LOL at everyone thinking their z97/77 boards are going to get an update and the motherboard manufacturers aren't going to use this as an excuse to cash in on people buying new boards.

ASUS said:
Guaranteed Service
5years_Warranty.jpg

5 Year Warranty
The ultimate reliability of TUF Series is not only based on advanced thermal design, military-standard components and strict reliability tests, but also on the 5 Years Warranty* which is proudly provided.

* This service will follow the local standard and service policy.
** This service only covers failures or malfunctions that occur during the warranty period and under normal use conditions, as well as any material or workmanship defects.

The Innovations Design and Engineering Award is based upon descriptive materials submitted to the judges. CEA did not verify the accuracy of any submission or of any claims made and did not test the item to which the award was given.

Last I checked, Sabertooth Z77 hit the stores in, like... 2013-March'ish, and was sold for quite a while after that.
So I would have to say that there are still many of those Sabertooth Z77 boards inside of warranty.

Not that I don't expect Asus to totally give said board owners the middle finger, because why stand behind your own product?
 
I cannot see Intel not releasing microcode for as far back as sandy bridge.. there are plenty of servers out there with Xeon's that old that are still in production use by many companies. If they don't they will really be shooting themselves in the foot.

Let's give them a few weeks to get them out. The downside is that we are also at the mercy of the mobo manufacturer putting out the updates. ASUS damn well better put out a bios for my x58 and the P8BWS that runs my ESXi...

Some bit of good news, if you run ESXi or vmware workstation, those already have some microcode updates that load even when the actual bios isn't patched, that is used in the virtual machine. I think this was one of the main ways these exploits were afraid of being used... The Cloud providers likely have notices out stating their patch levels and how they've addressed this. (This is all virtual and usually the backend equipment can be shared by multiple customers. This was a primary way data could have been stolen).

My current VM cluster is a pair of dual socket IB-EP (Xeon E5-2620v2) machines. I hope this is enough to convince management to replace the whole thing. They were set up by my predecessor, and he set them up in a VMWare cluster, despite the fact they only have local storage and no centralized SAN, so they can't failover. With a whole new cluster, I can set it up properly.
 
I'm curious, when the bios is updated, do you still have to run the microsoft "slow the system down" updates?
 
I cannot see Intel not releasing microcode for as far back as sandy bridge.. there are plenty of servers out there with Xeon's that old that are still in production use by many companies. If they don't they will really be shooting themselves in the foot.

Let's give them a few weeks to get them out. The downside is that we are also at the mercy of the mobo manufacturer putting out the updates. ASUS damn well better put out a bios for my x58 and the P8BWS that runs my ESXi...

Some bit of good news, if you run ESXi or vmware workstation, those already have some microcode updates that load even when the actual bios isn't patched, that is used in the virtual machine. I think this was one of the main ways these exploits were afraid of being used... The Cloud providers likely have notices out stating their patch levels and how they've addressed this. (This is all virtual and usually the backend equipment can be shared by multiple customers. This was a primary way data could have been stolen).
I have been told to NOT to expect any BIOS for systems further back than X99, but I also do not think this is written in stone either.
 
The number of Z77 chipsets out there is staggering. ASUS better pull their heads out of their asses and fast. I have bought so many motherboards from them since 1996.
 
The Asus list is showing updates for H170 bios version 2602, but it's not available. Why even bother if it's going to reduce performance? It's AMD from now on φuckers!
 
Or, we can wait for Asrock to release the updated BIOS for our motherboards. Here's is the response I got from Asrock in regards to that. I specifically asked them about Z87, but they mention they'll be doing all motherboards.



Visit our link below for updates and verify your model is listed with newer bios version to solve this issues ,otherwise be patience and wait we are working on newer bios for all models.

http://www.asrock.com/support/index.asp?cat=BIOS

We have plan to release the BIOS with microcode update for Intel models.

Since there are lots of models required to update BIOS. We plan to make BIOS by priority with selling models.

The new BIOS for Z370 and X299 series boards will be released today. And it will be uploaded to website.

Please refer to the following link.

http://www.asrock.com/support/index.asp?cat=BIOS
 
With the Spectre vulnerability exposed, Intel is rushing out new microcode, and motherboard manufacturers are working hard to get BIOS updates released. The news today about InSpectre got us thinking, have there been any BIOS updates for our machines, and will there be? It looks like X99 is as far back as Intel is willing to go with microcode updates.

ASUS has a page you can find here to see if your motherboard has an updated BIOS. Unfortunately only 2 X99 boards appear like they will be getting any love.
My X99 board is still well within warranty which I purchased at no small expense. So I damn well hope they get their act together, and this is only an initial list and release more updates later. What is this bullshit that intel is only willing to go back to x99? This sounds like a lawsuit to me. It's like car manufacturers refusing to replace deadly takata airbags in cars that were sold more than 2 years ago.
 
