Bob wrote:
> I just finished building up a machine with an ASUS P5B Premier Vista
> motherooard and an Intel 2.4 duo quad CPU. On boot up it starts with
> the statement "Intel CPU micro loading error - Press F1 to continue" I
> can press F1 and it'll run from 3-4 minutes and then cuts off the
> machine. I've removed the CPU and heat sink/fan and double checked
> everything there but the same statement keeps coming up. Do I have a
> faulty CPU or what else could cause this?
> Thanks,
> Bob L.
The BIOS is a small file system of sorts. There are a number of modules
in there. One of the modules, is a file containing microcode patches
for processors. I've examined a number of BIOS files in the past, and
a typical number of entries might be about 8 microcode patches inside
the file. That would handle a series of different processor family IDs.
A microcode patch on the older processors, was about 2KB. It is loaded
by the BIOS, to patch design errors in the processor. Intel sends
microcode to the motherboard makers, for inclusion in the BIOS. The
BIOS then loads them, and the idea is, things like TLB errors or
other defects, can be patched around.
If all is well (i.e. the machine is bootable), there is also a microcode
loader in WinXP. It is capable of loading a microcode update as well.
If the version stored in WinXP is more recent than the BIOS one, then
Windows will load its version. That would not help, in situations
where a processor design bug prevented the BIOS POST sequence from
completing. I don't know when WinXP acquires these, from Windows
Update or otherwise.
Your problem suggests a mismatch. A possible reason, is some idiot
at Asus, removed a microcode entry from the version of BIOS you are
using. If you check here:
http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/cpusupport.aspx?SLanguage=en-us
the preliminary BIOS for your motherboard, is supposed to handle
both the B3 and G0 steppings of the Q6600. So you should be
covered. However, if you happened to have a particular BIOS release,
where someone bumbled the microcode module (it happens), then you'd
see that error. It means no matching microcode is present in the
BIOS. (On my old 440BX board, I've even installed my own microcode,
but that shouldn't be necessary in this case.)
The only thing I cannot offer, is a good explanation for the shutdown
thing at 3 to 4 minutes. That should have been enough time for
Windows to load, and for the microcode loader in WinXP to run. It
should have been able to run, at the instant the desktop appears.
After that, I believe the microcode loader exits, as it is then no longer
needed.
You can run the Intel "Processor ID" utility, to see what microcode
patch is loaded in Windows. The processor might be recognized as a
6F7 or a 6FB, but the "revision" number listed corresponds to the
microcode patch revision number. If absolutely no microcode patch
got loaded, the revision will equal zero. If something got loaded,
a non-zero number will be used.
Inte Processor ID utility. At least, this is the link that the version
I've got, coughs up on demand.
http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/piu/sb/cs-014921.htm
For example, my processor is an old F29 and is at revision 16. Which means,
if I was to tear apart my BIOS file, I'd find a revision 16 microcode
patch stored in my BIOS image. Since my BIOS found a matching microcode
patch, there is no error message during POST.
Normally, this is not a big deal, but your shutdown symptoms are a bit
strange. Maybe the shutdown is not related to the microcode at all ?
Hard to say at this point. The main reason for patching, is to try to
guarantee correct operation.
Paul
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