1MICROCODE_CTL(8)            System Manager's Manual           MICROCODE_CTL(8)
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NAME

6       microcode_ctl - microcode utility for Intel IA32 processors
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SYNOPSIS

9       microcode_ctl [-h] [-u [-q]] [-Q] [-f microcode]
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DESCRIPTION

12       The  microcode_ctl  utility is a companion to the IA32 microcode driver
13       written by Tigran Aivazian <tigran@aivazian.fsnet.co.uk>.  The  utility
14       has two uses:
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16       a)  it  decodes  and  sends  new  microcode  to the kernel driver to be
17       uploaded to Intel IA32 processors. (Pentium Pro,  PII,  Celeron,  PIII,
18       Xeon, Pentium 4 etc)
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20       b)  it  signals the kernel driver to release the buffers containing the
21       copy of microcode data actually applied to given CPU, linear  array  of
22       2048 bytes per CPU, see struct microcode in include/asm/processor.h for
23       information on the layout of chunks buffers may hold
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25       The microcode update is volatile and needs to be uploaded on each  sys‐
26       tem  boot  i.e.  it doesn't reflash your cpu permanently, reboot and it
27       reverts back to the old microcode.
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29       -h     display usage and exit
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31       -u     upload microcode (from default filename)
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33       -f     upload microcode from named Intel formatted file
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35       -q     run silently when successful
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37       -Q     run silently even on failure
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EXAMPLE

40       microcode_ctl -u
41              Upload microcode using defaults
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FILES

44       /etc/microcode.dat
45              The default microcode location
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AUTHOR

48       Microcode utility written by Simon Trimmer
49       Linux Kernel driver written by Tigran Aivazian.
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REPORTING BUGS

52       Report bugs to either Simon  Trimmer  <simon@urbanmyth.org>  or  Tigran
53       Aivazian <tigran@aivazian.fsnet.co.uk>
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56       Copyright © 2000 VERITAS Software
57       This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is
58       NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR  A  PARTICULAR
59       PURPOSE.
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SPECIAL THANKS

62       Thanks  to  the  Intel Corporation, for supplying microcode update data
63       and publishing the specifications that enabled us  to  write  microcode
64       driver for Linux.
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SEE ALSO

67       The brave are recommended to view the driver source code located in the
68       Linux Kernel source tree in arch/i386/kernel/microcode.c
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70       Visit  http://www.urbanmyth.org/microcode/  for  more  information  and
71       microcode updates.
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75microcode_ctl                  19 September 2006              MICROCODE_CTL(8)
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