News Intel details microcode update to address instability and crashing errors — patch has negligible performance impacts, requires BIOS update

[Admin]

Intel says that its microcode 0x129 patch must be installed via a BIOS update. While this update will limit voltage requests to a maximum of 1.55 volts, it does not represent a material impact on performance, except for a few select tests.

Intel details microcode update to address instability and crashing errors — patch has negligible performance impacts, requires BIOS update : Read more

 

[DS426]

What does Intel mean by saying that aren't releasing the BIOS update via Windows Update? Isn't it purely up to OEM/ODM's, e.g. HP and others to release their own BIOS updates? Intel is making yet another mistake and continuing to crush confidence if they are purposely limiting distribution of the fix; surely, after a month or two of testing, it'd be safe to release to WU.

Also, so they're saying that new chips are modified such that they don't exhibit this defect, regardless of microcode? Would this simply be part of CPU stepping?

And what about the tool to help identify the problem children?

 

[Gururu]

What does Intel mean by saying that aren't releasing the BIOS update via Windows Update? Isn't it purely up to OEM/ODM's, e.g. HP and others to release their own BIOS updates? Intel is making yet another mistake and continuing to crush confidence if they are purposely limiting distribution of the fix; surely, after a month or two of testing, it'd be safe to release to WU.

Also, so they're saying that new chips are modified such that they don't exhibit this defect, regardless of microcode? Would this simply be part of CPU stepping?

And what about the tool to help identify the problem children?

I think the message is that the problem isn't as wide as the enthusiast says it is and like Puget, major pc sellers (Dell, HP) are not sending a wide and clear message to Intel that there is a problem. Custom builders will likely be those for which the fix is most applicable.

 

[evdjj3j]

"However, Intel said in a statement to Tom's Hardware that this microcode patch will only be available through BIOS updates and not through Windows Update."

Why, reporter?

 

[Mattzun]

Really disappointing that the microcode won't be delivered via Windows update.
I'd love to see how high the voltage spikes on a normally configured OEM machine without the patch.

 

[ThomasKinsley]

"microcode update"
"negligible performance impacts"
"A few tests have shown some impact"
"a few sub-tests showing moderate impacts"
"system performance is dependent on configuration and several other factors."

Toms' upcoming benchmarks will be much appreciated.

 

[Loadedaxe]

Windows (MS) does not do bios updates through WU, its up to board manufacturers and OEMs

 

[CelicaGT]

Windows (MS) does not do bios updates through WU, its up to board manufacturers and OEMs

They absolutely do, for larger OEMs like Dell and HP. My Dell G15 did one last month when I first received it. I was quite surprised to learn firsthand this was a thing. In this case however, I think what intel is referring to is the typical microcode soft updates that are loaded on boot on pretty much every system, not an actual BIOS update.

 

[thestryker]

JayzTwoCents did some initial testing with the new microcode and the performance differences seem random. None of the differences appeared to be big and the highest voltage they saw with the new microcode was 1.51V.

What does Intel mean by saying that aren't releasing the BIOS update via Windows Update? Isn't it purely up to OEM/ODM's, e.g. HP and others to release their own BIOS updates? Intel is making yet another mistake and continuing to crush confidence if they are purposely limiting distribution of the fix; surely, after a month or two of testing, it'd be safe to release to WU.

The way I interpret the statement is that they won't be issuing the microcode update by itself through Windows Update (they've done this in the past). That shouldn't have any impact on OEMs who may deploy BIOS updates through Windows Update.

 

[Guardians Bane]

What does Intel mean by saying that aren't releasing the BIOS update via Windows Update? Isn't it purely up to OEM/ODM's, e.g. HP and others to release their own BIOS updates? Intel is making yet another mistake and continuing to crush confidence if they are purposely limiting distribution of the fix; surely, after a month or two of testing, it'd be safe to release to WU.

Also, so they're saying that new chips are modified such that they don't exhibit this defect, regardless of microcode? Would this simply be part of CPU stepping?

And what about the tool to help identify the problem children?

OEMs (most that is) seem to have custom mobos. So maaaaby they can offer the updated microcode through customer accounts or something like that? Everyone is saying the mobo partners are pushing the updates, so maybe the OEMs will do the same as well somehow?

I haven't bought a DT pre-built in a long time, so I really don't know how they would do it. I'm just throwing an idea out there to somehow make sense of all this. Lol