| Recurring |
unknown |
a) The software failure incident related to the faulty support chip codenamed Cougar Point affecting computers with second-generation Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors is specific to Intel. This incident is unique to Intel's products as mentioned in the article [3923]. There is no mention of a similar incident happening again within the same organization.
b) The software failure incident involving the faulty Cougar Point support chip impacting SATA ports within the chipsets has not been reported to have happened at other organizations or with their products and services. The focus of the article [3923] is on Intel's admission of the flaw and the subsequent actions taken to address the issue. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident in Article 3923 was primarily due to a design flaw in the support chip codenamed Cougar Point used alongside computers with second-generation Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors. Intel admitted that the flaw could cause the Serial-ATA (SATA) ports within the chipsets to degrade over time, potentially impacting the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices such as hard disk drives and DVD-drives. This flaw was a result of a design issue introduced during the system development phase [3923].
(b) The software failure incident in Article 3923 could also be attributed to the operation phase, as the impact of the flaw would manifest over time during the operation of the affected machines. Users operating the systems with the faulty support chip could experience issues where parts of the computer stop communicating with each other, leading to potential failures in the system's functionality. This aspect of the failure can be linked to the operation or misuse of the affected systems [3923]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the faulty Cougar Point support chip codenamed Cougar Point used alongside computers with second-generation Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors. The flaw within the chip caused degradation of the Serial-ATA (SATA) ports over time, potentially impacting the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices such as hard disk drives and DVD-drives [3923]. Intel mentioned that a "silicon fix" was devised, indicating that the problem could not be fixed with a simple update and that manual replacement of the affected chips within every computer was necessary [3923].
(b) outside_system: The software failure incident was not explicitly attributed to factors originating from outside the system in the provided article. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident in Article 3923 occurred due to non-human actions. Specifically, the failure was attributed to a serious flaw in the support chip codenamed Cougar Point used alongside computers with second-generation Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors. The flaw caused the Serial-ATA (SATA) ports within the chipsets to degrade over time, potentially impacting the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices such as hard disk drives and DVD-drives. This flaw was not introduced by human actions but was a technical issue within the hardware component itself [3923].
(b) The software failure incident in Article 3923 was not due to contributing factors introduced by human actions. The flaw in the support chip was a non-human action that led to the failure, and the solution involved a manual replacement of the affected chips within every computer, indicating that the issue was not caused by human error or intentional actions [3923]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware |
(a) The software failure incident in this case is related to hardware. The article mentions a serious flaw with the support chip codenamed Cougar Point used alongside computers with second-generation Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors. The flaw in the hardware causes the Serial-ATA (SATA) ports within the chipsets to degrade over time, potentially impacting the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices such as hard disk drives and DVD-drives [3923]. This hardware issue requires manual replacement of the affected chips within every computer, indicating that the failure originates in the hardware component.
(b) There is no specific mention of a software-related contributing factor in the article. The focus is on the hardware flaw in the support chip causing the software failure incident. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Intel Sandy Bridge chips was non-malicious. The failure was due to a serious flaw in the support chip codenamed Cougar Point used alongside computers with second-generation Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors. Intel admitted the fault, stating that 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. Intel mentioned a "silicon fix" and the need to manually replace the affected chips within every computer, indicating a technical flaw rather than a malicious attack [3923]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
unknown |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Intel Sandy Bridge chips was not due to poor decisions but rather a serious flaw in the support chip codenamed Cougar Point that was used alongside computers with second-generation Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors. Intel admitted the fault and mentioned that the Serial-ATA (SATA) ports within the chipsets may degrade over time, impacting the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices [3923]. This indicates that the failure was not a result of poor decisions but rather a technical flaw in the hardware component. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article. Intel admitted a serious flaw with many machines packing the Sandy Bridge chips, specifically mentioning a faulty support chip codenamed Cougar Point used alongside computers with second-generation Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors. The flaw was described as potentially impacting the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices due to degradation of SATA ports within the chipsets over time. Intel mentioned that a "silicon fix" was needed, indicating that the problem couldn't be fixed with a simple update, and manual replacement of affected chips within every computer was necessary. This situation highlights a failure introduced due to a lack of professional competence in the development process [3923].
(b) The software failure incident related to accidental factors is also apparent in the article. The flaw in the support chip codenamed Cougar Point, leading to the degradation of SATA ports within the chipsets over time, was not intentional but rather an accidental issue that could impact the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices. Intel's need to work with manufacturers to fix the problem and the estimated cost of around $700 million to repair and replace affected units indicate that the incident was not deliberate but rather an unintended consequence of the design or manufacturing process [3923]. |
| Duration |
permanent |
(a) The software failure incident related to the faulty support chip codenamed Cougar Point alongside computers using second-generation Core i5 and Core i7 quad-core processors is considered permanent. Intel mentioned that 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. Intel stated that the problem can't be fixed with an update and they will have to manually replace the affected chips within every computer [3923]. This indicates a permanent failure as the hardware components need physical replacement to resolve the issue. |
| Behaviour |
crash, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident described in the article is related to a crash. The flaw in the support chip codenamed Cougar Point could lead to the system losing state and not performing its intended functions, potentially impacting the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices such as hard disk drives and DVD-drives [3923].
(b) omission: The incident does not specifically mention a failure due to the system omitting to perform its intended functions at an instance(s).
(c) timing: The incident does not specifically mention a failure due to the system performing its intended functions correctly, but too late or too early.
(d) value: The incident does not specifically mention a failure due to the system performing its intended functions incorrectly.
(e) byzantine: The incident does not specifically mention a failure due to the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The other behavior described in the article is a serious flaw with the support chip that could potentially impact the performance or functionality of SATA-linked devices, leading to the need for manual replacement of affected chips within every computer [3923]. |