OSETC TECH

Linux: Install and Update Intel/AMD CPU Microcode

This post will guide you how to install the AMD or Intel Microcode package in Linux. How do I update the CPU Microcode in Linux system.

What is Microcode?


Microcode could be assumed as firmware of the CPU, which generally adds more functionality to the processor and patches hardware level bugs.

Install Intel CPU Microcode


For CentOS/RHEL Linux:

Type the following command:

# yum install microcode_ctl

Outputs:

[root@devops ~]# yum install microcode_ctl
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* base: mirrors.cn99.com
* extras: mirrors.cn99.com
* updates: mirrors.cn99.com
Resolving Dependencies
--> Running transaction check
---> Package microcode_ctl.x86_64 2:2.1-29.16.el7_5 will be installed
--> Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

========================================================================================================
Package Arch Version Repository Size
========================================================================================================
Installing:
microcode_ctl x86_64 2:2.1-29.16.el7_5 updates 1.4 M

Transaction Summary
========================================================================================================
Install 1 Package

Total download size: 1.4 M
Installed size: 1.7 M
Is this ok [y/d/N]: y
Downloading packages:
microcode_ctl-2.1-29.16.el7_5.x86_64.rpm | 1.4 MB 00:00:00
Running transaction check
Running transaction test
Transaction test succeeded
Running transaction
Warning: RPMDB altered outside of yum.
Installing : 2:microcode_ctl-2.1-29.16.el7_5.x86_64 1/1
Verifying : 2:microcode_ctl-2.1-29.16.el7_5.x86_64 1/1

Installed:
microcode_ctl.x86_64 2:2.1-29.16.el7_5

Complete!

For Ubuntu/Debian Linux:

Type:

$ sudo apt-get install intel-microcode iucode-tool

Install AMD CPU Microcode


If you want to install AMD microcode firmware on your Linux system, type:

For CentOS/RHEL Linux:

Type:

# yum install microcode_ctl

For Ubuntu/Debian Linux:

Type:

sudo apt-get install amd64-ucode

Then you need to reboot the system and check the microcode status with the dmesg command.

Type:

# dmesg | grep microcode

Outputs:

[root@devops ~]# dmesg | grep microcode
[ 0.182177] microcode: CPU0 sig=0x306c3, pf=0x2, revision=0x19
[ 0.182187] microcode: Microcode Update Driver: v2.00 <tigran@aivazian.fsnet.co.uk>, Peter Oruba
[ 835.278981] microcode: CPU0 sig=0x306c3, pf=0x2, revision=0x19
[ 835.278995] microcode: CPU0 update to revision 0x25 failed
[ 835.302031] This updated microcode supersedes microcode provided by Red Hat with
Historically, Red Hat has provided updated microcode, developed by our
temporarily suspended this practice while microcode stabilized. Red
Hat is once again providing an updated Intel microcode package
(microcode_ctl) and AMD microcode package (linux-firmware) to customers
continue to update these microcode packages as necessary. Please
Intel and AMD microcode package versions.