Processing glitch forces Intel to recall high-end Pentium III

PC World - After discovering that systems running its new 1.13-GHz Pentium III microprocessor can freeze under certain conditions, Intel Corp. yesterday said it's stopping production of the device and recalling the limited quantities that had been shipped to hardware vendors since the high-end chip was released late last month.
Intel technicians have been able to replicate a problem with the 1.13-GHz Pentium that was brought to the semiconductor maker's attention by outside testing sources, said company spokesman George Alfs. In some of the devices, he said, a glitch occurs that causes test systems to stop running under certain temperatures and processing speeds.
Intel has stopped manufacturing the new chip and won't resume production until the problem is identified and corrected -- a process that could take several months to complete, Alfs said. Meanwhile, Dell Computer Corp. and IBM both said they have stopped taking orders for systems based on the 1.13-GHz device.
The news of Intel's recall coincided with rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc.'s announcement that a 1.1-GHz version of its Athlon microprocessor is shipping. AMD said Compaq Computer Corp., Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM and 13 other PC makers have committed to build the new Athlon device into their systems.
Intel announced at the end of July that it was beginning to ship limited quantities of the 1.13-GHz Pentium III to major PC vendors. But the number of chips that were shipped since then is "very small," Alfs said. Users who own PCs with the new processor should contact the system vendor -- not Intel -- to find out what to do next, he added.
Dell and IBM both announced systems built around the 1.13-GHz processor after it became available. Dell began taking orders for its system but hasn't shipped any to users, according to a company spokeswoman. Dell plans to contact customers who ordered a 1.13-GHz system and offer them a 1-GHz model instead, she said.
IBM also pulled a high-end Aptiva PC featuring the 1.13-GHz processor from its Web site after learning of the problem, a spokesman said. Some desktop Aptivas based on the device were shipped to users, but sales so far have been "very light," he added. IBM plans to contact all of the customers to alert them about the problems with the chip.
Intel's announcement came as a surprise to Nathan Brookwood, an analyst at Insight64 in Saratoga, Calif. Brookwood said it's rare for Intel to have a problem with its products, but he noted that the 1.13-GHz processor speed pushes the limits of the Pentium III design.