Intel Discloses Chip Glitch

[win7clutz]

Newegg Responds to Sandy Bridge Issues.

You just got to love these guys:

​

Dear Customer,

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you. Newegg has recently become aware of a design issue that is affecting recent models of Intel Sandy Bridge platform motherboards. We are working with Intel to identify the exact nature of this problem.

As always, Newegg remains 100% committed to our customers' total satisfaction. In keeping with our commitment to our customers, we are extending the return period for your motherboard by 90 days or until replacements become available from the manufacturer, whichever is greater. Intel expects to have a new revision of the P67 & H67 chipsets out around April, at which point first-run motherboards with this issue will need to be physically replaced in affected systems.

From a technical standpoint, the design issue can be bypassed fairly simply by not using the Serial ATA (SATA) ports that are affected. Your motherboard’s manual should identify your SATA ports by number, and at a minimum you should see ports 0-5 (6 ports in total) listed. Ports 0 and 1 are Sata Rev. III (6Gbps), and do not appear to be affected by this problem. Ports 2-5 are SATA Rev. II (3Gbps) and should not be used. For a thorough explanation of this hardware work-around, please refer to our video on YouTube:
YouTube - Newegg TV: Sandy Bridge Design Issue Explanation & Workaround

If you choose to use the hardware work-around option, there is no need to contact us at this time. We have your information on record and will email you as soon as the replacements become available. If you would like to discuss this with our tech community or read up on the latest updates, please visit our EggXpert forum:
EggXpert - Intel Sandy Bridge Chipset Issue - Info Thread

If none of the above options are suitable to your needs and you wish to return the board at this time for a full refund, please email us at [email protected] and include your sales order number so we can help you out with your return.

If you have any concerns, please contact Newegg Customer Service for further information and assistance.

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Your Newegg.com Customer Service Team

 

[Phone Man]

According to Intel it only affects the 3Gbs ports 2-5 and only a 5% chance of a port failure after high usage and heat. So 95% may never have a failure and I bet the Motherboard manufacturers will only replace a FAILED board that is still under warranty. I don't look for a 100% recall on boards that have shipped to customers. They may not even recall the boards at the retailers . Only time will tell on how this will be handled.

Jim

 

[Lordbob75]

According to Intel it only affects the 3Gbs ports 2-5 and only a 5% chance of a port failure after high usage and heat. So 95% may never have a failure and I bet the Motherboard manufacturers will only replace a FAILED board that is still under warranty. I don't look for a 100% recall on boards that have shipped to customers. They may not even recall the boards at the retailers . Only time will tell on how this will be handled.

Jim

I just got an email from NewEgg stating they have extended the return policy 90 days, and offered a hardware work around (do not use the ports), to return the mobo for a full refund, or RMA it when the fix is available.

~Lordbob

 

[Phone Man]

That's great. Maybe the industry will take care of the customers for a change.

Jim

 

[sygnus21]

Hmmm..... that a tough decision. What does Asus say???

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Query

Dave am a bit slow on the uptake as I am not really that savvy yet. Plus this might be a stupid and daft question.

I read your post re the transistor on the Intel boards now is this the only problem and does it affect all brands as I am waiting to buy.

Look sorry I know I am tekncompromised but am just curious.

 

[Lordbob75]

Hmmm..... that a tough decision. What does Asus say???

Haven't heard anything from ASUS yes, but NewEgg will cover it regardless.

~Lordbob

 

[sygnus21]

Yeah, that's 90 days.

1- I seriously doubt the issue will show up in 90 days
2- What if the issue isn't resolved by Intel or whoever?

I don't know, I'd feel much better letting the board manufacture handle returns once a solution is found. And you can't trade in the board right now because who knows what you'll get?

Again, tough decision.

 

[Lordbob75]

Yeah, that's 90 days.

1- I seriously doubt the issue will show up in 90 days
2- What if the issue isn't resolved by Intel or whoever?

I don't know, I'd feel much better letting the board manufacture handle returns once a solution is found. And you can't trade in the board right now because who knows what you'll get?

Again, tough decision.

It means they will allow you to RMA it and get a new board.

~Lordbob

 

[Dave76]

Dave am a bit slow on the uptake as I am not really that savvy yet. Plus this might be a stupid and daft question.

I read your post re the transistor on the Intel boards now is this the only problem and does it affect all brands as I am waiting to buy.

Look sorry I know I am tekncompromised but am just curious.

If you are referring to my post, this issue is concerning the chipset on the motherboard for second generation i5 and i7 motherboards. CPUs are not affected.

This will affect all motherboards, all manufactorers like Asus, Gigabyte, etc, that use Intel chipsets on the i5 and i7 quad core motherboards.

Info is from the previously posted:
Chipsets — Alert for Intel® 6 Series Express Chipsets and Intel® Xeon® C200 Chipsets users

As part of ongoing quality assurance, Intel Corporation has discovered a design issue in a recently released support chip, the Intel® 6 Series (and the Intel® C200 Series Chipset), and has implemented a silicon fix. In some cases, the Serial-ATA (SATA) ports within the chipsets may degrade over time, potentially impacting the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices such as hard disk drives and DVD-drives. The chipset is utilized in PCs with Intel’s latest Second Generation Intel Core processors. Intel has stopped shipment of the affected support chip from its factories. Intel has corrected the design issue, and has begun manufacturing a new version of the support chip which will resolve the issue. The Sandy Bridge microprocessor is unaffected and no other products are affected by this issue.
...
The systems with the affected support chips have only been shipping since January 9th and the company believes that relatively few consumers are impacted by this issue. The only systems sold to an end customer potentially impacted are Second Generation Core i5 and Core i7 quad core based systems. Intel believes that consumers can continue to use their systems with confidence, while working with their computer manufacturer for a permanent solution.

