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Intel microcode updates

Printed From: ASRock.com
Category: Technical Support
Forum Name: Intel Motherboards
Forum Description: Question about ASRock Intel Motherboards
URL: https://forum.asrock.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7894
Printed Date: 04 Aug 2025 at 3:21am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Intel microcode updates

Posted By: Kladno
Subject: Intel microcode updates
Date Posted: 02 Mar 2018 at 4:34pm

I hope good news for Intel Skylake CPUs now...

03/01/2018

Announce that a stand-alone update for Windows 10 Version 1709 is available via the Microsoft Update Catalog. This update includes microcode updates from Intel. See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 4090007 ( https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4090007/intel-microcode-updates" rel="nofollow - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4090007/intel-microcode-updates ) for more information.

KB4090007: Intel microcode updates

Intel recently announced that they have completed their validations and started to release microcode for newer CPU platforms around Spectre Variant 2 (CVE 2017-5715 ("Branch Target Injection")).

We will offer additional microcode updates from Intel thru this KB Article for these Operating Systems as they become available to Microsoft.

https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx%3cq=KB4090007" rel="nofollow - https://www.catalog.update.microsoft.com/Search.aspx?q=KB4090007

Replies:

Posted By: hhuey5
Date Posted: 03 Mar 2018 at 6:54am

I'd like more info and user reaction to this update

Posted By: chrisw
Date Posted: 04 Mar 2018 at 3:14pm

I just installed the new update that includes this. 1.4 for the x299 Taichi XE. I have a 7940x CPU. This update broke my ability to do a Specific Per Core overclock. Pretty frustrating.

Posted By: Kladno
Date Posted: 05 Mar 2018 at 2:29am

I tried it and it works.

Asrock Extreme7+, CPU Skylake-S, Windows 10 1709.16299.248

InSpectre

BEFORE

Meltdown protected: YES

Spectre protected : NO

AFTER

Meltdown protected: YES

Spectre protected : YES

Powershell SpeculationControl.psm1

BEFORE

Speculation control settings for CVE-2017-5715 [branch target injection]

For more information about the output below, please refer to https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/4074629" rel="nofollow - https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/4074629

Hardware support for branch target injection mitigation is present: False

Windows OS support for branch target injection mitigation is present: True

Windows OS support for branch target injection mitigation is enabled: False

Windows OS support for branch target injection mitigation is disabled by system policy: False

Windows OS support for branch target injection mitigation is disabled by absence of hardware support: True

Speculation control settings for CVE-2017-5754 [rogue data cache load]

Hardware requires kernel VA shadowing: True

Windows OS support for kernel VA shadow is present: True

Windows OS support for kernel VA shadow is enabled: True

Windows OS support for PCID performance optimization is enabled: True [not required for security]

Suggested actions

* Install BIOS/firmware update provided by your device OEM that enables hardware support for the branch target injection mitigation.

BTIHardwarePresent : False

BTIWindowsSupportPresent : True

BTIWindowsSupportEnabled : False

BTIDisabledBySystemPolicy : False

BTIDisabledByNoHardwareSupport : True

KVAShadowRequired : True

KVAShadowWindowsSupportPresent : True

KVAShadowWindowsSupportEnabled : True

KVAShadowPcidEnabled : True

AFTER

Speculation control settings for CVE-2017-5715 [branch target injection]

For more information about the output below, please refer to https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/4074629" rel="nofollow - https://support.microsoft.com/en-in/help/4074629

Hardware support for branch target injection mitigation is present: True

Windows OS support for branch target injection mitigation is present: True

Windows OS support for branch target injection mitigation is enabled: True

Speculation control settings for CVE-2017-5754 [rogue data cache load]

Hardware requires kernel VA shadowing: True

Windows OS support for kernel VA shadow is present: True

Windows OS support for kernel VA shadow is enabled: True

Windows OS support for PCID performance optimization is enabled: True [not required for security]

BTIHardwarePresent : True

BTIWindowsSupportPresent : True

BTIWindowsSupportEnabled : True

BTIDisabledBySystemPolicy : False

BTIDisabledByNoHardwareSupport : False

KVAShadowRequired : True

KVAShadowWindowsSupportPresent : True

KVAShadowWindowsSupportEnabled : True

KVAShadowPcidEnabled : True

This actually is a Windows update which updates Windows file

C:\Windows\System32\mcupdate_GenuineIntel.dll for Intel CPU,

or eventually mcupdate_AuthenticAMD.dll for AMD CPU.

The update KB4090007 can be uninstalled.

I do not see any side effects yet.

Check value "Update Revision" before and after in registry key:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System\CentralProcessor]

In Windows is Intel Microcode Update Revision changed to C2 now.