package contents is outdated

[Uqbar]

The content of the package is not compiled from sources but rather split from the official one distributed by Intel in a single file.
As of today (2016.02.02) the package for Ubuntu 14.04.03 LTS is 2 years old!
http://packages.ubuntu.com/trusty/intel-microcode

I expect this package to be kept up to date in all supported releases of Ubuntu, not just left behind as any binary (that is compiled) outdated package.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: intel-microcode 2.20140624-t-1ubuntu2
Uname: Linux 4.4.1-040401-lowlatency x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.19
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: KDE
Date: Tue Feb 2 16:27:17 2016
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-02-02 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 14.04.3 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Beta amd64 (20150805)
SourcePackage: intel-microcode
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Uqbar (uqbar)]

I can fix this by downloading the package for the current bleeding-edge version for Xenial and install it manually with dpkg.
That package (intel-microcode_3.20151106.1_amd64.deb) can be simply pushed into the 14.04 repositories and have the issue fixed.

In my opinion the same problem applies to AMD CPU microcode.

[Henrique de Moraes Holschuh (hmh)]

This is up to the Ubuntu release managers to decide, there's potential to regress things (and sometimes this is not the fault of the microcode update: it can expose bugs just as easily as it can cause them).

That said, one must fix lp#1480359 in the target distribution before uploading a backport of intel-microcode to that target.

[Henrique de Moraes Holschuh (hmh)]

Sorry, wrong lp bug number. The correct one is lp#1480349: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/thermald/+bug/1480349

[Uqbar (uqbar)]

If anyone thinks that an updater microcode from Intel can trigger bugs or regressions, then it'd be better to ditch both the microcode package for AMD and for Intel, as well as the package with the needed tool.
It either works for every single CPU, or it's not useful.

[Henrique de Moraes Holschuh (hmh)]

There is no "thinks". It is very rare, but it has happened and we have the bug reports in Ubuntu Debian to prove it. Chances are it will happen again someday.

So, some added delay before migrating microcode updates to older LTS branches is advised. If any regressions are reported during that added delay, a case-by-case decision is required on how to best handle it (it is possible to lock down a specific microcode to an older version, for example).

Unfortunately, you cannot just "ditch" operating-system-provided microcode updates and "hope for the best" in the general case.

[Uqbar (uqbar)]

Please, could you reference those regression bugs due to the Intel-released microcode?
It's not "operating-system-provided microcode " but CPU vendor's.

[Henrique de Moraes Holschuh (hmh)]

Debian bug #776431. Ubuntu bug lp#1480349.

For overclocking-related regressions, search overclocker forums.

And Intel has done a few microcode revision downgrades over the several years of microcode updates, so we know something was not perfect in some of those microcode updates, but other than what is described in Debian bug #776431, we don't know anything else about it.

And yes, it is operating-system-provided microcode updates, in the sense that, although microcode update data *is* sourced from the CPU vendor in the first place, the update itself is done by the operating system (as opposed to system firmware). Also, the updates were distributed by the operating system (and not system firmware), so there is no coupling of microcode update and firmware update.

[Henrique de Moraes Holschuh (hmh)]

(note that launchpad is linking to the wrong bug reports, go to https://bugs.debian.org for Debian bugs).

[Uqbar (uqbar)]

From https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=776431#44 I can read:

> We believe that the bug you reported is fixed in the latest version of
> intel-microcode, which is due to be installed in the Debian FTP archive.
>
> A summary of the changes between this version and the previous one is
> attached.

Which is referring, if I understood correctly, to microcode release "3.20150121.1".
Just to be noted that this bug and its fix is almost 1 year old now!

[Dave Chiluk (chiluk)]

Please see https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/intel-microcode/+bug/1700373/comments/12

Unfortunately it looks like 14.04 will not receive any new intel-microcode updates.

For 14.04 users instead of relying on the OS microcode package please instead update your bios firmware directly which will also contain the microcode updates. AFAIK, newer microcode loaded by the bios will not be overwritten by the intel-microcode provided by the OS.

Marking as a duplicate of 1700373 as well.