My X99 board is still well within warranty which I purchased at no small expense. So I damn well hope they get their act together, and this is only an initial list and release more updates later. What is this bullshit that intel is only willing to go back to x99? This sounds like a lawsuit to me. It's like car manufacturers refusing to replace deadly takata airbags in cars that were sold more than 2 years ago.

See if the workaround I just posted works for your X99. If we ever get BIOS updates, the patch uninstalls easily as well.
 
Wow, have you guys tried this brilliant workaround for missing Spectre BIOS patches and microcode?

http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7353&title=spectre-microcode-update-for-windows-user

I followed the instructions and just did it on my X99/5820K. Now the InSpectre tool says I'm patched for Spectre! If this is legit, no reason to wait for microcode from mobo manufacturers, which as you said, may never come ($$$).

From what I've read on Reddit, consumer-level Ivy Bridge microcode (only Ivy-E patched so far) will be patched end of January so I'll try it on my P67 HTPC then. Fails for now but at least my X99 is good.

Downside is you obviously have to do this after every OS install because software instead of BIOS, but it only takes a couple mins.

Can someone at HardOCP give this a shot and see if it works for you, too?

Bad link for amd file.
http://www.amd64.org/microcode.html

I need this file...
 
Can someone at HardOCP give this a shot and see if it works for you, too?

Sounds like it could work, but I have too much to lose to try anything unofficial. I'll just be waiting and bitching like everyone else
 
Sounds like it could work, but I have too much to lose to try anything unofficial. I'll just be waiting and bitching like everyone else

Can someone more adventurous at HardOCP give this 5 minute fix a chance?
 
Wow, have you guys tried this brilliant workaround for missing Spectre BIOS patches and microcode?

http://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7353&title=spectre-microcode-update-for-windows-user

I followed the instructions and just did it on my X99/5820K. Now the InSpectre tool says I'm patched for Spectre! If this is legit, no reason to wait for microcode from mobo manufacturers, which as you said, may never come ($$$).

From what I've read on Reddit, consumer-level Ivy Bridge microcode (only Ivy-E patched so far) will be patched end of January so I'll try it on my P67 HTPC then. Fails for now but at least my X99 is good.

Downside is you obviously have to do this after every OS install because software instead of BIOS, but it only takes a couple mins.

Can someone at HardOCP give this a shot and see if it works for you, too?


I just tired this and it seems to have worked... i7-4770K / Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H

spectre.png
 
I found a dl link.

The install went well but does not patch for spectre on my system in sig.
Install completed with code 0. If no error was displayed then the install was s
uccessful.
Press any key to continue . . .
 
Yes, like I said, Ivy-E only patched so far. Consumer Ivy supposed to be end of month.


I mean that is fine and all.. but I just did this on a haswell cpu and it patched (according to the GRC thing) the spectre vulnerability here..
 
I mean that is fine and all.. but I just did this on a haswell cpu and it patched (according to the GRC thing) the spectre vulnerability here..

We're in agreement since we both have Haswell. I was trying to explain why an Ivy Bridge CPU wasn't working with it. Only the E-line of Ivy has been patched. Not consumer level. Wasn't talking about Haswell and up.
 
This grinds my stone into dust. Fuck Intel :punch: and ASUS who won't update my nice Z87 Sabertooth board. I'm getting the craving to go order a Ryzen or ThreadRipper system, maybe go all out watercooled PC. Break out my old AMD Athlon case stickers I never used and smash my blue cold cathode light. (I have [H] commissioned links programmed into the browser). I wonder if the memory manufacturers knew this shitstorm was coming and slowly raised prices in anticipation. Again, fuck you Intel, this upgrade money was going for a Rythmik subwoofer. So So Def's Edward J Bass will be dissapoint. :arghh: Was looking forward to shaking walls watching Scott Pilgrim VS The World.
 
This grinds my stone into dust. Fuck Intel :punch: and ASUS who won't update my nice Z87 Sabertooth board. I'm getting the craving to go order a Ryzen or ThreadRipper system, maybe go all out watercooled PC. Break out my old AMD Athlon case stickers I never used and smash my blue cold cathode light. (I have [H] commissioned links programmed into the browser). I wonder if the memory manufacturers knew this shitstorm was coming and slowly raised prices in anticipation. Again, fuck you Intel, this upgrade money was going for a Rythmik subwoofer. So So Def's Edward J Bass will be dissapoint. :arghh: Was looking forward to shaking walls watching Scott Pilgrim VS The World.

i too was /am hella pissed about the cut off on bios updates... however.. since the technique listed a few posts back seems to have worked for me and my haswell /Z87 board to updated the microcode (in windows) ... I sort of think what is going to end up happening is x99+ boards are going to get the fix via the probably preferable bios update... but older systems can probably get patched via windows update eventually

or now if you are brave (or dumb??) like me and use the vmware microcode patch tool..
 
ugh... my head hurts.. anyone who has tried manually updating the microcode.. have you tried the PowerShell script??

because when I do.. i get this::

GetSpec.png

which seems to suggest that hardware and OS support for CVE-2017-5715 mitigation is present but not enbabled in Windows despite not being blocked by hardware support or windows system policy ?? why??? don't get it?
 
