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When troubleshooting problems with computer hardware, specifically ones related to date and time, it is imperative to take into account the most unlikely of culprits. I’m speaking of what type of operating system you are using. Why does this matter? At the time of this writing (2025) the difference between a 32-bit and a 64-bit operating system is not as pronounced as it will be in the year 2038. (More on this later). In practical terms, if you are still using a 32-bit operating system you are limited to 4 GB of RAM and may or may not be able to run all modern software. However, as time goes by, this limitation may result in catastrophic or at the very least chaotic results.

You see, time is stored on 32-bit computers in a way that calculates seconds from January 1, 1970 forward. This is known as the “UNIX Epoch”¹. This 32-bit variable (“time_t”) is continuously filling up all available storage space. Think of this situation like a drinking glass slowly filling up with water. Eventually, the glass will no longer be able to contain the steadily increasing quantity of water. When this happens, the glass will spill its contents, and this situation is known as an “overflow.” Mathematically, all of the available spots where a “1” or a “0” can exist will only be able to display “1’s”. Since the values cannot contain any more “1’s”, the number will reset to “1” followed by a long assortment of “0’s”. As such, the total calculated number will become negative, causing the date and time to be wrong².

Why does this matter? Any date or time following January 19, 2038 at 03:14:07 UTC will no longer be able to be contained. This sort of event occurred before the year 2038, most notably when the YouTube video for “Gangnam Style” broke the 32-bit limit for INT_MAX (a well-known 32-bit C programming language constraint). This resulted in the video’s views to roll over to -2,147,483,648. This prompted Google (YouTube’s parent company) to upgrade to 64-bit servers³. Programs reliant upon accurate dates and times (such as databases or embedded systems) will not work correctly when the “Year 2038 Problem” occurs⁴.

Hopefully, this problem will be resolved sooner rather than later, especially in regards to America’s (not to mention Russia’s, et. al.) aging nuclear arsenals. According to the United States’ Department of Defense, most nuclear systems are operating beyond their original design lifespan⁵. Furthermore, as of 2020, the Department of Defense has indicated that the Minuteman III inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) will require the replacement of a number of major components, accommodating “modern safety and security features and technologies”⁶. Interpreting this statement we could understandably come to the conclusion that America’s nuclear fleet is based upon older embedded 32-bit (or older) systems. Hypothetically, this aging nuclear arsenal, along with the aging technologies supporting it, could, if left unfixed, present a literal doomsday scenario. Imagine, if you will, an ICBM fleet malfunctioning due to faulty date and time signals. Without the proper command and control signals to control said devices, who can say what will happen? Hopefully, enterprising information technology professionals are continuing to replace and decommission these and other sorts of legacy systems as the seconds tick ever closer to January 19, 2038 03:14:07 UTC.

Sources
<sup>1. Definitions↩
2. Tanium↩
3. ArsTechnica↩
4. PC Mag↩
5. Department of Defense↩
6. Department of Defense↩</sup>
Thumbnail Credits
Jamcelsus at lb.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 LU , via Wikimedia Commons