AVADirect Responds to New Sandy Bridge Chipset Flaw

February 1st, 2011 - Intel disclosed yesterday that a flaw has been discovered on a support processor that correlates with SATA port functionality on Intel's Sandy Bridge based motherboards. This issue will not be affective immediately, rather the course of weeks, months, or years depending on different variables. The code-named Cougar Point support chip is mainly responsible for full functionality of all SATA devices, whether the device be a storage or optical drive. The Sandy Bridge processors have been unaffected by this motherboard chipset flaw. Besides Sandy Bridge, no other components relevant to the chipset are impacted by the flaw discovered by Intel.

Intel has already begun a campaign to correct the issue for end-users and OEMs throughout the world. Intel discontinued and seized all production of current affected motherboards shipped after January 9th, 2011. Production on a support chip that does not feature this data-transfer rate flaw is in motion. Intel expects to ship revised chipsets by end of February and to fully recover by the beginning of April. This incident has lost Intel a projected $300 million in revenue, and inconvenienced over 500 different OEMs with plans to launch the Sandy Bridge chipset under specific form factors. In the end, Intel plans to make the transition as simple as possible for all those affected by the chipset flaw. Intel is also working with partners to offer solutions for any affected systems to alleviate any frustrations created at this time.

AVADirect is an Intel Premier Provider that will offer solutions by working closely with its customers to address the chipset flaw and will do what is necessary to make the process fast and efficient. More updates will be released as Intel discloses insight into their plans to implement a quick and viable solution.