[SOLVED] Intel microcode not loaded - already available in the bios?

simendsjo · 2014-11-05 19:56:03

I'm getting ready to the linux 3.17 release and thought I should manually install the Intel microcode.
I noticed that I didn't even have the package installed, so that was my first stop.

After doing the steps outlined in the wiki, I'm not sure it's actually loaded.

The `sig` and `revision` in the available patch and the kernel output is the same.
Does this mean I already have the microcodes updated through the BIOS, or is this irrelevant?
And if it's irrelevant, any idea what I'm doing wrong?

$ uname -a
Linux simendsjo-t520 3.16.7-1-ck #1 SMP PREEMPT Fri Oct 31 13:09:18 CET 2014 x86_64 GNU/Linux

$ dmesg | grep microcode
[    0.521721] microcode: CPU0 sig=0x206a7, pf=0x10, revision=0x29
[    0.521739] microcode: CPU1 sig=0x206a7, pf=0x10, revision=0x29
[    0.521764] microcode: CPU2 sig=0x206a7, pf=0x10, revision=0x29
[    0.521783] microcode: CPU3 sig=0x206a7, pf=0x10, revision=0x29
[    0.521894] microcode: Microcode Update Driver: v2.00 <tigran@aivazian.fsnet.co.uk>, Peter Oruba

The initrd lines in grub.cfg has been changed (not showing entire config, but it's on each non-fallback initrd line)
(But this should matter yet anyway as I'm on 3.16..?)

# grep intel /boot/grub/grub.cfg
                initrd  /boot/intel-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-linux-ck.img
                initrd  /boot/intel-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-linux.img

But iucode_tool says an update is available (ref: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Microcode)

# bsdtar -Oxf /boot/intel-ucode.img | iucode_tool -tb -lS -
iucode_tool: system has processor(s) with signature 0x000206a7
selected microcodes:
001: sig 0x000206a7, pf mask 0x12, 2013-06-12, rev 0x0029, size 10240

Last edited by simendsjo (2014-11-05 20:12:36)

jasonwryan · 2014-11-05 20:09:16

You need to install a 3.17.x kernel...

kokoko3k · 2014-11-05 20:11:00

I think iucode_tool is just saying that an update has been released for your cpu model.
But yout particular cpu has already it in place.

I don't know if it is the bios to update the microcode or your cpu has been shipped with the new firmware.

@jasonwryan:
the selected revision in intel-ucode.img coincides with the one reported in the kernel log.

Last edited by kokoko3k (2014-11-05 20:15:54)

simendsjo · 2014-11-05 20:12:20

kokoko3k wrote:

I think iucode_tool is just saying that an update has been released for your cpu model.
But yout particular cpu has already it in place.
I don't know if it is the bios to update the microcode or your cpu has been shipped with the new firmware.

Thanks! I don't really care As long as I haven't failed the installation process, I'm happy.

graysky · 2014-11-05 20:27:22

jasonwryan wrote:

You need to install a 3.17.x kernel...

I modified linux-ck back at version 3.16.6-3 to support this change[1]; confirmed on my machine and other people's machines as well.

1. https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Linux-ck/Changelog

jasonwryan · 2014-11-05 20:29:14

Then the wiki should be updated...

graysky · 2014-11-05 20:38:59

The linux-ck wiki page?

jasonwryan · 2014-11-05 20:41:07

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Microcode

wiki wrote:

Warning: With linux 3.17-2 and linux-lts 3.14.21-2 and newer versions, Intel microcode updates are not triggered automatically any more.

graysky · 2014-11-05 20:54:13

@jasonwryan - Done, thanks. https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Mi … de_Updates

Arch Linux

#1 2014-11-05 19:56:03

[SOLVED] Intel microcode not loaded - already available in the bios?

#2 2014-11-05 20:09:16

Re: [SOLVED] Intel microcode not loaded - already available in the bios?

#3 2014-11-05 20:11:00

Re: [SOLVED] Intel microcode not loaded - already available in the bios?

#4 2014-11-05 20:12:20

Re: [SOLVED] Intel microcode not loaded - already available in the bios?

#5 2014-11-05 20:27:22

Re: [SOLVED] Intel microcode not loaded - already available in the bios?

#6 2014-11-05 20:29:14

Re: [SOLVED] Intel microcode not loaded - already available in the bios?

#7 2014-11-05 20:38:59

Re: [SOLVED] Intel microcode not loaded - already available in the bios?

#8 2014-11-05 20:41:07

Re: [SOLVED] Intel microcode not loaded - already available in the bios?

#9 2014-11-05 20:54:13

Re: [SOLVED] Intel microcode not loaded - already available in the bios?

Board footer