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They probably ran the benchmarks on Windows. Is it possible to customize the microcode version on Windows without a patch from Microsoft?
by p1mrx 7y ago
They probably ran the benchmarks on Windows. Is it possible to customize the microcode version on Windows without a patch from Microsoft?
- gmueckl 7y agoNo. I have to look it up to be certain but I believe that MS did not want to patch CPU microcode during boot and tried to leave that to the firmware. But - I may be wrong here - this stance changed with Spectre and Meltdown and Windows does indeed patch microcode during boot on affected CPUs. However, I don't think there is a way to apply a user-specified patch. The update has to come from MS.
- ChrisOboe 7y agoYes,VMware has a free (as in beer) windows tool to update (downgrading is not possible) the microcode.
- duskwuff 7y ago> downgrading is not possible Sure it is. I've done it myself. Microcode is stored in volatile memory on the CPU. Updates are applied on boot, every boot. "Downgrading" is as simple as not applying updates, or applying an older update.
- shawnz 7y agoPerhaps they meant that downgrading is not possible without a reboot.
- quintushoratius 7y agoLoading microcode on a CPU (without patching the firmware) takes effect immediately. The update is lost immediately upon reboot and must be reapplied each time.
- shawnz 7y agoRight, but can you load an older microcode after a newer microcode has already been loaded, without rebooting?