Question [HELP] Updating to the new intel microcode patch BIOS version as someone who is completely new to all of this.

[p1xel8or]

Hey y'all, I'm not a big PC guy, been a console gamer my entire life with a fairly capable laptop to play Civ 6 and a few Paradox games. Decided to buy a new PC and installed an i9 13900k with it. Within like a month, two Unreal Engine games started crashing. Thankfully the store that built the PC for me were very helpful and got me a replacement CPU in a week, which has been playing plenty of UE games with no crashes and issues.

I've decided to update the BIOS because it could potentially be a matter of time before this second CPU starts to go haywire. I thought it was just going to be a normal BIOS update I saw a YT video by JayzTwoCents who said something about Intel ME Engine being run to apply the code or something like that. Can anyone please explain this updating process to a beginner? Should I update the BIOS THEN run Intel ME Engine? Or is there something else I need to do?

Also this forum was where I first came across the crashing potentially being a CPU issue back in June 2023. Y'all have been incredibly helpful with the various issues and worries I have as a new PC gamer. A big thank you!

[Motherboard model is a GIGABYTE Z790 UD AX, rev 1.0]

 

[Roland Of Gilead]

Hey there,

This should pretty much cover everything:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chC1FSCrEcc&t=82s


You may have to clear CMOS after the bios update: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/lit_files/917699.pdf
Section 20 - CLRCMOS jumper (Page 31)


Let us know how that goes.

 

[p1xel8or]

Hey thanks for the quick reply and for the video link, seems relatively easy to follow for a complete beginner. Do I have to tinker with the Intel ME Software or will the BIOS update apply the microcode fix by itself?

 

[CountMike]

Hey thanks for the quick reply and for the video link, seems relatively easy to follow for a complete beginner. Do I have to tinker with the Intel ME Software or will the BIOS update apply the microcode fix by itself?

BIOS update thru BIOS itself will update microcode too. There is one problem though, your CPU may already be damaged so if you have problems even after new BIOS, you should send it for RMA to Intel or thru vendor you bought it from. Intel just extend warranty to 2 years just because of that problem,

 

[frozensun]

I own this motherboard, and I am reading that update is for non-K CPUs and I own 13700K
Should I update microcode as well for 13700K?

ROG STRIX Z690-F GAMING WIFI | Gaming motherboards｜ROG - Republic of Gamers｜ROG Global

ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-F GAMING WIFI Intel LGA 1700 ATX motherboard, DDR5, PCIe 5.0, 16+1 power stages, WiFi 6E, Intel® 2.5 Gb Ethernet, four M.2 slots, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 USB Type-C®, SATA and Aura Sync

rog.asus.com

 

[Gururu]

I own this motherboard, and I am reading that update is for non-K CPUs and I own 13700K
Should I update microcode as well for 13700K?

ROG STRIX Z690-F GAMING WIFI | Gaming motherboards｜ROG - Republic of Gamers｜ROG Global

ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-F GAMING WIFI Intel LGA 1700 ATX motherboard, DDR5, PCIe 5.0, 16+1 power stages, WiFi 6E, Intel® 2.5 Gb Ethernet, four M.2 slots, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 USB Type-C®, SATA and Aura Sync

rog.asus.com

Interesting that they mention that in the description. The answer to your question is absolutely yes! Though K processor BIOS settings can be modified to achieve the same effect as the update, I dont think non-K processors can and that may be the reason the BIOS had to be updated by the manufacturer.

 

[frozensun]

Interesting that they mention that in the description. The answer to your question is absolutely yes! Though K processor BIOS settings can be modified to achieve the same effect as the update, I dont think non-K processors can and that may be the reason the BIOS had to be updated by the manufacturer.

I'd rather then avoid updating the BIOS.
What settings should I modify?

 

[Teknoman2]

I'd rather then avoid updating the BIOS.
What settings should I modify?

As long as the BIOS is for your specific motherboard model, there is no reason not to install it. The 0x129 micro code is the same for all intel CPUs, what they mean is that they apply different settings to the non K models because they are locked and can't be tinkered. The K models will get the same update but you will have to change to intel's recommended settings on your own from the bios screen if you don't want to use the Asus default settings. The changes that the micro code applies to the CPU behavior will work regardless of what settings you choose.

 

[Gururu]

I'd rather then avoid updating the BIOS.
What settings should I modify?

I admit that when I did update the BIOS, it stalled on boot a couple times and I had to power down, unplug the computer, to revive it. It scared me! It is supposed to reboot a few times on the update, but mine was hanging about 15 minutes before I realized I had to do a hard reboot. But it took and once it booted, never had a problem again.

I don't want to tell you how to under volt as I am not familiar with all of the boards or all of the settings. On mine, I just put an offset of -50mV in CPU Core/Cache Voltage. In HWiNFO64, I monitor the VCore which reflects the offset. Others may be able to give you the simplest type of BIOS setting for your board.

 

[p1xel8or]

BIOS update thru BIOS itself will update microcode too. There is one problem though, your CPU may already be damaged so if you have problems even after new BIOS, you should send it for RMA to Intel or thru vendor you bought it from. Intel just extend warranty to 2 years just because of that problem,

Thank you. I did update the BIOS and everything went swimmingly except for one weird issue where I lost my Windows license and had to re-activate it through the troubleshooter. After the RMA the new CPU has been good so far, I've ran a few shader compilation sequences in UE games with no issues and Admin Events in Event Viewer look clean. Fingers crossed it holds up.

 

[CountMike]

Thank you. I did update the BIOS and everything went swimmingly except for one weird issue where I lost my Windows license and had to re-activate it through the troubleshooter. After the RMA the new CPU has been good so far, I've ran a few shader compilation sequences in UE games with no issues and Admin Events in Event Viewer look clean. Fingers crossed it holds up.

Good, bet check power consumption and voltage, this patch is only temporary.
As for Windows reactivation, changing CPU and BIOS. TPM changed too.