How does the E39 store it's date/time?

[TiagE39]

This is a highly technical question and I doubt I will find an answer but felt it necessary to put it forward anyways for posterity. Recent posts about the longevity of the E39 have gotten me thinking about this.

How does the E39 store and count time for the date/time? Many digital clock systems internally store time as a count of seconds from a particular epoch, e.g. 00:00 1/1/1970, but will "roll over" whenever the binary integer hits all 1's and then reverts to all 0's. Assuming a signed 32-bit integer, this will successfully count time until 2038 when it finally runs out of bits and rolls over to 1/1/1900. This is not strictly the data structure; there are many other (and worse) systems using lazier programming (e.g. two-digit year storage, the problem behind Y2K). There could also be limitations in the time setting itself (e.g. vintage Macintosh computers will observe dates thru 2040, but will not allow you to set a date beyond 2019).

There is basically no common standard for embedded systems to record time, other than accepted, prevailing industry standards that were present at the time of design. I have pulled various BMW Technical Training documents on the KMB/IKE (which stores the time on E39's) but have not gotten any insights into how date/time are stored.

[JimLev]

Have you tried to set the year past 2038?

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

What’s this? A how to set a preset expiration date on the car? I used to do that on all my RC airplane and helicopter models, I’d have them inside the fuselages, and frame spares on helis. The friends that would ask me about them, told me who was really looking my stuff over, then I’d tell them that I was expecting to have written them off by those dates, a date with the devil.

[crdiscoverer]

Try setting a crazy date, like 2100, see if the car allows it. I think I did it out of curiosity when I had my stock MID but I don't remember what was the max date I could set (2038 sounds about right).

Since replacing my stock head unit with a Dynavin, I would love for someone to come up with a way to sync the aftermarket unit's date with the high cluster display.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Can I ask a question, I am having some doubts?
Your first post on here in the forum? Doubts? What, confused wether you’re a man or a woman?
Speak up boy! Or girl…. Easy way to figure it out, got five fingers? Reach down into your pants and see if you can count to six.

[JimLev]

Can I ask a question, I am having some doubts?

Doubts about what??

- - - Updated - - -


Your first post on here in the forum? Doubts? What, confused wether you’re a man or a woman?
Speak up boy! Or girl…. Easy way to figure it out, got five fingers? Reach down into your pants and see if you can count to six.

LOL

[crdiscoverer]

Your first post on here in the forum? Doubts? What, confused wether you’re a man or a woman?
Speak up boy! Or girl…. Easy way to figure it out, got five fingers? Reach down into your pants and see if you can count to six.

Don't feed the bots, Snotty!

[JimLev]

Your right Eric.
Florida my ass, Navi Mumbai India is more like it.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Don't feed the bots, Snotty!
Actually, the bots were feeding me! You guys realize how long it’s been where I could go off on somebody, or the stupid bots, and they won’t hit the report button on me, win win!!!

[JimLev]

^-yup I remember.
The bot won’t report ya, but maybe one of your “friends” would. Ya know what I’m saying?

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Yep! I am tired of the new way, the forum land of thin skinned, weak little fu… uh, as$ho…. Uh, I mean dumbas…. Morons, you know what I mean. When the hell did the population become so weak, bunch of crying little pukes that need their diapers changed by mommy.

[TiagE39]

Yep! I am tired of the new way, the forum land of thin skinned, weak little fu… uh, as$ho…. Uh, I mean dumbas…. Morons, you know what I mean. When the hell did the population become so weak, bunch of crying little pukes that need their diapers changed by mommy.

I literally asked a question about how the clock works and you turned it into a boomer temper tantrum.

If anyone else cares to know, I set the clock all the way up to 2080 and it didn't seem to have any trouble. Time stayed after a on/off cycle. Sounds like this might not be a worry after all.

[seagreen323i]

I literally asked a question about how the clock works and you turned it into a boomer temper tantrum.

If anyone else cares to know, I set the clock all the way up to 2080 and it didn't seem to have any trouble. Time stayed after a on/off cycle. Sounds like this might not be a worry after all.Too be fair asking how high the date can be set on the clock via fourm post without going to the car and just maxing out the clock first is a little odd.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[TiagE39]

Too be fair asking how high the date can be set on the clock via fourm post without going to the car and just maxing out the clock first is a little odd.

I was hoping that someone would know exactly how the E39 manages it's clock, i.e. internal data format. Technical questions of such a level have been asked and answered here many times before.

[BimmrMeUpSnotty]

Just in case, I wasn’t trying to harrass you on the dates and time, I was just talking about my goofy expiration predicaments, so far, my cars have all surpassed my predicted dates!