Windows 7 Intel confirms SATA issue with 6 Series chipsets, readies fixed parts

[kemical]

This has turned out to be a heck of a Monday as Intel Corp., the microprocessor giant based in Santa Clara has revealed that it halted production of 6 Series chipsets (codename Cougar Point) due to a design flaw that can affect their SATA performance, significantly.
The bug is with one of the layers of the chips and is supposed to (potentially) impact the four SATA 3.0 Gbps ports built-in and not the two available SATA 6.0 Gbps connectors. Intel has pinpointed the issue and claims to have fixed silicon but new chips that are bug free will only begin shipping to customers at the end of this month (with full supply recovery being expected for April). People who already bought a Sandy Bridge motherboard or PC are advised to contact the vendor they bought the goods from to get a replacement. Intel is promising to 'work with its OEM partners to accept the return of the affected chipsets' but somehow we're sure there will be problems getting a new board/PC.
Due to this pretty shocking bug with its new and praised chips Intel has lowered its revenue outlook for this first quarter of 2011 by $300 million and said it expects the total 'clean up' bill will go up to $700 million. So, anybody want to buy a used P67 motherboard?

Ref: Intel confirms SATA issue with 6 Series chipsets, readies fixed parts | TechConnect Magazine

 

[Nibiru2012]

Just confirms the statement that anything designed and made by humans can and will go awry sometimes.

 

[reghakr]

Intel discovers chip flaw in midst of major launch

Intel Corp. found a defect in its new Sandy Bridge chip, hurting its credibility during a major product launch and at a time when demand for microprocessors in PCs is being threatened.

The company said January 31 it stopped shipments of the chip used in personal computers with its Sandy Bridge line of processors and has already started production of a new version.

The Santa Clara, California, company said the defect was discovered after it shipped more than 100,000 of the chips to computer manufacturers getting ready to sell new PC models with the Sandy Bridge processor, which Intel touts as its biggest-ever leap in processing power.

Had the problem gone undiscovered, about 5 percent of PCs using the new chipsets could have failed over a 3-year period, the vice president and director of PC Client Operations at Intel, said.

Intel said its engineers zeroed in on the newest defect the week of January 23 after manufacturers stress-tested the chips with high voltage and temperatures. The flaw could have stopped computers from being able to communicate with their hard disk drives or DVD drives.

Source: Intel Corp. found a defect in its new Sandy Bridge chip, hurting its credibility
during a major product launch and at a time when demand for microprocessors in PCs
is being threatened.

The company said January 31 it stopped shipments of the chip used in personal computers with its Sandy Bridge line of processors and has already started production of a new version.

The Santa Clara, California, company said the defect was discovered after it shipped more than 100,000 of the chips to computer manufacturers getting ready to sell new PC models with the Sandy Bridge processor, which Intel touts as its biggest-ever leap in processing power.

Had the problem gone undiscovered, about 5 percent of PCs using the new chipsets could have failed over a 3-year period, the vice president and director of PC Client Operations at Intel, said. Intel said its engineers zeroed in on the newest defect the week of January 23 after manufacturers stress-tested the chips with high voltage and temperatures.

The flaw could have stopped computers from being able to communicate with their hard disk drives or DVD drives.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/31/us-intel-idUSTRE70U4DH20110131?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+reuters/technologyNews+(News+/+US+/+Technology)

 

[Firecracker]

Re: Intel discovers chip flaw in midst of major launch

Watch this, YouTube - Sandy Bridge Chipset Issue - How to Avoid Damaging Your Motherboard Linus Tech Tips , So you don't get hit by this bug, Why fix the bug/flaw if you can navigate arround it?

Also we are accepting these dud units through work as a recall, I mean 85 pre-built systems are to come back, 65 processors, 180 Motherboards, We have set up a recall centre at work now in addition to normal computer repairs/upgrades. or normal work, Recall is no. 1 priority now here we are flat out. We have to send back additional 67 unsold processors and 210 unsold P67 and H67 Motherboards.

 

[kemical]

Re: Intel discovers chip flaw in midst of major launch

Word is that Intel will soon start shipping B3 stepping 6-Series chipset chips by Feb 14th according to Fudzilla today..

Intel is still sticking behind its promise that it will ship these products by the end of February. The new stepping has several updates including the change of revision ID from 04h to 05h, BIOS update to 1.1.4 and minor metal layer change improving lifetime wear out with no changes to functionality or design specifications (the one that fixes SATA 3.0Gbps issue).

Manufacturers and OEM's will receive their copies first and it's expected to be on the shelves sometime in April.

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