This pinned topic is a practical entry point for everything related to CPU microcodes.
CPU microcode is low-level firmware executed by the processor itself. It is used to fix hardware-level bugs, apply security mitigations, improve stability, and sometimes adjust behavior without changing silicon.
This category focuses on legitimate research, diagnostics, BIOS/UEFI integration, and safe handling of microcode updates for Intel and AMD platforms.
What you can discuss here (allowed topics):
• Identifying current CPU microcode version
• Extracting microcode from BIOS/UEFI images
• Injecting or updating microcodes in BIOS/UEFI
• Matching correct microcode to CPU family, stepping, and platform
• Differences between OS-loaded and BIOS-loaded microcodes
• Microcode-related stability issues or regressions
• Security advisories and mitigations tied to microcode updates
• Verifying applied microcode at runtime (Linux / Windows)
• Rollback considerations and risks
What this section is NOT for:
• Bypassing security protections or vendor locks
• Circumventing corporate, OEM, or enterprise restrictions
• Any activity intended to gain unauthorized access
• Speculative or misleading claims without technical evidence
Before creating a new topic, please prepare:
• CPU model, family, stepping
• Motherboard or device model
• BIOS/UEFI version
• Current microcode version and how it was identified
• Operating system (if OS-level microcode is involved)
• Exact problem description or research goal
• Logs, dumps, screenshots, or verification output (if applicable)
Common scenarios covered here:
• Microcode mismatch after BIOS update
• System instability introduced by new microcode
• Missing or outdated microcode in vendor BIOS
• Differences between Linux and Windows microcode behavior
• Security patch impact on performance or stability
If you are unsure where to start:
Create a new topic with clear technical details. Well-prepared posts receive faster and more accurate answers.
