Flaws In Intel Processors Quietly Patched

Nom du Keyboard writes "According to this article in The Inquirer and this Microsoft Knowledge Base article, a fix for some significant problems in many of Intel's most recent processors has been quietly released — by whom is not clear. Patches are available on Microsoft's site. Affected processors include Core 2 Duo E4000/E6000, Core 2 Quad Q6600, Core 2 Xtreme X6800, XC6700, and XC6800. Details on just what has been fixed are scanty (it's called a 'reliability update'), however, it's probably more important than either Intel or Microsoft is openly admitting." There is no indication that Apple users are affected.

my 1.9432534656 cents worth...

[ross.w]

If they're releasing the patch so quietly, how will anyone know to apply it?

Re:Intel Macs not affected?

[Anonymous Coward]

Something to do with the unicorn semen and pink elephant droppings.

Oh come on, it's nothing

[Anonymous Coward]

With two such large, trustworthy, open, and reliable organizations involved, which have always looked after the general well being of the industry because what's good us is good for them, do we really need to worry ?

Re:Intel Macs not affected?

[Kingrames]

It's not that they're not affected. It's that apple fanboys won't admit to it.

Re:Intel Macs not affected?

[Anonymous Coward]

Macs are primarily for decoration. No one actually uses them for computing.

ah, time to dig up the bluewave tagline file...

[jollyreaper]

How many Pentium designers does it take to screw in a light bulb? 1.94
Pentiums and Deodorants - When being close is all that matters
Highlander Pentium: There can be only 1.0101002913491!
Talking Barbie and the Pentium-90 agree! "Math is hard!"
"Go forth and multiply... divide only if not on a Pentium..."
"I am Pentium of Borg--prepare to be approximated"
Pentium: Making tomorrow's mistakes today
Pentium slogan: Why Do You Think It's Called *Floating* Point?
Pentium slogan: Nearly 300 correct opcodes!

Yeah, I know that Intel bashing is old, that's why I used old jokes.

Why Mac OSX not affected

[Anonymous Coward]

Mac OSX does not make use of the new x86 BNDOVR opcode, unlike Windows which is dependent on it.

Re:ah, time to dig up the bluewave tagline file...

[minion]

Man, it was just last week I finally decided to clear out all pre-95 taglines from my BlueWave ONELINER.TXT file. Doh!
 
I do have these gems still though:
 
Win2k: "It's not so much that it's only 65,000 bugs, it's just that they stopped at 65,535 to prevent an overflow."
 
Sun believes the only place for 63,000 bugs is a rain forest.
 

Of course they are not affected

[Anonymous Coward]

If they were, it would be called the iPatch.

Sir, you will no doubt be shocked to learn....

[Anonymous Coward]

that this neither comes with a silver platter, or chilled champagne. I know when this realization dawned on me, my monocle popped out and rolled under my desk. My gentleman's gentleman, Wheatley, has noted his displeasure with your oversight while remedying the situation.

Re:Slashdot readers and microcode

[zakeria]

second that; perhaps they just ignore anything that begins with micro----

Re:Asleep at the wheel

[Beardo the Bearded]

It's how you Karma Whore. Observe:

This is a serious problem for Java and .NET as well, since both of those virtual machines have to translate this incorrect opcode into the correct functionality.

What this patch fails to realize is the problems with the instruction listed on Intel's website. A similar bug in all x86 chips manufactured since 2004 (yes, really!) requires that most compilers have to work around it. (The patch in BCB wasn't ready until late 2005, which is what lead to a 15% drop in their market share.) It has become a problem in real-world applications requiring time-critical code. It may not mean much to most "high-level" programmers, but SOME of us still get into the assembly code every now and then. It's a real nightmare, and it's not something that you expect from a company like Intel.

I refer you to the errata at http://docs.intel.com/kb2004/hwbugs/knownissues.ht ml [intel.com]

See what I mean? It totally looks like I know what I'm saying, but it's a complete fabrication. If I didn't put these lines bookmarking it as just plain dumbassedness, then I'd probably get modded up for it. Hell, I'll probably STILL get modded up. Some lazy mods (myself included) treat the mod points like a hot potato, or leprosy.

I think this post is funny, but then again, it's well past my bed-time.

Re:Intel Macs not affected?

[Fweeky]

3) The on-board reality distortion field generator resolves the problem. At the expense of making nearby computers lacking such devices somewhat *less* reliable, of course.

I swear, our servers have been behaving more strangely since the guy in the next rack over installed a few Mac Mini's; maybe the RDFG's emmit gamma rays from their embedded naked singularity...

Re:my 1.9432534656 cents worth...

[naasking]

It's not like windows couldn't mess with your machine anyway. If you don't trust your operating system, how can you trust your whole system.

Exactly, and I think Windows has adequately demonstrated that you can't trust it.