Info Root cause of Raptor Lake CPU stability issues identified ! "Buggy microcode associated with eTVB"

[Metal Messiah.]

Well, I guess everyone by now is already aware of the stability issue on Intel's 13th Generation Raptor Lake and 14th Generation Raptor Lake Refresh chips.

Although Intel has yet to publicly issue a statement, it appears that Igor's Lab has discovered internal documents (NDA), which provides some insight what has been causing these issues from the start.

As per INTEL, the root cause appears to be an incorrect value within the microcode algorithm associated with the eTVB (Enhanced Thermal Velocity Boost) feature that comes with 13th and 14th Gen Unlocked CPUs.

The increased frequency and the corresponding high voltages which lead to high temperatures can lead to a reduction in the processor's reliability, which could mean that the CPU will degrade over time.

A new BIOS will soon be rolled out with the necessary microcode, version 0x125 or later. Intel has asked OEMs/customers to update the BIOS of their PCs by 7/19 (2024).

https://www.igorslab.de/en/intel-co...z_v3tgRfFOcrOADVIs_aem_ZmFrZWR1bW15MTZieXRlcw

Root Cause Root cause is an incorrect value in a microcode algorithm associated with the eTVB feature.

Implication:: Increased frequency and corresponding voltage at high temperature may reduce processor reliability. Observed Found internally.

Impacted platforms:: Raptor Lake S, Raptor Lake Refresh S (CPUID 0xB0671) --- via Igor's Lab

Failure Analysis (FA) of 13th and 14th Generation K SKU processors indicates a shift in minimum operating voltage on affected processors resulting from cumulative exposure to elevated core voltages.

Intel® analysis has determined a confirmed contributing factor for this issue is elevated voltage input to the processor due to previous BIOS settings which allow the processor to operate at turbo frequencies and voltages even while the processor is at a high temperature. Previous generations of Intel® K SKU processors were less sensitive to these type of settings due to lower default operating voltage and frequency.

Intel® requests all customers to update BIOS to microcode 0x125 or later by 7/19/2024.

This microcode includes an eTVB fix for an issue which may allow the processor to enter a higher performance state even when the processor temperature has exceeded eTVB thresholds.

via Igor's Lab

Sorry for the poor formatting and too many typos ! My keyboard is bashing me erratically today, lol.

 

[hotaru.hino]

I feel like the next stream of comments about this is "INTEL WAS WRONG FOR FORCING BOARD MAKERS TO USE THEIR VALUES" or something.

Well no, because one of the first steps in figuring out if you have a computer system problem is to use known good values. It's like troubleshooting Windows but you've messed with services, registry, etc.

 

[Metal Messiah.]

So will Intel now also offer an 'extended warranty' to some of the users assuming their chips might have already been degraded to some extent, if not fully ? Don't think so.

 

[hotaru.hino]

So will Intel now also offer an 'extended warranty' to some of the users assuming their chips might have already been degraded to some extent, if not fully ? Don't think so.

It doesn't make sense to have one anyway, because there's no definitive way to prove that a processor "prematurely failing" was specifically due to this issue. Also there's no reliable way to measure the life span of a CPU, so for all we know, it could've knocked a year out of potentially a 30 year life span with regular use.

I don't know about you, but I don't know anyone who's used a single computer system in a consumer setting as a daily driver for 30 years in a row.

 

[Metal Messiah.]

Yeah, I can agree with your comment.

BTW, it still remains to be seen if this new microcode fix from INTEL is going to allow users to run their chips at the previous default settings or not.

Would be curiously interesting to know how all this pans out. Waiting for some reviews/benchmarks on this new microcode 0x125 BIOS fix.

 

[TerryLaze]

So will Intel now also offer an 'extended warranty' to some of the users assuming their chips might have already been degraded to some extent, if not fully ? Don't think so.

It's not like these where exploding and the microcode is needed to prevent that amount of degradation in that short amount of time, degradation here just means that you won't be able to get the same overclock as before or that you will need more voltage than before for that amount of overclock.
Longevity should not be affected let alone being able to reach all the advertised clocks, so there is no grounds for anybody to claim any warranty.
Overclocking is never part of the normal warranty.

 

[Metal Messiah.]

Yes, I know obviously the CPUs weren't exploding either. But anyway, it appears eTVB feature was reportedly not the root cause after all !

https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-com...re-i9-crashing-issues-investigation-continues

"Contrary to recent media reports, Intel has not confirmed root cause and is continuing, with its partners, to investigate user reports regarding instability issues on unlocked Intel Core 13th and 14th generation (K/KF/KS) desktop processors," Intel said in a statement sent to Tom's Hardware.

"The microcode patch referenced in press reports fixes an eTVB bug discovered by Intel while investigating the instability reports. While this issue is potentially contributing to instability, it is not the root cause.”