Problem was fixed easily.

Mongolia

A few railroad ticket counters with outdated computer systems could not function on Jan. 3. Railroad fixed problem on the same day with no major impact.

Namibia

A small government housing tenant database system handling approximately 1,000 records did not correctly recognize year 2000. Channel 7 Radio Station reported that its advertising scheduling computer failed to function correctly as of Jan. 1 for Year 2000-related reasons.

Nicaragua

Supreme court and Ministry of Agriculture reported Year 2000 failures at approximately 800 midsize companies.

Nigeria

A minor Year 2000 glitch occurred in the Port Harcourt refinery maintenance and material management system. The glitch was cleared and normal operations resumed within 3 hours.

Philippines

Cases of fax machines or other noncritical electronic equipment displaying the wrong date were reported.

Portugal

Hospital admissions and payment systems experienced minor date-change problems.

Republic of Korea

One apartment building reported heat and hot water loss because of Year 2000 failures.

Russia

Minor glitches in management systems in Russia nuclear power plants reported.

Rwanda

Government reported failure in customs system because of Year 2000. Contingency plan is to use the manual systems until old systems are replaced by March.

Spain

Year 2000 problems were experienced in control systems for two out of nine nuclear reactors.

Sri Lanka

At Sri Jayawardenapura hospital the "Holter" (24 hour) E.C.G. Monitoring Unit changed its date to 1994 during the rollover, despite issuance of a compliance certificate by the manufacturer. When the hospital changed the machine's date to 2000, it reset to 2094, and cannot be used.

Taiwan

A blood pressure monitoring machine displayed wrong dates in one hospital in southern Taiwan. Bad date codes in hospital registration systems also reported.

Tanzania

Zanzibar reported television transmission problems.

United Kingdom

The Medical Devices Agency issued a Year 2000 special issue regarding Gambro Ak 100 and Ak 200 hemodialysis units. These can display incorrect dates and times, which may result in failure of the auto-disinfect cycle.

United States

SMS Patient Management systems reported failures in Western United States.

Bank credit card companies reported to financial regulators on January 6 that they have identified, and are taking steps to correct, a potential Y2K glitch involving some credit card transactions. According to officials from the credit card industry, merchants did not make use of free upgrades provided in 1999 for a software package manufactured by CyberCash Inc; the glitch could produce duplicate postings of charges made after Jan. 1. The problem primarily affects smaller retailers, as larger retailers generally have their own software.

Florida and Kentucky unemployment insurance benefit systems encountered a Year 2000 error in an automated telephone call processing system. The glitch in custom code prevented some claimants from claiming earned income for the week ending Jan. 1, 2000. Ten states use the system, but only Florida and Kentucky experienced the problem. A software-based patch was distributed, enabling the resumption of automated earned income processing.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago reported a Year 2000 glitch in transferring about $700,000 in tax payments from customers of 60 financial institutions in the region out of $15 billion processed nationally that day.

Vietnam

Telephone problems due to Year 2000 errors reported in province of Ba Ria.

Zimbabwe

The City of Harare's financial system failed. Clerks at Harare Municipality were not adequately trained in the use of a new billing system, resulting in delays in sending out bills for water and rates. http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2000/0117/web-y2kglitch-01-21-00.asp

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), January 21, 2000