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Some of ASUS' updates don't list cpu microcode in their changelog but are listed as patched on the provided microsite, there was a user with a Maximus X Hero I was chatting with who didn't believe his board was patched.
 
hmm... I am starting to think the vmware method mentioned earlier isn't going to actually work (even though the GRC tool seems to suggest it is???)

the powershell script shows that mitigation for CVE 2017-5715 is not enabled despite OS / Hardware support for it...

reading a few places suggest that the VMware Driver option isn't working because it starts too late in the kernel initialization?


this seems to be the view here::
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ne...-microcodes-to-fix-meltdown-and-spectre-bugs/
 
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I already fully patched the following systems for Meltdown and Spectre:

Pentium G4560 + Asrock B250 Pro4
Core i7 8700K + Asus ROG Strix Z370-F
Macbook Pro 13" 2017 Non-Touch-Bar Intel Core i5-7360U Kaby Lake
iPhone 7+
iPad Air 2

I guess I'm lucky not to have had issues with any of them and I haven't noticed any performance differences with my typical client/consumer oriented usage case scenarios. Web browsing, word processing, spreadsheet, gaming, media consumption, etc. I wonder if my Nintendo Switch will also get the mitigations.

I do hope MS and Intel really follow through with their promise for the optimization of the mitigations though, especially for I/O intensive workloads which seem to be hit the hardest.
 
ugh... my head hurts.. anyone who has tried manually updating the microcode.. have you tried the PowerShell script??

because when I do.. i get this::

View attachment 50592

which seems to suggest that hardware and OS support for CVE-2017-5715 mitigation is present but not enbabled in Windows despite not being blocked by hardware support or windows system policy ?? why??? don't get it?

Same here. Thanks for digging deeper. Back to square one I guess....
 
jesus christ... so they are not going to patch sandy / ivy / hasswell .. man screw intel

k' now I'm super pissed... I'm almost certain my upgrade later this year is ryzen+

I would encourage intel to reconsider being giant c*cks about this and move that patch plan back at least to sandy bridge.. otherwise maybe I can sue them in small claims court for the 4x systems in my house that are basically junk now?? anyone tried suing intel in small claims court for damages yet?
In that link you posted it appears Intel has a microcode update for all their processors. https://downloadcenter.intel.com/download/27431/Linux-Processor-Microcode-Data-File
Its on the motherboard vendors to give us a bios update now? Amd needs the bios update too, why are you pissed at intel? BTW thanks for posting the link to that possible fix.
 
ASUS has a page you can find here to see if your motherboard has an updated BIOS. Unfortunately only 2 X99 boards appear like they will be getting any love.

well i know one company whose products i won't be buying anymore
 
ugh... my head hurts.. anyone who has tried manually updating the microcode.. have you tried the PowerShell script??

because when I do.. i get this::

View attachment 50592

which seems to suggest that hardware and OS support for CVE-2017-5715 mitigation is present but not enbabled in Windows despite not being blocked by hardware support or windows system policy ?? why??? don't get it?

First you have to remember that not all Intel CPUs are patched yet with the 20180108 microcode.dat file. Intel was saying they are only about 90% done with cpus up to 5 years old, and older cpu's are going to be longer. Plus they have the reboot issue and most of those for which microcode is already released, will probably get another update to address stability issues... Also, the link to the amd microcode is a dead website, and the copy from webarchive is 2015 microcode for AMD, so that is definitely not going to do anyone any good if they run AMD. Also, Microsoft had disabled some of the OS patching when it comes to AMD due to some early issues, and are only just now coming out with fixed OS patches.

The Vmware driver to load microcode will only patch you if your cpu does get new microcode to fix this bug and it's released in the microcode.dat or in amd's microcode_amd.bin.

I think now that they are seeing issues all the way back to Sandy Bridge with some firmware, it indicates to me that microcode for cpus going back that far will get microcode released by Intel. So most of us can get a patch even if our mighty ASUS doesn't give a fuck enough about their customers to put out new BIOS's... (Which pisses me right the hell off after buying thousands of dollars worth of ASUS). Probably going to switch to MSI if ASUS bitches out and doesn't put out new BIOS for all motherboards that support CPU's in which intel releases microcode updates for..
 
So about that Asus TUF 5yr warranty...

Checking the [H] review date for Z87 Sabertooth, that's definitely July 23, 2013.
-or-
4yrs, 6mo and 3days ago, from today.

That's definitely under 5yrs, unlike the Z77 Sabertooth, which is a bit more iffy.
 
Still no new microcode from Intel... don't think it's going to be out before this is exploited...
 
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