date format not correct

Hi All
I have a number of fresh installs of windows XP Pro and
Office 2003 Pro, all updates applied. When we open an
excel worksheet and in any cell (blank worksheet) type in
a date it is not auto correcting in the desired way. ie:
if I type in nov 12, I would expect that it would
automatically make it nov 12 03, but if I type in only
nov 12, it is assuming that the 12 represents the year, I
have checked a few machines and they are all doing this,
any ideas?? I have reset to defaults just in case anyone
messed with it, doesnt appear to be the case, have
checked format under format cells/numbers/date, it is
normal, dd/mm/yy, again, blank worksheet, fresh
installs...country codes/regional settings are all
correct, nothing out of the ordinary except this problem.
Thanks Much!!