Hewlett-Packard Co.'s board shakeup, including Ray Lane's exitas chairman, gives Chief Executive Officer Meg Whitman a clearerpath to revive growth and shake off years of tumult at the world'slargest computer maker.

A former president of Oracle Corp., Lane failed to use hisextensive experience in enterprise computing to helpHewlett-Packard's turnaround, and his public gaffes — includingbeing photographed using an Apple Inc. computer — also sometimesserved as an embarrassment to the company.

Lane, 66, instead bore the stain of the disastrous 11-monthtenure of former CEO Leo Apotheker and the company's acquisition ofsoftware maker Autonomy Corp., which led to an $8.8 billionwritedown and accusations of accounting fraud. To build on themomentum that Whitman has begun to show, the board is seeking a newchairman with global experience and who can devote more time andenergy to revival efforts, Pat Russo, a company director, said inan e-mailed statement. Until then, Ralph Whitworth will serve asinterim chairman.