Numerous models of Windows 7 tablets and netbooks, some less than a year old, that should be upgradeable to Windows 8 won't be able to handle Microsoft's new operating system due to problems with the Intel chips that power them, according to computer manufacturers and frustrated users.
The problems affect systems that use the current version of Intel's Atom line, known as Cedar Trail. Intel is rolling out a new version of Atom, called Clover Trail, that is specifically designed for Windows 8 hardware, but that's too late for many users who previously bought systems on the belief they could upgrade later.