Where are the promised MSI Spectre/Meltdown BIOS updates?

[Old-Greg]

You probably didn't go to the appropriate Microsoft knowledgebase page to MANUALLY install the microcode update, or simply it was yet to be released to support your cpu. Just run inspectre v8 from steve Gibson and you should find out if you are mitigated. As far as I know, the motherboard is irrelevant to this, unless it has a patch that updates the microcode prior to windows loading. If no bios updates exist, I should think that specific page for your version of windows 10 should update the cpu and mitigate it fine. Head over to tenforums , windows news, and you should have links to patches for 1607, 1703, 1709, 1803

Did all that prior to posting.
Same CPU is patched on ASUS 270 series mobo but not MSI 270 series mobo.
Meltdown patched on MSI mobo but not Spectre. Both are patched on ASUS 270 mobo.
Both mobo's are running the latest up to date Windows 10.

This is definitely a bios related issue and MSI aren't playing ball.

 

[eidairaman1]

Ok well a dead horse is beaten.

 

[las]

It does not matter much anyway. Most software is patched.
Those microcode patches will just slow down the CPU even further

 

[Old-Greg]

Ok well a dead horse is beaten.

Agreed.

 

[trparky]

Did all that prior to posting.
Same CPU is patched on ASUS 270 series mobo but not MSI 270 series mobo.
Meltdown patched on MSI mobo but not Spectre. Both are patched on ASUS 270 mobo.
Both mobo's are running the latest up to date Windows 10.

This is definitely a bios related issue and MSI aren't playing ball.

WRONG!!!

KB4090007: Intel microcode updates
CPU IDs 506E3, 406E3, 00050654, 00050654, and 00050654 are covered by the Microsoft patch. The microcode is updated at kernel load time similar to how Linux does it. The only difference is that the microcode update needs to be loaded by the kernel every time the system is booted since the microcode update isn't permanent. Is it an ugly hack? Yes, but it's better than nothing. I have loaded this same patch on a 3570K system and the GRC's InSpectre says that I am secure (with patched microcode) against both Meltdown and Spectre.

 

[RejZoR]

Yeah, well, for some stupid reason, they didn't bother patching 5820K. Also, when is MSI planning on releasing this BIOS as final and not beta? Not in the mood to flash beta BIOS...

 

[silentbogo]

MSI is the slowest in regards to BIOS updates. I had to wait almost an extra 6 months(comparing to competition or their own Z170 mobos) before they released the KabyLake update for my board.
Same with security and bug patching - it's taking wa-a-ay too long.

Also, when is MSI planning on releasing this BIOS as final and not beta? Not in the mood to flash beta BIOS...

You might wanna check again. A new BIOS for my B150i was released last month, so as the one for my X99S MPOWER.

 

[trparky]

According to CPU-World.com the 5820K carries a CPUID of 306F2 which is listed as patched on Microsoft's Intel Microcode Update page under "Haswell Server E, EP, EP4S".

 

[Solaris17]

Meh my board got the update in a good amount of time. I’m not sure how this thread isn’t at this point about a witch trial. Don’t use them or wait seriously.

 

[Old-Greg]

WRONG!!!

KB4090007: Intel microcode updates
CPU IDs 506E3, 406E3, 00050654, 00050654, and 00050654 are covered by the Microsoft patch. The microcode is updated at kernel load time similar to how Linux does it. The only difference is that the microcode update needs to be loaded by the kernel every time the system is booted since the microcode update isn't permanent. Is it an ugly hack? Yes, but it's better than nothing. I have loaded this same patch on a 3570K system and the GRC's InSpectre says that I am secure (with patched microcode) against both Meltdown and Spectre.

I know that already because I read someone suggest the same thing on Intel's website a few months back.
BUT! Still no Spectre patch for the MSI mobo with Windows updates regardless.
And still no Bios update from MSI. The mobo is an H270. And non of MSI Z270 series boards appear to have been issues with a Bios update since January either.

*THE END*

Meh my board got the update in a good amount of time. I’m not sure how this thread isn’t at this point about a witch trial. Don’t use them or wait seriously.

No I don't think it is. MSI have fallen well below the standard of other manufactures.
This is my first and last MSI purchase ever.

 

[trparky]

So are you saying that the Microsoft provided update doesn't work for your system? Does it not update the microcode?

But if it does patch the microcode then you're covered, safe, secure. Sit down, have a drink and relax.

 

[R-T-B]

I know this isn't perhaps what you are looking for, but I'm here if you want it.

I'm a bios modder. Post your bios, and I'd be willing to a do a microcode update on it for you.

That's a pretty safe procedure overall, and is completely reversible, but still, no warranty flash at your own risk etc.

 

[er557]

You mean with latest UBU and mmtool? the msi bioses are encapsulated and need manual hex editing, but most other boards are easy to implement a microcode update from the built in ubu database

 

[RejZoR]

Meh my board got the update in a good amount of time. I’m not sure how this thread isn’t at this point about a witch trial. Don’t use them or wait seriously.

It's things that no one tells you when you buy some brand. I used to have ASUS only boards for years. Excellent software support as far as BIOS goes, but their hardware was often weird. Especially the last time when board just died over night. So I bought MSI X99A Gaming 7 because it had all I needed, was priced well and few people had it and were happy with it. Hardware wise, it's already lasting longer than ASUS one, it works well, but BIOS updating support was a real disappointment. As I bought it, it already came with 1 year old BIOS with nothing newer available. Which is almost unthinkable thing with ASUS. And secondly, this isn't exactly a budget board whee such poor support is kinda expected. Sure, it's not Gaming 9 or whatever series, but Gaming 7 ain't a budget one either so one would expect some sort of decent long term support for it... I guess ASUS spoiled me in that regard where I got BIOS update for Rampage II Gene board like 4 or was it even 5 years after release...

