Prescott/CeleronD/ExtremeEdition and SP2 Fix

[Cari \(MS MVP\)]

The problem of SP2 not installing on Prescott/ Celerons) and Extreme Edition
CPUs has been identified.

It appears to be due to the machine's BIOS not installing a production level
microcode update.

To check whether the BlOS is at the correct level download the Intel
Processor Frequency ID utility from:

http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/frequencyid/

The microcode version is identified by this utility as "CPU Revision"

So for this CPU:

· CPU Family = 15

· CPU Model = 3

· CPU Stepping = 4

The microcode revision should be at least 8 (if it is zero, then no
microcode update was installed at all):

· CPU Revision = 8

If the revisions is not 8, then boot into Safe Mode. Rename the file
%windir%\system32\drivers\update.sys so that it does not load.

Reboot into 'normal' mode. Apply the SP2 upgrade file and the failure to
boot should not recur. Check your motherboard manufacturers' website often
for updates to your BIOS as this is a temporary workaround and can cause
instability.


--
Cari (MS-MVP Windows Client - Printing, Imaging & Hardware)
www.coribright.com


This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 

[root]

The problem of SP2 not installing on Prescott/ Celerons) and Extreme Edition
CPUs has been identified.

It appears to be due to the machine's BIOS not installing a production level
microcode update.

To check whether the BlOS is at the correct level download the Intel
Processor Frequency ID utility from:

http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/frequencyid/

The microcode version is identified by this utility as "CPU Revision"

So for this CPU:

· CPU Family = 15

· CPU Model = 3

· CPU Stepping = 4

The microcode revision should be at least 8 (if it is zero, then no
microcode update was installed at all):

· CPU Revision = 8

If the revisions is not 8, then boot into Safe Mode. Rename the file
%windir%\system32\drivers\update.sys so that it does not load.

Reboot into 'normal' mode. Apply the SP2 upgrade file and the failure to
boot should not recur. Check your motherboard manufacturers' website often
for updates to your BIOS as this is a temporary workaround and can cause
instability.

If one has already installed SP2 and is in the unbootable state can the
renaming of %windir%\system32\drivers\update.sys be used to fix the issue?
OR must one uninstall SP2 do the fix and then do SP2 again?

 

[root]

The problem of SP2 not installing on Prescott/ Celerons) and Extreme Edition
CPUs has been identified.

It appears to be due to the machine's BIOS not installing a production level
microcode update.

"..BIOS not installing a production level microcode update."

To check whether the BlOS is at the correct level download the Intel
Processor Frequency ID utility from:

http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/frequencyid/

There are two versions there: bootable and Windows. So which version
should be used? Are the descriptions that follow for when running under
Windows XP the Windows version?

The microcode version is identified by this utility as "CPU Revision"

So for this CPU:

· CPU Family = 15

· CPU Model = 3

· CPU Stepping = 4

The microcode revision should be at least 8 (if it is zero, then no
microcode update was installed at all):

· CPU Revision = 8

If the revisions is not 8,

So the microcode revision of at least 8 was installed by the BIOS? In other
words if the boot version of the Intel Frequency ID Utility would one still
see at least 8 or what?

then boot into Safe Mode. Rename the file
%windir%\system32\drivers\update.sys so that it does not load.

The above seems to be XP loading some OTHER microcode to the CPU than that
which was loaded at BIOS time, right???

Reboot into 'normal' mode. Apply the SP2 upgrade file and the failure to
boot should not recur. Check your motherboard manufacturers' website often
for updates to your BIOS as this is a temporary workaround and can cause
instability.

What kinds of instabilities might one see with the above temp fix in place?

I've never fully studied the microcode correction process in detail. Could
some please describe the entire process in detail or provide a URL? What
does %windir%\system32\drivers\update.sys do exactly?

There appears to be two different times here when microcode is being
updated:
BOOT/BIOS time and XP time. It appears that the XP time microcode update
causes this issue WHEN some precondition set by an improper microcode state
from BIOS microcode load time exist, right???

Is it true that a complete fix to this issue is an updated mobo BIOS? OR is
there now coming also a post SP2 hotfix for that which
%windir%\system32\drivers\update.sys does/loads??

 

[Cari \(MS MVP\)]

a) In the past three hours I have seen no instability on my desktop,
although I'm trashing the Albatron mobo and getting an Intel board as soon
as I can. Nor did I see any instability in the days since 8/13 when it was
installed.

b) I have no idea. Why don't you ask Award, Phoenix and AMI? I just know
I now have SP2 on my desktop. And as soon as I can get rid of the board with
a revision code of 0, I will.