CPU Microcode BIOS modding questions/problems

Special Topics CPU Microcodes
401



Vcore requirements went down because you lost about 100 mhz worth of performance on Cinebench R20/R15 / LinX 0.9.6 (Gflops), etc. So of course vcore requirements will get lower when your CPU is running slower thanks to all the security stuff :frowning:



No, theres no difference in performance here with CA vs some before it (C6, BA, etc), the voltage increase requirements started after 84 and were the same, till now. On this system anyway, went back and forth between mcodes, dfference is definitely there.


Hi,
I tested CA and C6 and both of them scored 2185 CB at 5 ghz consistently.
With BE and AE and A2 microcodes, I scored 2240. (5.1 ghz scores 2283 on this).

Anyway,
Someone actually used microcode 906EC "84" with a 9900k (P0 stepping)?
I have it but afraid to mod it into the BIOS because I don’t even know if it works (who actually tested that old microcode? You said you tested 84?)
And the vmware microcode windows loader (microcode cpu updater 2.1, with microcode.dat created with the famous "dat converter", with the older microcodes) won’t run it because it’s older than the microcode in the BIOS. How did you manage to run it without modding it into your BIOS?

This old 9900k microcode required less voltage than newer ones?


906EA not 906EC, EA is 8700k. When i switched through mcodes to test i mod it into bios then flash with intel flash program tool, and disable OS microcode replacement temporarly.

402



Vcore requirements went down because you lost about 100 mhz worth of performance on Cinebench R20/R15 / LinX 0.9.6 (Gflops), etc. So of course vcore requirements will get lower when your CPU is running slower thanks to all the security stuff :frowning:



No, theres no difference in performance here with CA vs some before it (C6, BA, etc), the voltage increase requirements started after 84 and were the same, till now. On this system anyway, went back and forth between mcodes, dfference is definitely there.


Hi,
I tested CA and C6 and both of them scored 2185 CB at 5 ghz consistently.
With BE and AE and A2 microcodes, I scored 2240. (5.1 ghz scores 2283 on this).

Anyway,
Someone actually used microcode 906EC "84" with a 9900k (P0 stepping)?
I have it but afraid to mod it into the BIOS because I don’t even know if it works (who actually tested that old microcode? You said you tested 84?)
And the vmware microcode windows loader (microcode cpu updater 2.1, with microcode.dat created with the famous "dat converter", with the older microcodes) won’t run it because it’s older than the microcode in the BIOS. How did you manage to run it without modding it into your BIOS?

This old 9900k microcode required less voltage than newer ones?


906EA not 906EC, EA is 8700k. When i switched through mcodes to test i mod it into bios then flash with intel flash program tool, and disable OS microcode replacement temporarly.


Hi Yuno,
I modded 906EC "84" into the Bios and tested it on my Z390 Aorus Master.
It does indeed seem to require slightly less voltage than AE (switched on dual bios), tested on LinX 0.9.6 at "borderline" stability settings and more residuals matched. (tested at 300 khz switching frequency due to a bug in the Bios or VRM calibration making 400 and 500 khz less stable). Maybe like 10-15mv or so it seems?

However this microcode has a pretty big bug. VID is limited to 1.320v max, so auto vcore or adaptive / offset modes can’t really be used past stock. VID is supposed go up to 1.520v. Not really a problem on fixed vcore, besides the strange package power reporting (which is linked to VID). I assume this was fixed in or before microcode 9C (the first microcode that was in the first Aorus Master bios).

403

This thread is getting awfully offtopic. The last few messages should probably go to:
RE:CPU Microcode BIOS modding questions/problems

404

@Sonix @vmanuelgm @Lost_N_BIOS




Normally former Windows 10 must used it news microcode from it library instead of the old one on BIOS. I used 02000064 microcode but checking both AIDA64/ CPUZ validation. Windows 10 19564.1005 still used 02000064 microcode instead 02000068 microcode.

This was abnormal W10 kernel practice.

I’d same issue as @vmanuelgm too.



