What is actually wrong with ssandy bridge?

[mjmjpfaff]

Can you still buy the processors and only the motherboards are bad right?

 

[tecmo34]

Yes... the processor is fine, it was the SATA II controller on the motherboards that were defective.

 

[ElMoIsEviL]

Can you still buy the processors and only the motherboards are bad right?

There's an issue with a certain batch of H67/P67 chipsets. There appears to have been an issue with a sensitivity to over voltage. This has been rectified with the addition of an extra metal layer in the chip packaging.

We're told that new boards ought to be shipping soon (containing the fix).

In the meantime you can still use current P67/H67 based motherboards so long as you are aware that using the SATA-II ports (which are part of the P67/H67 chipset) can result the degradation of said SATA-II ports to the point of non-functionality.

The SATA-III ports as well as any 3rd party controller SATA-II/SATA-III ports remain un-affected.