Question CPU drivers?

[morbidlyobesefrog]

I was wondering how exactly I'm supposed to update the drivers for my CPU. I went to my mobos manufacturing website and downloaded the "chipset all in one" driver update but after looking at my device manager and checking the CPU driver it hasn't been updated since 2009. So I was wondering if there was a seperate CPU update I needed and I just updated my mobo stuff like audio or if theres nothing else left to update.

 

[AngelTech]

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/
https://www.amd.com/en/support

Choose the site your processor is from

 

[derekullo]

The CPU itself doesn't technically have drivers.

The "drivers" it does have are in the form of a "BIOS UPDATE" which is actually stored on the motherboard.

A BIOS update allows you to add additional features like support for newer CPUs that are using the same socket as well as patches for Meltdown and other vulnerabilities.

It is best to not update the BIOS unless you have a specific reason to do so, such as upgrading the processor or fixing an error.
(An old Dell that I had wouldn't boot when connected to a Logitech 510 keyboard. A BIOS update fixed it)

The reasoning is that if you lose power or interrupt the BIOS update process in anyway there is a very high chance that the motherboard will permanently break.


Another kind of driver is called a chipset driver.

Chipset drivers are drivers also for the motherboard but they allow the operating system (Windows) to communicate better with them.

An example would be chipset audio drivers, Intel Rapid Storage drivers, AMD StoreMi and AMD Integrated Vega Graphics.

Chipset drivers are fine to update as often as you see fit ... Windows 10 may even do it for you.

 

[derekullo]

If the CPU was last updated in 2009 there is a good chance there are no longer updates being made for it.

At some point the product is deemed EOL or END-OF-LIFE.

I'm not sure what CPU you have but the Phenom 2 was released in 2009 and its EOL was in 2012.

AMD Phenom II to soon become End of Life by year end » Hardware BBQ

In order to keep up with the times (hopefully), AMD said its Phenom II processors will reach “End of Life” officially by the end of this...

www.hardwarebbq.com

So there is a good chance yours is no longer being updated.

 

[morbidlyobesefrog]

If the CPU was last updated in 2009 there is a good chance there are no longer updates being made for it.

At some point the product is deemed EOL or END-OF-LIFE.

I'm not sure what CPU you have but the Phenom 2 was released in 2009 and its EOL was in 2012.

AMD Phenom II to soon become End of Life by year end » Hardware BBQ

In order to keep up with the times (hopefully), AMD said its Phenom II processors will reach “End of Life” officially by the end of this...

www.hardwarebbq.com

So there is a good chance yours is no longer being updated.

See that's the thing that has me scratching my head because I have a Ryzen Chip. I bought mine when they first came out and I've been hearing about performance being dramatically increased with new updates but I'm not seeing any results from the updates I"ve been making.

 

[morbidlyobesefrog]

The CPU itself doesn't technically have drivers.

The "drivers" it does have are in the form of a "BIOS UPDATE" which is actually stored on the motherboard.

A BIOS update allows you to add additional features like support for newer CPUs that are using the same socket as well as patches for Meltdown and other vulnerabilities.

It is best to not update the BIOS unless you have a specific reason to do so, such as upgrading the processor or fixing an error.
(An old Dell that I had wouldn't boot when connected to a Logitech 510 keyboard. A BIOS update fixed it)

The reasoning is that if you lose power or interrupt the BIOS update process in anyway there is a very high chance that the motherboard will permanently break.


Another kind of driver is called a chipset driver.

Chipset drivers are drivers also for the motherboard but they allow the operating system (Windows) to communicate better with them.

An example would be chipset audio drivers, Intel Rapid Storage drivers, AMD StoreMi and AMD Integrated Vega Graphics.

Chipset drivers are fine to update as often as you see fit ... Windows 10 may even do it for you.

I'll try updating the BIOS and let you know how that goes