FAO Computer techies - Dual core problem

[Morcs]

I got my nice new Intel Core 2 2.53ghz Dual core processor last night.

My board says it supports it, and it’s the right socket (775)

My board is an Asus P5VDC-MX and it says:

LGA775 Intel® Core™2 Processor Ready
This motherboard supports the latest Intel® Core™2 processors in LGA775 package. With new Intel® Core™ microarchitecture technology and 1066 / 800 MHz FSB, Intel® Core™2 processor is one of the most powerful and energy efficient CPU in the world.
*Only PCB R2.0(or later version) supports Intel® Core™2 processor

(mine is later than Version 2)

So I thought its pretty much sussed.

Upon booting I get the error:

"Intel CPU uCode Loading Error
Press F1 to Continue"

I press F1, windows loads fine. After a few mins in windows, the system basically stops responding. I can view around my files etc., but try and execute an application and nothing happens.

My system wouldnt work long enough for me to update the bios, so have downloaded the latest at work and going to load that tonight.

Also thinking of resetting the CMOS.

Any other ideas? A technical explanation would be great too 

-Pete

[Cajun]

latest bios?

[imdying]

There's a replacement BIOS that fixes it.

[Gremlin]

well, imdying says there is a bios that fixes it. You don't need to be in windows to update the bios (as the bios is obviously prior to the operating system), but you do need a working computer, that you can download the bios from.

Download bios, depending on the mobo, it may accept flash disks, floppys are often best (if the motherboard supports them), enter the bios, and you should be able to replace the bios, various bios's call the utility different names.

[marioc]

Yep need to flash bios

[imdying]

Also make sure you've reset the CMOS correctly, as even after the new BIOS it'll give the same error if you do it incorrectly.

I've had boards (ok, extremely abused ones) that only considered a reset to be nothing less than:
- set jumper
- remove battery
- come back tomorrow

Bastard computers. In theory it's an instant things... piss a board off enough and...

[RantyDave]

A technical explanation would be great too

Modern processors are actually "meta" processors that have software that runs on *them* telling them, broadly, how to go about using a gigantic pipeline of transistors to translate x86 instructions into something useful. This software is called microcode and, like all software, it ships with bugs. Chip manufacturers provide a way of patching this software called a microcode update - it's just a slab of numbers that gets passed up to the processor by the BIOS as the machine boots.

Except yours doesn't. Hence "uCode Loading Error" where the "u" is really "mju", if you see what I mean. Anyway - hence the BIOS update. The updated BIOS will have the appropriate chunk of microcode to patch your processor and actually make it work properly.

BTW, Here is the list of known bugs on Core 2. Shocker, eh?

Dave

[Morcs]

Cheers guys,

I have a BIOS flashing utility that Ill be able to use through my OS.
Damned modern machines not having a floppy drive...

Then Ill do a reboot.
Then a shutdown.
Followed by Reseting the CMOS.

Unless it will work by flashing the bios, shutting down, resetting the cmos and firing back up. though things rarely work like that.

[xwhatsit]

I don't know too much about this newfangled x86 CISC -> internal RISC conversion carry-on, but I do have a question for the Pom;

What's FAO mean anyway? It keeps popping up on UK forums and confusing me.

[Forest]

Modern processors are actually "meta" processors that have software that runs on *them* telling them, broadly, how to go about using a gigantic pipeline of transistors to translate x86 instructions into something useful. This software is called microcode and, like all software, it ships with bugs. Chip manufacturers provide a way of patching this software called a microcode update - it's just a slab of numbers that gets passed up to the processor by the BIOS as the machine boots.

Except yours doesn't. Hence "uCode Loading Error" where the "u" is really "mju", if you see what I mean. Anyway - hence the BIOS update. The updated BIOS will have the appropriate chunk of microcode to patch your processor and actually make it work properly.

BTW, Here is the list of known bugs on Core 2. Shocker, eh?

Dave

Yes. That's exactly right. The microcode contains patches for chip level errata, but it also defines the capabilities and functional units on the processor.

The problem for motherboard manufacturers is that Intel releases new CPUs after the motherboards go on sale. So unless you update the BIOS, your motherboard doesn't know how to properly communicate with the newest models of processor (because it is missing the latest microcode sets).

Update the motherboard firmware and you'll be sorted.

[Forest]

Cheers guys,

I have a BIOS flashing utility that Ill be able to use through my OS.
Damned modern machines not having a floppy drive...

Then Ill do a reboot.
Then a shutdown.
Followed by Reseting the CMOS.

Unless it will work by flashing the bios, shutting down, resetting the cmos and firing back up. though things rarely work like that.

Modern machines don't require a floppy drive to load BIOS updates.

Consult your motherboard manual for more details.

[Morcs]

I don't know too much about this newfangled x86 CISC -> internal RISC conversion carry-on, but I do have a question for the Pom;

What's FAO mean anyway? It keeps popping up on UK forums and confusing me.

For Attention of



Yeah I spent about 2 years on uk forums always wondering what it meant..

[scracha]

For Attention of



Yeah I spent about 2 years on uk forums always wondering what it meant..

Bios upgrade mate. Had same error on exactly the same board on one of the rare occasions I was stupid enough to build a machine from scratch.

If you're going to all that hassle then why'd ya not get a core2duo though ya tightarse?

[Gremlin]

I have a BIOS flashing utility that Ill be able to use through my OS.
Damned modern machines not having a floppy drive...

You don't NEED the OS utility, thats just for the average person, to make it real simple.

Depending on what motherboard you have, it may accept flash disks, and be aware (again, depending on what motherboard you have) it may have multiple bios, so you need to make sure the correct one is flashed. Flashing the backup will make sweet f all difference to a normal boot

[Morcs]

Bios Flashed. Vista business installed.

All problems gone except Mobo wont power off once windows has successfully shutdown.

Any ideas?