Re: Intel microcode fixes [OFF-TOPIC]
Lauri Tischler (lauri.tischler@efore.fi)
Mon, 23 Nov 1998 13:29:51 +0200
David Woodhouse wrote:
>
> lauri.tischler@efore.fi said:
> > Pat St. Jean wrote:
> > > How could it? IIRC, the "new" microcode is stored in the flash rom with
> > > the BIOS. One of the first things the machine does on startup is update
> > > the microcode. Linux isn't even in existance at that time.
> >
> > You are mixing BIOS program and processor-chip microcode.
> > BIOS-code is a program which is run at boot-up from BIOS-Prom or flashrom.
> > Microcode is processor internal code which defines the actual execution
> > of processor instructions.
>
> Nonetheless, a lot of recent BIOSes have space in the flash for a microcode
> update. The microcode update needs to be loaded each time the processor is
> reset, and hence the BIOS is a logical place to put it.
>
> BIOS-code is a program which is run at boot-up from flashrom, which loads the
> microcode update into the processor, which in turn defines the actual
> execution of processor instructions.
Sounds like clever, usefull and scary 8)
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