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Will there be a Microupdate for Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700?

sfox4
Beginner
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Hello, everyone,

I wanted to know if there will be a Microupdate (Spectre & Meltdown) for this processor (Kentsfield) in the future?

Many thanks for your help

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AlHill
Super User
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Well, if there is an update, it will be a bios update to your motherboard, which must come from your motherboard manufacturer.

Your processor is 12 years old, so I kind of doubt it:

https://ark.intel.com/products/28028/Intel-Core2-Extreme-Processor-QX6700-8M-Cache-2_66-GHz-1066-MHz-FSB Intel® Core™2 Extreme Processor QX6700 (8M Cache, 2.66 GHz, 1066 MHz FSB) Product Specifications

From N.Scott.Pearson : For completeness, here is the larger set of schedule pages related to INTEL-SA-00088 and Intel board and system products:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000026620/mini-pcs.html INTEL-SA-00088 Schedule for Intel NUC, Compute Stick and Compute Card

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000026630/boards-and-kits/desktop-boards.html INTEL-SA-00088 Schedule for Intel Desktop Boards

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000026622/server-products.html INTEL-SA-00088 Schedule for Intel Server Boards, Systems and Accessories

Unfortunately, as of today, they really don't tell you much...

Doc

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n_scott_pearson
Super User
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According to the latest (12/02/18) schedule guidance from Intel (https://newsroom.intel.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2018/02/microcode-update-guidance.pdf see here), the lack of reference would seem to indicate that there are no plans to release a microcode update for this processor.

...S

sfox4
Beginner
455 Views

@N. Scott Pearson I had already read the PDF-File but hoped that there might be an update for my CPU

@Al Hill Thanks for the links and the information

That means I need a new processor, new mainboard and new RAM. But I will wait until the first CPUs are announced without errors. I don't like the software solution for the Spectre & Meltdown problem with the current models. Same price, less performance and possibly not quite secure.

Thank you for your help.

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n_scott_pearson
Super User
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You thought something could happen in two (or now three) days? That's almost as optimistic as looking for a microcode update for the QX6700! Oops, sorry, touchy subject.

You do understand that, even if you could get a microcode update for this processor, it would only be addressing one of the two Spectre variants, right? You would still be relying on the O/S to deliver workarounds for Meltdown and the second Spectre variant.

I have to be a pessimist about this stuff. Only the paranoid survive (hmm, where have I heard that before?). There is no such thing as being completely secure. New attack vectors are being identified practically every day (paid for by the last round of ransomware). Eventually, perhaps even tomorrow, one of these new vectors will uncover another vulnerability whose mitigation will be even greater in scope.

...S

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