Intel Recalling Pentium Chips That Can Malfunction

[KRL]

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Intel Corp. is recalling an unspecified number of chips it had shipped to computer and motherboard makers after finding a manufacturing flaw that could lead a computer to malfunction, the world's largest chip maker said on Friday.

The chip, which Intel had code-named Grantsdale, is shipped in tandem with the Pentium 4 microprocessor and provides support functions for peripherals and computer memory. Grantsdale was officially launched by Intel earlier this week.

Intel declined to specify the number of chips affected by the flaw, or whether the move would have an impact on the company's bottom line, Calder said.

The flaw was caused by a failure to etch away part of a thin film deposited on the chip during the manufacturing process, Calder said. He said the company has corrected its manufacturing process and is currently shipping Grantsdale chips without the bug.

Virtually all of the faulty chips are in the hands of PC and component makers or in Intel's own inventory, and only a "very small number" are with individual PC owners, Intel spokesman Bill Calder said.