Dell to Save Intel-Related Documents

Close Intel ally Dell has agreed to retain documents relating to its partnership with the chipmaker, as the private antitrust case between AMD and Intel moves forward. The agreement was filed on Wednesday in a U.S. District Court in Delaware.

Dell has bought processors exclusively from Intel, and AMD hopes the documents could provide clues to how the chipmaker uses its agreements to push rivals out of the market. AMD has accused Intel of using its market power to exclude others from deals with computer manufacturers like Dell.

To be saved are e-mails and documents, as well as the contents of hard drives of those considered "custodians" of Dell's microprocessor deals. One of the custodians is the company's founder and chairman, Michael Dell. The company still has the right to contest any of the subpoenas for information.

AMD says that virtually every company has cooperated in retaining documents pertinent to the antitrust case. The company began the process in July, and has subpoenaed Gateway for information it may be withholding.

Dell is declining to comment on the situation, and Intel has dismissed AMD's moves as "procedural." However, the amount of information being saved could be the most ever for any case in the country's history, consisting of millions of documents.