Hi folks,

a couple of days ago Microsoft released a patch for all people running any Core 2 variant.

These patches are available for XP-2003, 32 and 64-bit. It's all a bit hazy at this point what exactly the update does fix.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=936357

Here's the link where I read it at.

Regards,
Simon.

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Hi folks,

a couple of days ago Microsoft released a patch for all people running any Core 2 variant.

These patches are available for XP-2003, 32 and 64-bit. It's all a bit hazy at this point what exactly the update does fix.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=936357

Here's the link where I read it at.

Regards,
Simon.

all a bit hazy! It tells you sweet FA.

Andy

it's ALL . . .

Update-bf.mum

catCh-phrasE . . . ;O

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BOINC Wiki . . .

Science Status Page . . .

These patches are available for XP-2003, 32 and 64-bit.

There appear to be patches for all currently supported M$ Operating Systems.

It's all a bit hazy at this point what exactly the update does fix.

Bit of an understatement.
All the searches i did just refer back the the M$ knowledgebase article. Which says nothing (of any meaning).

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Grant
Darwin NT

Hi folks,

a couple of days ago Microsoft released a patch for all people running any Core 2 variant.

These patches are available for XP-2003, 32 and 64-bit. It's all a bit hazy at this point what exactly the update does fix.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=936357

Here's the link where I read it at.

Regards,
Simon.

Thanks for the heads-up.

From that, in summary, the Intel CPUs affected listed are:

Core 2 Duo E4000/E6000
Core 2 Quad Q6600
Core 2 Xtreme X6800, XC6700, XC6800
Core 2 Duo T5000, T7000

Xeon 3000, 3200, 5100, 5300s

or just about every model from second generation of Core microarchitecture

(Non-Microsoft OS users need to update their motherboard BIOSes to implement
the fix.)


So, what's the bug, the impact, and the fix?

Who?

Happy crunchin',
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

According to this external forum thread at http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=33889730
there was a microcode update released by Intel in April. I guess MS releasing it in an update form just helps to proliferate it.

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"Living by the wisdom of computer science doesn't sound so bad after all. And unlike most advice, it's backed up by proofs." -- Algorithms to live by: The computer science of human decisions.

Keep in mind processor errata are almost always better addressed by a BIOS update than an OS patch, regardless of the platform you run on.

Alinator

Keep in mind processor errata are almost always better addressed by a BIOS update than an OS patch, regardless of the platform you run on.

The prerequisite is that your OEM keeps you up-to-date :-(

Peter

Keep in mind processor errata are almost always better addressed by a BIOS update than an OS patch, regardless of the platform you run on.

The prerequisite is that your OEM keeps you up-to-date :-(

Peter

LOL....

Agreed! Processor errata and MB BIOS update status don't get a lot of press.

One interesting thing about this one is MS thought it was significant enough to rollout an OS hotfix for it, since most people never even think about updating their BIOS (or are 'scared' to do so). That's somewhat uncommon. ;-)

Alinator

The patch is supposed to fix:

"This Intel microcode update addresses an improper Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) invalidation that may result in unpredictable system behavior such as system hangs or incorrect data."

If only MS could release an OS that didn't exhibit the exact same symptoms regardless of processor, we'd know who to blame!

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my Core2 Duo 6.600 runs without any updates ore Patches witout any Prob...

Greetings from Germany NRW
Ulli

my Core2 Duo 6.600 runs without any updates ore Patches witout any Prob...

Greetings from Germany NRW
Ulli

Mine too. But doing a search for the file updated by the patch (update.sys), I found an interesting discussion about SP2 and then-new (2005) P4s on MSFN forums:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\Hardware\\Description\\System\\CentralProcessor\\0]
"VendorIdentifier"="GenuineIntel"
"Identifier"="x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 9"
"Update Status"=dword:00000000
"Update Signature"=hex:00,00,00,00,2e,00,00,00
"Previous Update Signature"=hex:00,00,00,00,21,00,00,00

I have not found any information about meaning of "Update Status", my observation is the following:
.........

Status 1 seems to mean that the CPU does not support microcode update.
...
Status 2 seems to mean that there is no suitable microcode in UPDATE.SYS present.

Full text here

I checked the corresponding section in my registry and found

"Update Status"=dword:00000002

After the update the Status is already 0. Extra stability is never bad thing ;)

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Hi folks,

a couple of days ago Microsoft released a patch for all people running any Core 2 variant.

These patches are available for XP-2003, 32 and 64-bit. It's all a bit hazy at this point what exactly the update does fix.

http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=936357

Here's the link where I read it at.

Regards,
Simon.

Hi Simon,

Thanks for posting this. I updated one of my machines and it seems everything is OK.

Regards,
Wander

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Don't know if it's related, but I have a couple of Dell XPS 410s with C2Ds in them, looks like Dell just posted a Bios update for these 6/26 (V 2.5.0)

FYI for anyone with a Dell...

-Dave

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The patch is supposed to fix:

"This Intel microcode update addresses an improper Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) invalidation that may result in unpredictable system behavior such as system hangs or incorrect data."

Can you say where you found that?

If only MS could release an OS that didn't exhibit the exact same symptoms regardless of processor, we'd know who to blame!

Yes... Well... But then there'd be no lingering hope to help the Marketing Hype to push the punters to rush out to buy the next "Upgrade"...


Happy crunchin',
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

The patch is supposed to fix:

"This Intel microcode update addresses an improper Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) invalidation that may result in unpredictable system behavior such as system hangs or incorrect data."

Can you say where you found that?

I suppose from http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=33889730 resp. from here.
It comes possibly from this HP Support document c01020735

Peter

The patch is supposed to fix:

"This Intel microcode update addresses an improper Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) invalidation that may result in unpredictable system behavior such as system hangs or incorrect data."

Can you say where you found that?

I suppose from http://www.rage3d.com/board/showthread.php?threadid=33889730 resp. from here.
It comes possibly from this HP Support document c01020735

Thanks greatly for that.

The critical bit is:

Intel releases critical Core 2 Duo microcode update - Silently
Around April 10th, 2007, Intel released a microcode update (BIOS flash to the rest of us) so resolve several major issues with how Intel Core 2 series processors operate.


So... If you've done a recent BIOS upgrade and your motherboard manufacturer was up to date, you may already be covered...

Still needs checking.

At least the Windows 'update' makes it all easier for a lot of people.

Thanks,
Martin

---

See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

The critical bit is: [...] If you've done a recent BIOS upgrade and your motherboard manufacturer was up to date, you may already be covered... [...] At least the Windows 'update' makes it all easier for a lot of people.

Like for me. Acer did not submit any new BIOS for my notebook since March 2007. The microcode update note is from April. Thus I should be happy with the Win update.

Peter

Don't know if it's related, but I have a couple of Dell XPS 410s with C2Ds in them, looks like Dell just posted a Bios update for these 6/26 (V 2.5.0)

FYI for anyone with a Dell...

-Dave

Ditto for HP:

Version: F.0A (16 Apr 2007)

Enhancements:

Integrates a new version of Intel support code for mobile processors: Intel Core2 Duo Mobile Processor T7000 and T5000 series processors. NOTE: This Intel support code was provided to HP as a critical software update. This System ROM update has no known performance impact.

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I'm really, really scared after reading this mail from Theo De Raadt...
Intel Core 2
If all that is true then I will thing again about getting Intel CPU especially for server!

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