Apply new Intel microcode- no microcode.dat file

Naks110 · 05-07-2018, 02:18 AM

For Intel® Pentium® Processor 4415U (2M Cache, 2.30 GHz)
Linux* Processor Microcode Data File
Version: 20180425 (Latest) Date: 4/25/2018

@https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27776/Linux-Processor-Microcode-Data-File?product=96508

I want to update my Windows microcode, which is apparently possible only via VMware CPU Microcode Update Driver

@https://labs.vmware.com/flings/vmware-cpu-microcode-update-driver#instructions

It updates microcode at early boot time.

But, it requires the microcode.bat file which looks depreciated in the current Intel mc update

Can anybody pls port it(link above)?

I am also seeing that in linux too, we need the microcode.dat file for mc update.

It wud be much appreciated if any1 can make a microcode.dat, and/or tell/mail Intel to provide the file(if u have contacts it wud be very good).

AwesomeMachine · 05-07-2018, 04:53 PM

You say you want to update the 'Windows' microcode. Microcode isn't specific to any operating system. To update the microcode in Linux systems, just install the microcode package for your cpu, i.e. Intel or AMD. I don't know which distro you use, so the correct package could have several different names. On Debian-based systems it's intel-microcode or amd-microcode.

After you install the package, everything is done. The system will load the correct microcode on each boot.

bglopez · 06-12-2018, 05:20 PM

Bit of a necro but the newest microcode updates from Intel don't have the microcode.dat file included. If you use a tool to parse the update binaries back down in to a microcode.dat file and attempt to update it via microcode_ctl in CentOS/RHEL 6 it will tell you that the version supercedes what is provided via the microcode_ctl package and doesn't appear to apply (in my case anyways, the microcode version does not change even after a dracut -f -v and reboot). I suspect we may need to wait for this to be pushed out through the repositories. I can link to the tool to make the microcode.dat file if you would like. I hope this info helps.

Code:

2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: This updated microcode supersedes microcode provided by Red Hat with
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: the CVE-2017-5715 (â<80><9c>Spectreâ<80><9d>) CPU branch injection vulnerability
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: mitigation.
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: Historically, Red Hat has provided updated microcode, developed by our
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: microprocessor partners, as a customer convenience. Red Hat had
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: temporarily suspended this practice while microcode stabilized. Red
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: Hat is once again providing an updated Intel microcode package
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: (microcode_ctl) and AMD microcode package (linux-firmware) to customers
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: in order to simplify deployment processes and minimize downtime.  Weâ<80><99>ll
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: continue to update these microcode packages as necessary. Please
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: contact your hardware vendor to determine whether more recent
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: BIOS/firmware updates are recommended because additional improvements
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: may be available.
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: This kbase https://access.redhat.com/articles/3436091 includes a table
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: that maps Intel and AMD CPU processor code family names to updated
2018-06-12T14:50:36.000-07:00 REDACTED DISCLAIMER: Intel and AMD microcode package versions.

Edit: So my original post had a mistake, it should take in the newest microcode update. Mine didn't have any newer version so it appeared that it didn't work. YMMV.