Frequent crash at startup after upgrading intel-microcode package

[Francesco]

A fresh install of Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS (Release: 18.04) works fine on my Asus Zenbook UX333FN. After automatic updates, the system becomes unstable and frequently (but not always) crashes at startup on a velvet screen. I have updated a few packages at a time, and I think I have identified the cause in package intel-microcode.

On a fresh install, updating this single package (intel-microcodes version 3.20180807a.0ubuntu0.18.4.1 to version 3.20190514.0ubuntu0.18.04.3) creates the problem. Updating all other packages and NOT intel-microcodes does not create the problem.

There is an old bug on launchpad (#1781806) about updating intel-microcode, but symptoms as well as package number and distro are different - do not know if this is relevant.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.04
Package: intel-microcode 3.20180807a.0ubuntu0.18.04.1
Uname: Linux 5.0.19-050019-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.6
Architecture: amd64
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Thu Jun 27 15:52:25 2019
InstallationDate: Installed on 2019-06-13 (14 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS "Bionic Beaver" - Release amd64 (20190210)
SourcePackage: intel-microcode
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

[Francesco (nardifra)]

Information that was automatically created while filing the bug come from my system WITHOUT updating intel-microcode.

[Henrique de Moraes Holschuh (hmh)]

Hello,

Please Update the firmware (BIOS/UEFI) on your Asus computer. Asus did something on their firmware which requires the microcode update to be done by the BIOS/UEFI.

Asus knows about it, and so does Intel. Supposedly, they're addressing it.

Maybe a new microcode update (or for that matter, a new version of Asus firmware) will be more compatible.

Until then, you will depend on Asus issuing bios/uefi updates (and you have to apply them to get the fixes).

--
  Henrique de Moraes Holschuh <email address hidden>

[You-Sheng Yang (vicamo)]

Please try latest intel-microcode version *20200609* and attach microcode info `dmesg |grep microcode` and `lscpu`.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for intel-microcode (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]