After trying many way to modded BIOS / insert 02000068 microcode on FIT table …etc. The result was " CHECKED HDD A0 "
appear on R6E OLED screen then stalled.

I was able to boot on UEFI BIOS both 02000065 and 02000068 however I was not able to running Windows UEFI anymore.
How to solve these any advise are welcome.

Only thing I’d notice was microcode file size here.
02000064 size was 33Kbyte
02000065 size was 34Kbyte
02000068 size was 35Kbyte

Did microcode files size above bring any problem to boot UEFI W10?

Thank you.

405

I didn’t mod the bios with the new MC, but Latest Insider doesn’t load this new MC 68 and lets my MC 60 untouched (Aida64).

The issue doesn’t have to do with Microcodes different sizes, probably we need a new Asus Bios to allow using the new MC 65 and MC 68. Asus promised to bring a new version to our Rampage VI, Rampage Omega and others on December 29th 2019, we are in February and still waiting. And I say probably having in mind some manufacturers are releasing bios with MC 65 included, and doubt they didn’t try to boot any operating systems…

Asus is starting to seem like Gigabyte in Bios developing aspect, real pity!!!

406

7980xe

Any MC above 02000064 won’t work yet (boot OS fail) on Asus Rampage VI Extreme upto bios 2002 (newer bios needed)

I can confirm that MC 02000068 works on the latest 0505 bios on Asus Rampage VI Encore

407

@vmanuelgm @biozzz
Can we edit Windows registry to use 68 microcode instead of 64 on bios?

408

@Santa2017

U could have troubles forcing that Microcode since bios is not ready for that new Microcode in the case of mainboards like Asus Rampage VI or Omega.

Maybe complaining in ROG Forum about the new bios delay could help in having a new one from Asus.

409

Already done for MC68 buddy. Thank you very much. Running great!

410

Hi guys.
Is the bin bug also present in mobile Skylake cpu? I went all the way down to microcode rev 10 with no luck. Can write protection be causing problems with unlocking cpu? My laptop is G9 591.

Thank

411

Hi @Lost_N_BIOS ,
You forgot about me?

412

Hey all!

Is it possible to add Rocket Lake micros to Z490 bioses as of now? I looked but haven’t found any information regarding this yet.

413

I have one Question always newer version on cpu microcodes loose perfomance and more security compoments right?

414

Unfortunatly everything there is after 775/771.

I have extracted the latest bios for ASUS Z7S WS. Motherboard support lists X5470 with stepping E0 as supported, but after extracting with MCE there is no 1067A microcode. 1067A should be for E0 stepping CPUs. How does that work? Am I overseeing something again?

Here is the output:


╔═══════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ MC Extractor v1.60.0 r190 ║
╚═══════════════════════════════════════════╝

Z7SWS0401.ROM (1/1)

╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║ Intel ║
╟────┬───────┬──────────┬──────────┬────────────┬──────┬────────┬─────────┬──────╢
║ # │ CPUID │ Platform │ Revision │ Date │ Type │ Size │ Offset │ Last ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 1 │ F64 │ 01 (0) │ 2 │ 2005-12-15 │ PRD │ 0xC00 │ 0x10020 │ Yes ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 2 │ 6F6 │ 04 (2) │ CD │ 2007-09-16 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x11020 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 3 │ F65 │ 01 (0) │ 8 │ 2006-04-26 │ PRD │ 0x800 │ 0x12020 │ Yes ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 4 │ 6F7 │ 40 (6) │ 69 │ 2007-09-17 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x12820 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 5 │ 6F7 │ 10 (4) │ 68 │ 2007-09-16 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x13820 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 6 │ 6FB │ 01 (0) │ B6 │ 2007-07-13 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x14820 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 7 │ 6FB │ 10 (4) │ B6 │ 2007-07-13 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x15820 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 8 │ 6FB │ 04 (2) │ B7 │ 2007-08-06 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x16820 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 9 │ 6FB │ 40 (6) │ B7 │ 2007-08-06 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x17820 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 10 │ 6FB │ 08 (3) │ B6 │ 2007-07-13 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x18820 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 11 │ 10676 │ 40 (6) │ 60B │ 2008-01-19 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x19820 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 12 │ 10676 │ 04 (2) │ 60B │ 2008-01-19 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x1A820 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 13 │ 10671 │ 40 (6) │ 106 │ 2007-03-29 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x1B820 │ No ║
╟────┼───────┼──────────┼──────────┼────────────┼──────┼────────┼─────────┼──────╢
║ 14 │ 10674 │ 40 (6) │ 404 │ 2007-06-08 │ PRD │ 0x1000 │ 0x1C820 │ No ║
╚════╧═══════╧══════════╧══════════╧════════════╧══════╧════════╧═════════╧══════╝



