Intel Recall 6-Series Chipsets

[snowy]

Intel have discovered a "bug" (it's actually a manufacturing defect) with their new 6-Series Motherboards and plan a recall. They're estimating it will cost them over One Billion Dollars to put right!

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4142/intel-discovers-bug-in-6series-chipset-begins-recall

 

[fat jez]

specifically it affects the 3Gbps SATA ports. People using the 6Gbps ports wouldn't notice a problem. Still, bit of an error on Intel's part

*pats AMD PC affectionately*

 

[AlexM]

Typically I thought with the new chipsets being an 'evolution' rather than 'revolution' they would be safe from defects, and I went ahead and upgraded! (my old computer was on its last legs). Hopefully a relatively painless board replacement is on the cards in a few months..

 

[snowy]

Hopefully a relatively painless board replacement is on the cards in a few months..

I was planning on making the leap from AMD, having been suitably seduced. But I suspect when this is all sorted out and it's safe to take the plunge, Intel's boards and chips will have gone up in price or be pretty expensive compared another upgrade path.

You never know you may have been quite fortunate in that you won't be paying through the nose for yesterdays technology tomorrow... if that makes sense?

 

[fat jez]

Socket AM3 with an 890 series chipset is still very good value. My PC goes like the proverbial of a shovel (AMD Phenom II 1090T, Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7 motherboard, 4GB of RAM, Sapphire HD6970 graphics card).

 

[Jen]

How can I tell if my newish laptop has this defective whatsit - afraid I don't understand too much, (nah,anything) about the inwards.

 

[fat jez]

what's the make and model, Jen?

 

[Jen]

The receipt says "622850 Comp CQ61-435" - bought in May last year, a Compaq with Intel Pentium and Windows 7. My previous laptop was also a Compaq with AMD (which was quite poncey when I bought it in 2003), but it had been rebuilt twice and was just sooo slow.

Jez - what difference will/would it make if it has the defective gene?

Sorry, all my machines are imbued with human qualities and failings!

 

[fat jez]

yours is fine, Jen. It's only the absolute latest and greatest Intel that came out in the last month or so that are affected.

 

[gethinceri]

Jen, he's gently telling you that yours is old and rubbish!

 

[fat jez]

oi you!

Don't you put words in my mouth

Take no notice of the nasty man, Jen, your laptop is fine.

 

[Jen]

Thanks Jez and good to know that old is reliable

 

[FB]

Socket AM3 with an 890 series chipset is still very good value. My PC goes like the proverbial of a shovel (AMD Phenom II 1090T, Gigabyte GA-890FXA-UD7 motherboard, 4GB of RAM, Sapphire HD6970 graphics card).

Eh?

 

[TheMediaevalFighter]

Actually a good question to those assembled. Now I have worked in IT for just overf thirty years now but am in a quandry over replacement kit. My desktop has done sterling service since 1998 (really) when I bought it cost about £2500 due to being all ultra-wide SCSI, twin head video, &c &c. It is still 700mg, 512meg and works a treat for what I want (Latest patched XP).

Laptop is exactly what I want, dual boot XP/Linux, small light does what it says on the tin Fujitsu B-Series (again about eight years old now)... Both will not cope with Windows 7 of course. So what to look for.... Gaming is not required... Not done any of that since they stopped developing M$ Flight Simulator

I'd be open to thoughts ...

 

[AlexM]

What are you looking for TMF? Laptop/Desktop/Both? What do you want it/them to be capable of and what features are you looking for? Oh a budget is useful too..

 

[TheMediaevalFighter]

AlexM

Dunno really why I asked. I have, obviously, looked around, there is no hurry as all is working as I wish. But it is time to upgrade I suppose.

Desktop I am happy to build myself as I did the last one, or even upgrade the last one as it is not an issue. Would need a new power supply, motherboard, twin head video. The SCSI drives are fine but I suppose I'd need to look for a more uptodate SCSI controller even if you can get them these days. Yes I know SATA has been around for ages now

Laptop just need to work. Small, Light, reasonable to high spec as I am likely to be using it for a few years. Money is not so much an issue as I can write off over four years so eventually it will not cost me anything

I *do* like Fujitsu as they are so well made IME.

I do *not* like the suitcase sized offerings with highly glossy screens that are available from the highstreet chains or, tbh, most major manufacturers.

 

[fat jez]

Adaptec still make good SCSI controllers, although they aren't cheap. My Adaptec RAID card does SATA or SAS (Serial Attached SCSI), but I use it for SATA as the SAS drives are blooming expensive too.

In terms of laptops (and I'm prepared to get flamed by all the haters who have never used one), get a Macbook Pro. They keep their value well, as very quick compared to the same spec Windows machine, run Unix (so similar to the Linux you are used to) and have support for industry standard document formats (e.g. you can run MS Office).

 

[FB]

In terms of laptops (and I'm prepared to get flamed by all the haters who have never used one), get a Macbook Pro.

I "upgraded" my company Dell lap top by putting an Apple sticker my son had left over from his iPod over the Dell badge on the case. It's still crap though (the Dell that is)

 

[TheMediaevalFighter]

I'm not against Macs per see and I know that since MacOSX they are using a modified Linux kernel but I do need to run native windoze apps in a windoze environment unfortunately.

However was having a brief play recently with the latest Mac Air? I think? The really thin one that is about the size of a piece of A4 paper and about as thin. Now something like that is what I am looking for...

Take care

TMF

 

[fat jez]

If you already have a windows license, then Virtualbox by Sun is free