Soldato
There's a bios update for the Gaming 5P too, but like you, I'm hesitant to install it because of the reported reboot issues from these quick fixes that appear to have by-passed QC.
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There's a bios update for the Gaming 5P too, but like you, I'm hesitant to install it because of the reported reboot issues from these quick fixes that appear to have by-passed QC.
Soldato
I've got a budget sitting waiting for a new build, but with the insane prices of memory and GPUs... And now this, I'm not sure if I'll be investing right now.
What complicates this, is that it looks like it needs to be a hardware solution hence the crisis and delay in new product lines. If it needs to be a hardware fix, then everything we currently own is essentially worthless, surely?
Caporegime
My current IB Core i7 is becoming a limitation in some games - the current Ryzen won't really be much of an upgrade in those games,and Intel has security issues,plus RAM is silly priced too(although I have 16GB of 2400MHZ DDR4 I got for £56). So looks like I will be waiting longer for something like Zen 2 at this point.
Looks like I'm in the same position as a few people here - current gaming PC is dying, need a new build but prices are ridiculous. On top of that I'm not even sure I want to pay for a processor that has major hardware security flaws. If I do decide to wait for them to address the hardware issues, when is that expected to happen? With the new Cannon Lake processors? When are they expected to be out? I'm not sure how much longer I can go without gaming!
Permabanned
Are they going to start selling Ryzen core'd chips as well as borrowing AMDs Graphics?
That'd be the icing on the cake if they did.
Caporegime
LOL,where did you get that from??
Soldato
I got all green, except this:
I take it this is because I'm on vulnerable BIOS? Last BIOS available from Asrock is from September 2016.
Fantastic just what is needed, a separate firm directing information they probably don't fully understand and mixing that with half truths to avoid liability.
Soldato
Intel doesn't play crisis 
Soldato
I got all green, except this:
I take it this is because I'm on vulnerable BIOS? Last BIOS available from Asrock is from September 2016.
I only got 1 green. Asrock won't be updating my old motherboard at any time.
Wonder if we can get some Intel cash back on a new CPU?
Soldato
I'm actually wondering whether to submit a RMA and see what the response is.
Soldato
Caporegime
Ive just been thinking, if its a hardware fault, then whats the point in the BIOS and Microcode updates ?, as surely, those are just software, as you download them, and then install them, so they're going to make sod all difference to an actual hardware fault, as its the chips themselves that are ******
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The OS and software patches are basically workarounds, not fixes. Microcode updates can alter the way CPUs work to an extent, so certain issues can be fixed.Ive just been thinking, if its a hardware fault, then whats the point in the BIOS and Microcode updates ?, as surely, those are just software, as you download them, and then install them, so they're going to make sod all difference to an actual hardware fault, as its the chips themselves that are ******
Associate
Ive just been thinking, if its a hardware fault, then whats the point in the BIOS and Microcode updates ?, as surely, those are just software, as you download them, and then install them, so they're going to make sod all difference to an actual hardware fault, as its the chips themselves that are ******
You're correct that the microcode isn't a fix for the underlying problem; it's just a way of mitigating the issue - hence the performance hit. The point of the microcode is to enable instructions that a patched OS can use to apply Spectre mitigations. Without these instructions the mitigations have to be done in a different way, which will have a different performance impact and may differ in scope of protection.
Hopefully people are taking this opportunity to ensure they have secure working backups of data they value and to reduce their risk of exposure to malicious code (i.e. updating to patched browser versions) - even while the various software/microcode updates are taking time to get sorted out.
Edit: ninja'd
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Surely the issue here is not covered by a backup?
I was under the impression that the risk is of data theft (e.g. passwords, bank details).
None the less, certainly a timely reminder for people to review their backup strategy.
I was under the impression that the risk is of data theft (e.g. passwords, bank details).
None the less, certainly a timely reminder for people to review their backup strategy.
Associate
It's true data theft can't be fixed by backups...
... but this where I was coming from. Even though there's little we can do about the availability, efficacy or side effects of microcode fixes, it's good to check up on other security practices if you aren't already doing so.
We can avoid insecure software and keep other software updated, but having backups is useful in the rare cases where there are problems arising from the patches themselves, and also if it turns out that there's a practical way of combining info gained via MeltSpec with another exploit to cause greater harm.