Bug in new Pentium IIIs hampers boot-up.

A bug that complicates starting computers based around "Coppermine" Pentium III processors has been identified, but Intel said it will soon eliminate the problem. The flaw, or erratum, becomes apparent in the "boot-up" sequence and essentially forces computer owners to hit the "on" button twice, according to Michael Sullivan, an Intel spokesman. If a computer contains a chip with the flaw, it does not start until the second try. "It is like starting something twice," he said. The bug only affects 1 to 2 percent of "Coppermine" Pentium III processors and has only been observed in labs, Sullivan said. Still, Dell Computer has put an "engineering hold" on the manufacture of new Optiplex GX110 computers, which are based around Coppermine, until testing procedures can be devised to weed out any chips containing the bug, a Dell spokesman said. Intel said the flaw will be fixed in the next "stepping," or manufacturing tweak, of the processor. The company also is testing to screen out chips containing the flaw.