Hahahahahaha. The inq must be new to the internets. Microcode updates are not uncommon at all. Most of the time they are included in BIOS updates. If you're going zomg wtf is this then you must have never updated your bios, or not read the release notes, or they were not mentioned. I know for sure that many ABIT BIOS release notes mention microcode updates. Big deal.

The K7 and K8 also have microcode update mechanisms, and they have had microcode updates IIRC. There was even a big deal in some circles a few years ago because some ppl managed to crack the K7 microcode update mechanism.

edit: Apparently i did remember correctly. Scroll down to bios update V1.4, point 2.
http://www.uabit.com/index.php?option=com_...atal1ty+AN9+32X

This post has been edited by ikanayam: Jun 27 2007, 11:33 AM

Makes no difference whether it is updated via windows or the BIOS. End result is the same.

If it requires a microcode update, it's not microsoft's problem, it means the problem is in the chip. It probably happens that microsoft stumbled upon the problem, some instruction or combination of instructions they use trigger the problem. I'm sure more people run windows update than update their bios, so the best bet is to just fix it there.

If you fix it via a windows patch, then it works by loading the updated microcode every time windows starts up. So you will have to update windows with this patch again if you format. But if it is really that important, i expect that we will be seeing BIOS updates soon with the microcode update. In this case the BIOS loads it every time the computer boots, it is OS independent which is a good thing.

Intel documents such errata, if you know where to look
http://download.intel.com/design/processor...dt/31327914.pdf
i believe page 58 describes this particular problem.

Haha, first you quote an article without mentioning the source, then you want help with your piracy? Go away.

If you are asking, then no.