BIOS updates due to Spectre & Meltdown

[Beer4Me]

Has anyone had any issues with their systems since applying BIOS updates due to the above mentioned vulnerabilities? System instability, slowness, crashing, BSOD, stuttering, etc...

I see that MSI issued a BIOS update that patches the CPU microcode on my Z-270I Carbon due to these vulns, and I'm hesitant to update just yet.

On my HP Zbook, I applied the BIOS update for the vulns, and about 1 hour into use, I experienced a BSOD, which has never happened before. This is why I'm asking. Thanks.

 

[UsandThem]

Unless you absolutely need to, it's best to sit on the sidelines for a bit and let others be the "beta" testers on stuff like this. Then in a few months after they have fixed some of the bugs and issues and release a better update, then take the plunge. I've read about quite of few bugs and quirks with most of the current fixes.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/spect...intel-replaces-its-buggy-fix-for-skylake-pcs/

 

[vailr]

My Gigabyte Z170 (Skylake) board was offered an update in mid-January, which seems to be working okay. However, Intel has since back-tracked and decided to re-examine some of their "CPU microcode updates" for the Spectre/Meltdown problem. My recommendation would be to wait for official motherboard bios firmware updates that are dated Feb. 2018 or later. And: it may take several months more to get bios updates for Haswell and possibly earlier chipset boards. Revised silicon Intel CPU's are supposed to be made available later this year, which are supposed to be "immune" to Spectre/Meltdown issues. Whether Intel will be offering revised silicon CPU's for any of the current line of Haswell/Skylake/Kabylake/Coffeelake chipset motherboards: unknown.

 

[Beer4Me]

Thanks guys. This is what I suspected since I experienced issues with my Zbook. I'm going to hold off on my workstation mobo since this is my primary workhorse/platform.

 

[Peter Watts]

I don´t know if i should open up a new thread to discuss this, but would it perhaps be a good idea to create a comprehensive thread (list) with motherboards that have gotten updates? Or haven´t there been any updates worth noting to make such a list? It would make things easier for us used market buyers, to actually know which Intel boards/cpu´s received the updates and which ones did not receive anything.

So maybe a list with generations and fixed or not fixed behind it or something like that...

 

[UsandThem]

I don´t know if i should open up a new thread to discuss this, but would it perhaps be a good idea to create a comprehensive thread (list) with motherboards that have gotten updates? Or haven´t there been any updates worth noting to make such a list? It would make things easier for us used market buyers, to actually know which Intel boards/cpu´s received the updates and which ones did not receive anything.

So maybe a list with generations and fixed or not fixed behind it or something like that...

A new thread isn't needed, and if you have time to research tens of thousands of different motherboard models, and compile a spreadsheet if and when each one receives a patch, you might just be the hero of the computer world.

 

[Peter Watts]

A new thread isn't needed, and if you have time to research tens of thousands of different motherboard models, and compile a spreadsheet if and when each one receives a patch, you might just be the hero of the computer world.

Well thanks for responding, but no need to patronise me. Enough people who have the motherboards, can post their experiences in a dedicated thread for instance.

 

[UsandThem]

Well thanks for responding, but no need to patronise me. Enough people who have the motherboards, can post their experiences in a dedicated thread for instance.

No need to be overly sensitive. I was just pointing out it is an extremely huge project for an individual.

Any retail motherboard in the last 10 years or so will likely get a patch, of course with full resources starting with the newest chipsets and working backwards.

 

[Beer4Me]

Ok, here's my contributions based upon what I own that is currently in use:

1) Asrock H97M-Pro4: BIOS 2.10, 2016/7/20 (NOT patched)

2) Gigabyte GA-Z97X-Gaming7: BIOS F8, 2015/09/18 (NOT patched)

3) MSI Z270I Gaming Pro Carbon AC
BIOS 7A66v1A, 2018-01-29 (PATCHED) <--- I have NOT installed this update. I am still running the previous version based upon forum guidance.

4) HP Zbook Studio G3 mobile workstation
BIOS 1.25A, 2018-01-30 (NOT patched) <--- This version rolled back the previous CPU microcode update for Meltdown/Spectre due to system instability. HP is re-evaluating and stated they will re-release another version.

 

[vailr]

"InSpectre" (free software) can disclose the system status in regards to Spectre/Meltdown fixes:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/inspectre.html
Note: it looks at both: the bios firmware and the Windows software system aspects.

 

[RLGL]

You people are wasting way too much time on this,it won't affect the average joe.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

Asrock released a 1.40 BIOS update for the Z370 Taichi and then pulled it. Unfortunately, I updated before they pulled it and haven’t downgraded yet. One thing I have seen is relatively frequent system lockups while ripping my Blu-ray collection to MKV files for Plex. I don’t remember ever seeing a lockup before the BIOS upgrade but I’m also doing much more ripping now so it is hard to say if this issue is solely due to the BIOS upgrade. At this stage, I’m going to assume it is and likely downgrade when I get some time. I'll also mention that when I used the Inspectre tool to temporarily disable the Windows patches for Spectre and Meltdown, it did seem to greatly reduce the lockups, but they're not totally eliminated.

 

[Beer4Me]

Asrock released a 1.40 BIOS update for the Z370 Taichi and then pulled it. Unfortunately, I updated before they pulled it and haven’t downgraded yet. One thing I have seen is relatively frequent system lockups while ripping my Blu-ray collection to MKV files for Plex. I don’t remember ever seeing a lockup before the BIOS upgrade but I’m also doing much more ripping now so it is hard to say if this issue is solely due to the BIOS upgrade. At this stage, I’m going to assume it is and likely downgrade when I get some time. I'll also mention that when I used the Inspectre tool to temporarily disable the Windows patches for Spectre and Meltdown, it did seem to greatly reduce the lockups, but they're not totally eliminated.

That's why the updates are being pulled back. The Microcode updates from Intel/AMD are causing system instability, at least that is what OEMs are saying. Also, the 2018-01 Cumulative Update from MS for Windows 10 caused me some issues with instability. Luckily the 2018-02 CU seems to have rectified those issues on my end.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

That's why the updates are being pulled back. The Microcode updates from Intel/AMD are causing system instability, at least that is what OEMs are saying. Also, the 2018-01 Cumulative Update from MS for Windows 10 caused me some issues with instability. Luckily the 2018-02 CU seems to have rectified those issues on my end.

Yes, I’m aware of why they were pulled. I was hoping a fixed BIOS would be out soon and I’d go straight to that, but I’ll probably just have to downgrade instead.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Asrock released a 1.40 BIOS update for the Z370 Taichi and then pulled it. Unfortunately, I updated before they pulled it and haven’t downgraded yet. One thing I have seen is relatively frequent system lockups while ripping my Blu-ray collection to MKV files for Plex. I don’t remember ever seeing a lockup before the BIOS upgrade but I’m also doing much more ripping now so it is hard to say if this issue is solely due to the BIOS upgrade. At this stage, I’m going to assume it is and likely downgrade when I get some time. I'll also mention that when I used the Inspectre tool to temporarily disable the Windows patches for Spectre and Meltdown, it did seem to greatly reduce the lockups, but they're not totally eliminated.

Have you tried 4.60 yet? I just installed it, InSpectre shows I am now protected against Spectre, and I am doing quite well in every other department. All my old CPU/RAM settings work, and everything is functioning normally. Nothing seems to have slowed down, either. At least not according to y-cruncher and GB4. I'll have to run some other benches later to see what else might have been affected.