[solved] AMD microcode errors

mibadt · 2012-07-22 01:54:27

Hi,
Completed a fresh Arch_X86-64/KDE installation on an AMD Athalon 6 core based PC.
Checking dmesg, I've got the following error.
Please advise!
Thanks

---------dmesg partial copy----------

4.636263] EDAC MC: Ver: 2.1.0
[    4.640378] microcode: CPU0: patch_level=0x010000bf
[    4.647855] MCE: In-kernel MCE decoding enabled.
[    4.677905] microcode: failed to load file amd-ucode/microcode_amd.bin
[    4.678147] microcode: CPU1: patch_level=0x010000bf
[    4.678975] microcode: failed to load file amd-ucode/microcode_amd.bin
[    4.679214] microcode: CPU2: patch_level=0x010000bf
[    4.679990] microcode: failed to load file amd-ucode/microcode_amd.bin
[    4.680249] microcode: CPU3: patch_level=0x010000bf
[    4.681187] microcode: failed to load file amd-ucode/microcode_amd.bin
[    4.681431] microcode: CPU4: patch_level=0x010000bf
[    4.682254] microcode: failed to load file amd-ucode/microcode_amd.bin
[    4.682500] microcode: CPU5: patch_level=0x010000bf
[    4.683352] microcode: failed to load file amd-ucode/microcode_amd.bin

Last edited by mibadt (2012-07-22 12:20:29)

tomegun · 2012-07-22 01:57:38

Install the amd ucode backage, or blacklsist the microcode module.

mibadt · 2012-07-22 03:58:02

Thanks,
I'll try..

That solved my problem, Thanks

Last edited by mibadt (2012-07-22 12:20:14)

12eason · 2012-07-29 18:59:52

I've just had to do this with an AMD phenom on a clean install. Not being funny, but why are essential modules like this being left out of the standard kernel?

Last edited by 12eason (2012-07-29 19:00:10)

Gusar · 2012-07-29 19:14:35

Essential? Before microcode was a module (it was a userspace daemon), no one had the ucode package installed, and yet they got along fine. It's only now that the module spits out a warning message that people figured out the ucode package even exists.

falconindy · 2012-07-29 19:19:33

12eason wrote:

I've just had to do this with an AMD phenom on a clean install. Not being funny, but why are essential modules like this being left out of the standard kernel?

You seem confused, and have a very strange definition of "essential". This is about microcode updates which may or may not exist for your CPU.

The microcode module has always been included with the -ARCH kernel. The userspace firmware has generally been available in the repositories with the userspace firmware loader, microcode_ctl. Recently, this changed, and the loader is no longer needed. We now simply distribute two packages -- intel-ucode and amd-ucode. Pick your poison.

Prior to linux 3.4, if you wanted to load this firmware, you voluntarily loaded the microcode module. As of linux 3.4, CPUs have modaliases, allowing udev to automatically load the microcode module and request firmware. In both cases, loading the microcode module in the absence of the userspace firmware blob will result in these errors.

What do you see as being "essential" and missing from the kernel?

12eason · 2012-07-29 19:57:51

> We now simply distribute two packages -- intel-ucode and amd-ucode. Pick your poison.

Well, don't you think something that is going to throw errors on just about everyone's system is something that should be included in the installation guide?

Gusar · 2012-07-29 19:59:34

Err, what error? The machine still works if you don't have the ucode package installed.

12eason · 2012-07-29 20:10:20

Try reading the thread.

Gusar · 2012-07-29 20:23:26

Follow your own advice. Read post #5 in particular.

12eason · 2012-07-29 20:31:54

You've made it perfectly clear that it's not needed, much like using the latest version of your graphics driver is 'not needed' I suspect. That does not stop a fresh installation throwing errors every time it boots up, does it?

Gusar · 2012-07-29 20:35:42

So what if it throws errors? They do not indicate a problem that needs to be solved.

12eason · 2012-07-29 21:06:21

> They do not indicate a problem that needs to be solved.

In your opinion. I can't think of a better way to put new users off your distro than a bare bones install throwing errors after following the install guide precisely. Saying that, judging by some of the discussion elsewhere, this community is rapidly disappearing up its own arse, so I don't think new users are going to be a problem for you.

Gusar · 2012-07-29 21:19:43

No, not in my opinion. As post 2 says, blacklisting the microcode module (= not updating the CPU's ucode) is a valid thing to do. Updating the ucode is not essential.

You seem to argue a different issue, a cosmetic one. If a few messages make a user leave a distro (as opposed to seeking information about it, like the OP did), well, their choice.

Last edited by Gusar (2012-07-29 21:26:23)

12eason · 2012-07-30 00:53:27

> No, not in my opinion. As post 2 says, blacklisting the microcode module (= not updating the CPU's ucode) is a valid thing to do. Updating the ucode is not essential.

You seem pretty dim tbh. Both blacklisting and installing are solutions to the problem of errors being shown. You're suggesting everyone would be happy seeing errors every time they boot up and not want a solution to fix them, which, as I say, is just your opinion.

Last edited by 12eason (2012-07-30 00:54:02)

ewaller · 2012-07-30 01:08:30

@12eason: Please consider our policy

Gusar · 2012-07-30 09:55:38

12eason wrote:

You seem pretty dim tbh.

Yeah, ok.

Except I was arguing what the messages *indicate* and whether that's a problem that needs solving. But you're talking about the mere existence of the messages, which as I said is a different thing.

dwillar · 2012-08-21 01:24:24

Simple answer:

pacman -S amd-ucode

shutdown -r now

Problem solved and NOT covered up. Lets hope the next newbie (like me) has the patience to read to the bottom of the thread.

Arch Linux

#1 2012-07-22 01:54:27

[solved] AMD microcode errors

#2 2012-07-22 01:57:38

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#3 2012-07-22 03:58:02

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#4 2012-07-29 18:59:52

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#5 2012-07-29 19:14:35

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#6 2012-07-29 19:19:33

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#7 2012-07-29 19:57:51

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#8 2012-07-29 19:59:34

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#9 2012-07-29 20:10:20

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#10 2012-07-29 20:23:26

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#11 2012-07-29 20:31:54

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#12 2012-07-29 20:35:42

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#13 2012-07-29 21:06:21

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#14 2012-07-29 21:19:43

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#15 2012-07-30 00:53:27

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#16 2012-07-30 01:08:30

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#17 2012-07-30 09:55:38

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

#18 2012-08-21 01:24:24

Re: [solved] AMD microcode errors

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