ASUS is now shipping updated Intel® 6 series chipset-based

-- ASUS’ prompt response ensures quick availability of products containing revised 6 Series chipset technology from Intel® to expedite service and ensure customer satisfaction --
Fremont, CA (March 1, 2011) - As part of an overall recovery plan following the detection of the Intel® 6 Series chipset design error , ASUS expedited the manufacturing and delivery of new products containing the revised B3 stepping of the Intel 6 Series chipset (Cougar Point). Along with this rapid delivery plan, ASUS also implemented extensive product return and replacement options along with a dedicated service hotline for its valued North American customers. Based on recent deliveries of revised 6 Series chipsets from Intel®, ASUS is excited to announce that updated Intel® 6 series-based motherboards are now shipping. This fast response aims to prevent any further inconveniences for our customers and partners.
For motherboards, customers can easily identify revised products by checking for labels showing “New B3 Revision” displayed on the motherboards and their packaging. Additionally, users can verify the chipset version through UEFI or CPUID’s CPU-Z utility.As Intel® indicated the design error only occurs with the SATA 3Gb/s ports on the B2 stepping 6 Series chipset, ASUS has created an online tutorial to help customers clearly identify the unaffected SATA 6Gb/s ports for each relevant product. Additional information can be found at http://promos.asus.com/US/2011/mb/Identify_unaffected_SATA_port.html along with the ASUS SATA Verifier utility, available as a free download, to quickly identify safe-to-use SATA 6Gb/s ports.
Replacement Program Overview for North American Customers-We would like to use this opportunity to encourage any current North American users in possession of affected ASUS products to take advantage of the return and replacement policy promptly, so that the transition to the revised hardware is as smooth and fast as possible. North American customers can visit the ASUS 6 Series Chipset Resolution site at http://service.asus.com/notice/Overview.aspx to view the replacement program details and to fill out a Service Registration Form to start the product replacement process. ASUS is committed to delivering the best-quality products along with outstanding customer service for our valued customers. We are providing several options to resolve this issue for our North American customers:
Free product replacementUS and Canadian Customers: A free replacement service and 2-way standard shipping is available from ASUS directly. An equivalent/new product will be provided to the customer as part of this program and warranty renewal at the time of replacement*.To return your affected product(s) for replacement please follow the steps here.Three different return options will be offered upon the issuance and approval of the RMA as part of this return program.
ASUS will provide a cross-ship option that offers the customer the least amount of system downtime. Upon the receipt of a valid credit card number and approval, a temporary charge hold will be placed against the customer’s credit card for the MSRP value of the replacement product. The replacement product will be shipped to the customer and a prepaid label for return of the existing product will be provided. Upon return of the defective product and verification against the RMA, the temporary charge hold on the customer’s credit card will be lifted.
ASUS will provide an advanced tracking option that expedites the delivery of the replacement product compared to our standard return process. A prepaid label for return of the existing product will be provided by ASUS. A valid credit card number is required for this process. Upon notification that the defective product is marked as “In-Transit” at the carrier, ASUS will ship the replacement product to the customer. If the returned product does not match the RMA, a temporary charge hold will be placed against the customer’s credit card for the MSRP value of the product until resolution of the RMA, at which time the hold will be removed or the credit card charged for the MSRP value of the product.
ASUS will provide a standard shipping option. A prepaid label for return of the existing product will be provided by ASUS. Upon return of the product to ASUS and after verification of the product against the RMA, a replacement product will be shipped to the customer.
Motherboard and desktop workaroundASUS has confirmed with Intel that the design error does not affect SATA ports 0 and 1. Additionally, ASUS as a leading motherboard designer and pioneer of new innovations includes extra SATA 3Gb/s and SATA 6Gb/s ports beyond Intel specifications on a wide range of motherboards. ASUS has provided an easy workaround solution to the Intel design issue here.
Full refundIf you are unwilling to wait for the free product replacement, we suggest you request a full refund from your product’s place of purchase (E-tailer or point of sale). If you purchased a motherboard or system in Mexico, please contact the reseller immediately for a full refund or replacement as the advanced product replacement service is not available in this region. *All customers that register by June 30th, 2011 will have their warranty reset based on the date the replacement product is shipped. After June 30th, 2011 users with affected Intel 6 Series chipset products that have not registered for replacement may still qualify for advanced replacement options. However, the warranty period and terms of service will be based on the original product purchase date and terms of sale. For additional information and assistance, please feel free to visit http://service.asus.com/notice/Contactus.aspx or call your North American ASUS service hotline at 1-866-625-9873 between the hours of 6:00AM to 9:00PM PST Monday through Friday. ASUS Motherboards: No.1 in the WorldASUS has attained its industry-leading position through innovation. As the bestselling and most award-winning global motherboard brand, the company has sold more than 420 million motherboards since its founding in 1989, and has pioneered numerous innovations that have become industry standards. Recent examples include Core Unlocker, Disk Unlocker, Protect 3.0 and the world’s first Dual Intelligent Processors, which consists of the TPU (TurboV Processing Unit) performance optimization chip and the EPU (Energy Processing Unit), the industry’s first real time PC power saving chip. The Dual Intelligent Processors achieve system-wide performance and energy optimization to increase output and moderate power consumption for a better, more cost-effective computing experience. With its decades of expertise and dedication to pushing the design envelope, ASUS is poised to continue leading the industry in motherboard performance, safety and reliability.About ASUSASUS, the world’s top 3 consumer notebook vendor and the maker of the world’s bestselling and most award winning motherboards, is a leading enterprise in the new digital era. ASUS designs and manufactures products that perfectly meet the needs of today's digital home, office and person, with a broad portfolio that includes motherboards, graphics cards, displays, desktop PCs, notebooks, netbooks, servers, multimedia, wireless solutions, networking devices and mobile phones. Driven by innovation and committed to quality, ASUS won 3,398 awards in 2010, and is widely credited with revolutionizing the PC industry with the Eee PC™. With a global staff of more than ten thousand people and a world-class R&D team of 3,000 engineers, the company's revenue for 2010 was around US$10 billion.