Daylight Saving Time (DST) is slated to begin at 2 a.m. this Sunday, March 11, three weeks earlier than the normal kickoff date.

Better make sure your computer is ready, too.

The new dates for DST could cause some small businesses and individuals a headache if they aren't prepared, said Robert Householder of Greenlynk Technologies, Inc. of Greenville.

&#8220If Microsoft is worried, you know there is a potential problem. A lot of companies have spent hours and hours of prep time getting ready for this change,” Householder said.

&#8220The dates and times are already hard-coded into your computer for you. That's why you normally don't have to do anything to it when the time changes each year; the computer does it for you.”

However, with the early start for DST this year, those who have not used various updates for their computers will be off one hour, Householder said.

&#8220This is not as bad as Y2K; if your computer isn't updated, you will only be off one hour, versus one hundred years. I don't anticipate it becoming a problem for bank ATMs and large corporations. They have IT people already taking care of the situation.”

However, for small-time accounting purposes and home computer users, &#8220there could be trouble, particularly for those using Quicken.”

Householder's philosophy is like of the Boy Scouts: &#8220Be prepared.”

Basically, it boils down to this: if you are ready and have done your updates, you won't have a problem. There are a lot of patches and fixes out there to use. If you aren't prepared, you will have a problem.”

For assistance in updating Microsoft Windows, go to www.support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst.

The extension of DST is due to the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005, part of a federal energy reserve effort.

The act stipulates DST will be extended an extra four weeks annually, starting three weeks earlier and running one week later than in previous years. In 2007, DST will end on November 4.