Year 2038 problem


Year 2038 problem

Another date problem, which results from computing dates into the year 2038 and beyond in 32-bit operating systems. Unix and other C applications represent time as the number of seconds from January 1, 1970. The 32-bit variable (time_t) that stores this number overflows in the year 2038 and becomes January 1, 1970 again. However, even today, any date calculations forecasted beyond that time will be erroneous. Switching to 64-bit computing solves the problem. See Y2K problem.