Intel disables TSX after discovering major bug

[stampedeadam]

Just my luck really. I have had a 4770k since late last year and decided I'd like a 4790k as a birthday present from my dad. Although the clock speed increase might not be worth it on its own, I thought that at least I'd be more future-proof given that the 4790k has TSX, V-pro and VT-d which were disabled for some reason on the 4770k. VT-d will be especially useful if Linux takes off as a gaming platform - Windows games can be run in a VM and can access graphics memory at full speed. V-Pro is pretty much useless but TSX is very interesting...

... and Intel have now found a bug in it so big that they are going to disable it completely in all processors by way of a microcode update.

Brill!

Can you imagine if a car maker said, "actually, the cruise control we advertised as one of the features on your car is not working properly. So we're gonna turn it off, k?". But I suppose that when you have no competition you can do whatever you like eh?

I know TSX makes no difference with current software but I think it's wrong that they aren't looking at ways to patch it, or look at some way to make it up to people who bought processors with this feature advertised. On other forums, there were a fair few people who decided to get the 4770/4771 non-K over the 4770K when Haswell first came out, because they wanted the extensions more than they wanted the unlocked multiplier.

 

[SuB]

Just my luck really. I have had a 4770k since late last year and decided I'd like a 4790k as a birthday present from my dad. Although the clock speed increase might not be worth it on its own, I thought that at least I'd be more future-proof given that the 4790k has TSX, V-pro and VT-d which were disabled for some reason on the 4770k. VT-d will be especially useful if Linux takes off as a gaming platform - Windows games can be run in a VM and can access graphics memory at full speed. V-Pro is pretty much useless but TSX is very interesting...

... and Intel have now found a bug in it so big that they are going to disable it completely in all processors by way of a microcode update.

Brill!

Can you imagine if a car maker said, "actually, the cruise control we advertised as one of the features on your car is not working properly. So we're gonna turn it off, k?". But I suppose that when you have no competition you can do whatever you like eh?

I know TSX makes no difference with current software but I think it's wrong that they aren't looking at ways to patch it, or look at some way to make it up to people who bought processors with this feature advertised. On other forums, there were a fair few people who decided to get the 4770/4771 non-K over the 4770K when Haswell first came out, because they wanted the extensions more than they wanted the unlocked multiplier.

Yeah but if said cruise control steered you into a barrier so you crashed and burned alive.. you'd be thinking oetherwise

 

[stampedeadam]

Yeah but if said cruise control steered you into a barrier so you crashed and burned alive.. you'd be thinking oetherwise

That's understood but the point I'm trying to make is - there'd be a recall and it would be fixed! If an advertised feature was just disabled with no recompense there would be a national scandal. Telling people it doesn't matter cos you didn't use it much wouldn't wash.

 

[Dicehunter]

So is this update being implemented through a bios update soon'ish ?

 

[stampedeadam]

So is this update being implemented through a bios update soon'ish ?

Yeah it will, first through BIOS updates, and maybe through Windows update.

 

[Dicehunter]

Yeah it will, first through BIOS updates, and maybe through Windows update.

I think the update has been pushed through already, Possibly, My mobo got an update a few days ago

 

[stampedeadam]

I think the update has been pushed through already, Possibly, My mobo got an update a few days ago

Does CPU-Z still list HLE/TSX as one of the feature flags?

 

[Dicehunter]

Does CPU-Z still list HLE/TSX as one of the feature flags?

I haven't updated yet so I'm not sure if it's the extension disabling evilness

 

[shambles1980]

dont think you can do a micro code update through windows, it would have to be a bios flash if im not mistaken.

 

[RamboOC]

dont think you can do a micro code update through windows, it would have to be a bios flash if im not mistaken.

They did it with windows update on amd fx [bullodozer architecture]. Every time windows booted up, the microcode was temporally replaced

 

[Dicehunter]

They did it with windows update on amd fx [bullodozer architecture]. Every time windows booted up, the microcode was temporally replaced

Seems a little inefficient, Surely a bios update would be the better route ?

 

[RamboOC]

Seems a little inefficient, Surely a bios update would be the better route ?

Bios update is a better way, but for the non-techies who dont update their bios or have a motherboard where the bios updates stopped, windows update solves the problem and the micro code is temporally replaced by a new one upon every windows boot up. That is with AMD FX cpus, not sure if it will work with intel CPU's

 

[Dicehunter]

Bios update is a better way, but for the non-techies who dont update their bios or have a motherboard where the bios updates stopped, windows update solves the problem and the micro code is temporally replaced by a new one upon every windows boot up. That is with AMD FX cpus, not sure if it will work with intel CPU's

They need to make bios updating as easy to do as windows updates for beginners

 

[RamboOC]

They need to make bios updating as easy to do as windows updates for beginners

It already is New motherboards just require a windows program and a bios file and it will update the bios within windows

IMO i think the bios updates should be integrated into windows update with a dedicated option to switch automatic bios updates on and off

 

[stampedeadam]

Microcode is only ever a temporary replacement, the microcode in the CPU is never actually overwritten - if the CPU is told by the BIOS or OS that there is a replacement microcode, and the CPU can verify that it is genuine, it loads this in place of the original until power is lost.

Windows can do this, as can other OS's - in fact, you can download microcode from intel for deployment via Linux.

 

[Dicehunter]

It already is New motherboards just require a windows program and a bios file and it will update the bios within windows

IMO i think the bios updates should be integrated into windows update with a dedicated option to switch automatic bios updates on and off

That's exactly what I mean, Each mobos chipset drivers should somehow integrate with windows update, Would make updating the bios a lot less stressful for beginners

 

[shambles1980]

i wouldnt want by bios updated unless i had a reason to do it. i tend to try asmany bioses as i can for my mb when i 1st get it then use the one i like the best that has all the features i need..

if i just go to something like creative sound card drivers for instance.
a few years back you had "stereo mixer" as an option for your recording device.
some one decided that would mean you could record music you were listening to on the internet so now they removed it from the drivers..
well i do some mixing "not very well" but i need to record it so i can play back as thats the only reall way to hear what it actually sounds like to the audience.
But to do that i had to scour the internet for a driver that was many years old.

A lot of things like that go on with "updates" they decide you dont need it. or its better for them if you dont have it. and then thats it its gone. not much of a problem for people who have been doing this aslong as most of us have. but i really dont need phone calls asking me "this feature is gone how do i get it back" (i do get those all the damn time)

So when it comes to the bios personally i like the make a disk/bootable drive method to flashing a bios.
And if my parents ever had windows updating the bios for them and it messed up. I know who would have to go down there to fix it..

also seems like a big old exploit waiting to happen.

 

[ShaunB-91]

But do you need to update your BIOS? I don't see the point personally so long as everything is shweet.

 

[Lazlo]

It already is New motherboards just require a windows program and a bios file and it will update the bios within windows

IMO i think the bios updates should be integrated into windows update with a dedicated option to switch automatic bios updates on and off

That's exactly what I mean, Each mobos chipset drivers should somehow integrate with windows update, Would make updating the bios a lot less stressful for beginners

I honestly wouldn't want microsoft or any other cooperation have that much access to my system. At that point they basically have unlimited access to your PC. Plus this would open the door to a whole new world of malware that could really f up your system.

 

[NeverBackDown]

I honestly wouldn't want microsoft or any other cooperation have that much access to my system. At that point they basically have unlimited access to your PC. Plus this would open the door to a whole new world of malware that could really f up your system.

Just by installing Windows you opened yourself up. There is no getting around anything these days. If some company wants your data they will get it.