Intel 6 Series chipset has a serious flaw?

[moshpit]

Information is sketchy still, but apparently Intel is cutting revenue forecasts over this chipset flaw due to it's seriousness. I'm still digging to find info on the flaw itself.

The error affects its Intel 6 series chipset, the company said, and it is prompting it to hold all shipments. The design error will reduce revenue by about $300 million.

Source: CNBC

Update: Thanks to Caveman_jim for this info:

As part of ongoing quality assurance, Intel Corporation has discovered a design issue in a recently released support chip, the Intel® 6 Series, code-named Cougar Point, 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, code-named Sandy Bridge. 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.

As more info comes in, we'll be discussing it in the comments link, just click and join in to get the latest.

[Riou]

It is a hardware flaw in the 6 series SATA chips. The PCH. There is performance degradation for hard drives and optical drives.

Hopefully people's data are not being corrupted.

[Och]

Wow, so what happens to those of us who bought motherboards with this chipset already?!

[moshpit]

Originally Posted by Och

Wow, so what happens to those of us who bought motherboards with this chipset already?!

Most likely a bios fix of some kind. I haven't had any issues at all yet, so I don't know how wide spread it is or what causes it to happen.

[moshpit]

Originally Posted by Intel

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.

Just picked up from Guru3d...

[caveman-jim]

Shares of Intel (INTC) have been halted on Nasdaq, apparently pending some news. The shares had been unchanged at $21.45 at last trade, around 9.54 AM, Eastern.

Update: Intel has announced a design flaw was found in a chip accompanying its recently released “Sandy Bridge” line of PC processors. A fix is expected to be issued in February, and the result will be a $300 million reduction to Q1 revenue, it said, and will reduce Q1’s expected gross margin percentage by 1 point, to 61%. Full-year gross margin is expected to be 63%, versus 64%, previously.

As Intel described the matter:

As part of ongoing quality assurance, Intel Corporation has discovered a design issue in a recently released support chip, the Intel® 6 Series, code-named Cougar Point, 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, code-named Sandy Bridge. 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.

Intel has resumed trading and is down 37 cents, or 1.7%, at $21.09.

source

A silicon fix means that all your P67 board guys will need to contact your manufacturer for details on replacing the mainboard.