"BUG ALERT: HP warns about faulty chips in Compaq, HP laptops that can erase data; it claims flaw is 'industry wide'"
By NATALIE SOH and HO KA WEI
Singapore's leading computer seller, Hewlett-Packard (HP), has issued a worldwide warning about a flaw in its notebook computers.
The defect, limited to laptops, is serious enough to cause users to lose data if their machine hangs, said HP, which also brings out notebooks under the brand name Compaq.
The giant computer manufacturer also claims that the flaw is "industry wide" because it is due to defective memory chips which are used by other notebook manufacturers too.
According to HP, the faulty chips - manufactured by major players like Infineon, Samsung, Micron Technology and Winbond Electronics - could cause problems when they are used in conjunction with Intel chipsets.
When the Intel chipsets try to save power, they apparently trigger the memory chips to refresh repeatedly.
The faulty memory chip is unable to cope with this process and this could lead to the computer crashing and the loss of data.
Notebooks are becoming increasingly popular. Last June, the number sold here exceeded that of desktop computers for the first time.
According to research house Gartner, HP had the largest market share here - 29.5 per cent - among computer vendors in the first quarter of the year.
This includes both desktops and notebooks.
No figures were available last night to indicate what percentage of this are laptops.
Competitors IBM and Dell have refuted HP's claims that their notebooks also have faulty memory chips.
IBM Australia yesterday denied that the issue is "industry wide" as HP claims and insisted its laptop line was not affected.
A Dell spokesman here said the problem had not cropped up in its machines so far, but it was "looking closely at the situation".
HP said it found out about the problem during standard tests.
The IT giant said it would replace defective memory modules in its machines for free.
An HP spokesman said yesterday that it was revealing the flaw because "we want to be proactive and offer help to customers who might be affected by it".
The memory modules, which come in 128BM, 256MB and 512MB capacities, were manufactured between March 2002 and July last year.
The most expensive of these, the 512MB random access memory module, or RAM, costs US $179.99 (S$309).
HP's website - www.hp.com/support/memoryreplacement - has details about the problem and the replacement programme.
Consumers have until the end of the year to get their faulty chip replaced.
Although HP has flagged the matter, it is not just its notebooks which are affected or have faced the problem.
According to reports, four years ago, 200,000 to 400,000 Dell notebooks were estimated to have defective memory chips and the company replaced them.
The memory chip problem does not appear widespread. Several computer shops last night told The Straits Times that none of their customers had complained so far.
Only Challenger Superstore at Funan the IT Mall had one case.
A sales supervisor there said a customer had complained that the $3,000 HP notebook he bought in April crashed frequently.
The problem was found to be with the 512MB memory chip.
This was replaced last Friday.
posted by ah lum @ 3:51 AM
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