I wouldn't buy the second generation Core i5 (example: i5 2500) and Core i7 (example: i7 2600) quad core motherboards at this time, they will have motherboards with new chipsets available in April.
You will have to wait until then to get a motherboard with the re-designed chipset.

 

[Dave76]

Gigabyte Announces 6-series Motherboard Replacement Program

Yesterday Intel announced the largest stop shipment/recall I can remember it ever making (excluding FDIV). The product in question? All 6-series chipsets, a necessary part of any Sandy Bridge (aka 2nd generation Intel Core microprocessor, aka Intel Core i7/i5/i3 2xxx) system.

The fix for the problematic transistor requires a hardware change. The 6-series chipset design doesn’t have to be redone, but there’s a metal layer change that must be made. The result is a new stepping of the 6-series chipsets. Intel shipped with stepping B2, and the fixed version will carry a B3 stepping.

Just half an hour ago, Gigabyte sent its replacement strategy for all of its own motherboards.
The key messages are as follows:
1) Gigabyte has stopped shipment to and recalled any unsold 6-series B2 motherboards from distributors and dealers.
2) Any Gigabyte 6-series B2 motherboards that have already been sold will be accepted back for replacement with a B3 board, regardless of condition. I asked Gigabyte if this meant that non-working boards could also be returned, Gigabyte said yes - all eligible 6-series models with B2 stepping chipsets will be accepted back.
3) Gigabyte says that it should have 6-series B3 chipsets in April.
4) The replacement program will happen at the dealer/distributor level. You will have to exchange your board at the location you purchased it from.
5) Customers can either exchange their board (you'll have to wait until April for this to happen) or you can get a full refund sooner (immediately?). Gigabyte recommends going the refund route as that gives you more flexibility for what you want to do next.
6) The replacement board you get will be a brand new motherboard based on the B3 chipset. Gigabyte isn’t ready to disclose if there will be any new design features to these boards as well.
7) The cost of the product exchange will be handled by Intel and Gigabyte (presumably Intel is footing the entire bill).

April is two months away, that’s later than the end of February. I’m guessing the first recipients of B3 stepping chipsets will be large OEMs and notebook manufacturers. The component guys will likely come second. Getting replacement motherboards won’t happen on April 1st if that’s when Gigabyte gets chipsets either. This could end up being an April/May thing instead of March/April.

The refund option is a nice one, although I'm not sure whether etailers will let you return your CPU as well once it has been used. I suspect that's something you'll have to take up with the vendor itself. If you plan on sticking with a Sandy Bridge system, your best bet is probably to keep using your system as is today and just exchange when the time comes.

 

[sygnus21]

Agree with Dave. I would wait till the issue is resolved. For those already owning a board, all they can do is wait and see what solution Intel comes up with, and what the vendors will do about it.

That's the bad thing about jumping on new tech.... sometimes your run into growing pains. Honestly I would have had one of those sandy bridge setups myself already were it not for my current system. Thus I would be in the same boat as other early adapters. I'm highly impressed with that 2600K.

Anyways since you now know there's an issue, just wait.

My two cents.

 

[GeneO]

Well, crap anyway. Not to long ago I built a previous gen i5 'puter. I was on the fence about Sandy Bridge, So I wish you all the best of luck, Sandy Bridge appears to be awesome and I am sure Intel and the OEM will make good, though there will be a tad of inconvenience.

 

[sygnus21]

Gigabyte Announces 6-series Motherboard Replacement Program

Nice find Dave +1

 

[chevy350]

I swapped my P8P67 over to the SATAIII ports. From the looks of it ASUS is going to offer replacements once they get the new boards out, not sure if it'll be through them or if you can take them back to place of purchase. Mine is running great with no issues, I knew going into this build there may be some issues as there almost always is with new tech and I'm glad they owned up to it and are offering a fix. It would be even better if we could choose a board that was better than our original purchase like the WS Revolution but I doubt they'll do something like that lol.

 

[DeaconFrost]

I got a message back from a higher-up at MicroCenter that in time, roughly 8 weeks, anyone who bought a board at MicroCenter will be getting an e-mail, explaining that they can bring the board in for a swap to a fixed version. So, I'm going to run my board for now and swap it when the newer parts are available.

 

[stve]

Apologies if this has already been posted I'm short of time to read 8 pages of post's.

The real story behind Intel’s Sandy Bridge woes | PC Pro blog

Asus tells PC makers to stop shipping Sandy Bridge PCs | News | PC Pro

 

[Win7User512]

Man, it makes you wonder about the x58 boards too.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Man I feel for the poor bas_ard that had to bring this fact to the QC managers attention and then they convey that news to the high mucky mucks. In the end though all should be handled and really it will be the end user that's out their computer for a length of time and Intel out several hundreds of millions......ouch. Can you imagine the lively discussion that took place in that conference room !

 

[Lordbob75]

Apologies if this has already been posted I'm short of time to read 8 pages of post's.

The real story behind Intel’s Sandy Bridge woes | PC Pro blog

Asus tells PC makers to stop shipping Sandy Bridge PCs | News | PC Pro

Thanks for the links, this should soothe a lot of concerns.

~Lordbob