Cal-Pac Will Replace Defective Pentium Chips

Thus far, no Ventura County computer users are known to have been tripped up by a defect that’s been discovered in Intel Corp.’s high-speed Pentium chips. But if you’re equipped with the units, a Ventura firm, Cal-Pac Computing, is offering to replace them free of charge.

Cal-Pac’s president, Gerhard W. Orthuber, says his company will donate the labor, using new chips supplied free by Intel.

Cal-Pac is an independent company that repairs computer equipment and also serves as a consultant. An Intel rival, IBM, has also offered to replace the chips with its own products.

The Intel chips reportedly become inaccurate when asked to calculate to the ninth figure after a decimal point.

“I can’t think of many people or companies who would want to figure things that fine,” Orthuber said. “If somebody’s in doubt, we’ll be glad to advise them whether they ought to make the changeover.”

Cal-Pac can be reached at (805) 653-6006.