- Toshiba Corp. has announced a voluntary exchange program for memory modules in some of its notebook PCs after identifying a module problem that could cause the PCs to exhibit blue screens, lock up, or experience corruption of memory data. Under the voluntary exchange program, customers can exchange the memory components in the affected PCs any time from November 1, 2004 until April 30, 2005. Customers can download a utility from Toshiba's website that analyzes their PC's operating system to determine whether or not it contains the subject components.

The PC maker will offer to replace as many as 600,000 memory modules--tiny circuit boards that hold DRAM chips--used in 27 notebook models worldwide between April 2002 and April 2004. Those memory cards could potentially cause problems, such as lockups, a company representative said.

In the second major notebook memory replacement campaign in recent months by a brand name notebook maker, Toshiba will offer free replacement memory to customers whose notebooks are determined to contain the bad modules.

Toshiba says none of its current notebooks contain the potentially problematic memory. It did not make public the exact nature of the problem or which manufacturer(s) created the cards in question. The company did, however, launch a Web page on its site that contains information about the replacement program and the range of symptoms the modules might trigger.

"Under certain conditions, the subject component, provided to Toshiba by third parties...in combination with certain other components might cause notebook PCs to experience blue screens, intermittent lockups or undetected memory data corruption," Toshiba said in a statement on its Web site.

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News source: news.com