 

[R-T-B]

You mean with latest UBU and mmtool? the msi bioses are encapsulated and need manual hex editing, but most other boards are easy to implement a microcode update from the built in ubu database

Yeah, that's what I was thinking of. I'm familiar with ASUS capsules but not MSI ones so I'll have to retract my offer.

 

[Old-Greg]

So are you saying that the Microsoft provided update doesn't work for your system? Does it not update the microcode?

But if it does patch the microcode then you're covered, safe, secure. Sit down, have a drink and relax.

I thought I made that clear. The answer is still No. No Microcode update from MS, and no bios update from MSI.
And I've checked every week.

I know this isn't perhaps what you are looking for, but I'm here if you want it.

I'm a bios modder. Post your bios, and I'd be willing to a do a microcode update on it for you.

That's a pretty safe procedure overall, and is completely reversible, but still, no warranty flash at your own risk etc.

Is that an offer dear Froggy?
Would be great if you could. I looked into the latest UBU and mmtool but didn't feel confident enough to carry out the mod.

 

[R-T-B]

Is that an offer dear Froggy?
Would be great if you could. I looked into the latest UBU and mmtool but didn't feel confident enough to carry out the mod.

I'll look into it, but no promises. As someone said above MSI updates are capsuled (like a signature + a header) so it makes it harder to do than you'd think.

 

[er557]

I did mod an msi bios to REMOVE microcode for a hack project of mine, it required hex editing by corrupting the current microcode and then adding +2 to a value in another place just to keep the checksum identical, then I checked in UBU and the microcode for the cpu id I needed was absent. But to ADD microcode to msi bios is a whole different story, It cannot be done simply in UBU due to the mmtool failing at the end due to encapsulation, and via hex editing it is more complicated, requires to import and inject parts of the bios several times. But I didn't check with latest UBU release, it seems to make progress in many areas.

 

[R-T-B]

I did mod an msi bios to REMOVE microcode for a hack project of mine, it required hex editing by corrupting the current microcode and then adding +2 to a value in another place just to keep the checksum identical, then I checked in UBU and the microcode for the cpu id I needed was absent. But to ADD microcode to msi bios is a whole different story, It cannot be done simply in UBU due to the mmtool failing at the end due to encapsulation, and via hex editing it is more complicated, requires to import and inject parts of the bios several times. But I didn't check with latest UBU release, it seems to make progress in many areas.

Yeah, the capsule complicates things as I said. The only route is to hope there is a sig check override or decapsule the module entirely and flash it with another tool like ftd tool or similar.

It's iffy if it can be done, either way. Will investigate tonight.

 

[er557]

Now they make asrock bios recently protected as well, though not encapsulated. Latest UBU easily managed to remove asrock protection, and then I flashed the modified bios unprotected, and it works fine. I needed to actually REMOVE haswell-ep microcode, even though it was now mitigated for spectre and meltdown, but the driver I load on POST loads an older microcode, so the bios screen does show it at least. I was able to use the more stable latest bios, I have no need for spectre mitigation as the OS microcode takes care of that during boot.

 

[R-T-B]

Now they make asrock bios recently protected as well, though not encapsulated. Latest UBU easily managed to remove asrock protection, and then I flashed the modified bios unprotected, and it works fine. I needed to actually REMOVE haswell-ep microcode, even though it was now mitigated for spectre and meltdown, but the driver I load on POST loads an older microcode, so the bios screen does show it at least. I was able to use the more stable latest bios, I have no need for spectre mitigation as the OS microcode takes care of that during boot.

ASRock and GIGABYTE share similar "protections." They are really just "sigcheck" flags (actually ASRock is a bit more, but still plenty able to be disarmed).

 

[mad1394]

Is there any proof of spectre of meltdown being abused in the wild? I know some people are really worried but frankly I could not give a crap. I am either completely retarded or other people are worried about nothing.

 

[er557]

Not that I know of. Also to be exploited one must first click a file or attachment, there's always the human judgement factor. Most systems are not fully mitigated at any rate due to new variations of these vulnerabilities popping up all the time, intel has yet to release updates for side channel and the recent new variations. One's best bet is to always be cautious and keep the OS as up to date as possible, Microsoft continually patches the vulnerabilities even without mainboard bios updates. I consider myself to be cautious and keep my system current, yet have been recently almost PWNED via the ancient remote desktop protocol, an open port here and there and a weak password, several security layers didn't help. A current and well configured anti malware solution is also essential, to keep tabs on suspect files and uknown programs from p2p sources. A system without 3rd party firewall or registry modification monitoring program is much more vulnerable

 

[Old-Greg]

I'll look into it, but no promises. As someone said above MSI updates are capsuled (like a signature + a header) so it makes it harder to do than you'd think.

Whether you can or can't the offer is much appreciated

Is there any proof of spectre of meltdown being abused in the wild? I know some people are really worried but frankly I could not give a crap. I am either completely retarded or other people are worried about nothing.

Companies keep their system hacks under wraps for years. Just because it's not it the headlines doesn't mean it's not happening.
And ye, some of us do give a crap.

 

[RejZoR]

MSI RELEASED THE BIOS UPDATE AS FINAL! FINALLY!

EDIT:
Wtf, downloaded the BIOS from X99A Gaming 7 page and the document that came with the BIOS file states:
X99S SLI PLUS = BIOS 1xx
X99S GAMING 7 = BIOS Hxx

Now I'm hesitating to update given there is no mention of X99A Gaming 7. WTF MSI ?