EDIT: I extracted and compared to one older bios and the microcode list is exactly the same. The latest should include 1067A but I think they forgot to add it? lol

EDIT2: Got the microcode I searched for now in the latest bios for Asus DSBV-DX.

415

Hello ! I’m not really up to date to everything computer related and microcode is one of the things I don’t get. What’s the use of all this microcode extraction, files and so on? I know that motherboards get updated microcodes sometimes but can you do it by yourself ? Shall I mind learning all these things running on a MSI Z490-A Pro + i7 10700k ? Sorry about the question :frowning:

416

The CPU have (loosely speaking) two parts to it: hard wired logic (non s/w programmable) and “programmable” logic that is controlled by firmware/software that is called the microcode.

microcode is extremely useful since this means that the manufacturer (intel AMD) can issue microcode updates to fix a CPU model’s bugs and/or improve performance after release.
There are limits to microcode flexibility though, since not everything is made as “programmable” logic and the microcode is very limited in what it can control.
The vast majority of logic in the CPU is hard wired and not controllable by microcode (except potentially completely turning off or on a feature or a machine instruction - that can be done by microcode).

Given the complexity of modern CPUs, there will inevitably be bugs (e.g. security issues etc) and poor performance use cases with CPUs.
Therefore it is imperative to be vigilant and update the CPU bios with new microcodes and update the MB.

For instance the latest Core i9 11900K etc with Z590 MBs was initially distributed with early quite low performing microcodes in the early BIOS that came with the Z590 boards and 11900K performance improved when with newer microcodes. Some website reviewers used early BIOS (with early microcodes) and got the reviews wrong. MB manufactures have now updated their BIOS with newer microcodes so all is much better now.

Of course we wish that the MB manufactures would do the vigilant work of keeping their latest BIOS up-to-date with the latest microcode that Intel and AMD release, and initially after MB launch they do (first 6 months up to a year). BUT they their interest soon cools and at some point, they simply just stop updating (I suspect increased cost is the reason why) - they make money by selling new MBs after all not, updating BIOS for “old” MBs.

Intel and AMD continues to update though, so to benefit from that, we have to mod our BIOS with good new microcodes ourselves. Hence, this forum and MB forums (like on ASUS https://rog.asus.com/forum etc).
It is definitely worth it to learn how to do this OR leverage other enthusiast BIOS moding with new microcodes that they post on: ASUS https://rog.asus.com/forum, EVGs forum, Gigabytes etc.)
I have great experience leveraging https://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.ph…bios-Rampage-VI covering all X299 Asus boards and their moded BIOS and there is a sub forum for every board by chip set: Z490 Z590 etc, etc.

417

Do someone know what CPU is CPUID 106C1? I have extracted the latest bios of an Asus P5QPL-AM and there are microcdes for 106C1 and 106C2. 106C2 seems to be Atom CPUs which doesnt even make sense because there are no Atom for 775 socket and for 106C1 there are even no CPUs? I could not find any. Can I remove those two ids from my bios?

418

Iam trying to update an old bios inserting NCPUCODE.bin on an award bios but I cannot use Cbrom as my computer is running Windows 10 64bit.Please advise any options

419

@gmipf
Usually u can remove the mcodes, some bios mods will break upon depending how edited.

@lowgra
Usually u copy/paste with HEX editor, some bios mods will break upon depending how edited.

420

@lowgra You can try virtual machine, I edit my bios using VMware player x86 version.