Update microcode BIOS
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In this guide, we're going to show you how to update the CPU microcode in an Award or Phoenix BIOS. If you have an AMI BIOS, check out this guide instead. Show
Note: Microcodes are current as of 2018-12-02 (source). They were last updated by Intel on 2015-08-02. Note: This information has only been tested with LGA 771 and LGA 775 BIOS files, so if you have a newer motherboard (especially UEFI ones), it probably won't work. Why would you want to do this?Updating the microcode is helpful if:
DisclaimerThere's an element of risk just flashing a normal BIOS, and especially when you start modifying it, so please attempt this mod at your own risk (and only if you're experiencing some problem). We highly recommend that you don't flash the modified BIOS unless you've verified the microcode was added correctly. If you accidentally remove the microcode that your processor needs, your system may fail to boot. We are not responsible if your system is damaged while attempting this. Things you'll need
Method 1 (recommended) - Replace all of your existing microcode with the latest microcode from IntelThis method will delete all of your old microcode and replace it with the latest microcode from Intel. Other programs you'll needStep 1 - Download the file that contains the microcode for all the processors you want your motherboard to supportThe following microcode is only compatible with method 1 of this guide (it's in a combined NCPUCODE.BIN format instead of individual microcode files). This makes it easier to update all of your microcodes at once.
Alternate microcode (in case the others are too big)Step 2 - Move all of the files you just downloaded to the same directory (or folder), and open that directory in a DOS command prompt windowHow to open a folder in a DOS command prompt window Step 3 - Extract the microcode zip file, rename the microcode to ncpucode.bin, and make it readonlyYou can make it readonly with the following command: attrib +R ncpucode.binThis is necessary to stop cbrom from overwriting this file with your old microcode. Step 4 - Delete the old microcode and replace it with the new codeThe following command will delete all of the original microcode and replace it with the new microcode (which is in ncpucode.bin). It will just update YOUR_BIOS.BIN (it won't create a new file).
Having trouble finding the BIOS file that you need to MOD?Read this What to do if you get an error about not enough spaceFirst, try one of the smaller, alternate microcode files mentioned earlier. If that doesn't help, you probably have a BIOS that doesn't support the ncpucode.bin method of updating the microcodes, and you'll need to use the 2nd method instead. Step 5 - Verify that the microcode was added correctlyThe following command will show you a list of all of the microcodes in your BIOS file: intelmicrocodelist.exe YOUR_BIOS.BINYou should verify that the microcode for your processor's CPUID is present. If you don't know what your CPUID is, check out the following guide: How to get the CPUID, Stepping, or sSpec for an Intel CPU. Step 6 - Update your BIOS using the modified BIOS that you just createdYou should be able to update it the same way you'd update a normal BIOS. Step 7 - Do a FULL BIOS reset (use the 3-pin motherboard reset jumper, and then load the default BIOS settings on the first startup)How to fully reset your BIOS Method 2 - Only add support for a new processor that isn't currently supported (old microcode will not be updated or removed)This method is useful if your BIOS doesn't currently support a processor, and you want to add the microcode to support it. It should also work for adding LGA 771 Xeon support to an LGA 775 BIOS. All of your existing microcode will remain untouched and won't be updated or removed. Note: This method may not work if you're trying to update the microcode for a processor that's already supported by your BIOS (you should use method 1 instead). This is the case because this method doesn't remove the old microcode, so the old microcode may get used instead of the new microcode you're adding (we're not sure which microcode the BIOS will use). Step 1 - Download the microcode for the type of processor you want to installThe microcode files shown below are NOT the same as the ones referenced in method 1 above (they're in a different format), so you'll need to download these instead.
Step 2 - Look up the CPUID for your processorYou'll need the CPUID to update the right microcode (how to get the CPUID for an Intel CPU). Step 3 - Set aside the microcode files for your processor's CPUIDNote: If your CPUID ends in an "h" and you don't see microcode with an "h" on the end, just ignore the "h" because it isn't actually part part of the CPUID. That just means it's a hexadecimal number. When you unzip the microcodes, you'll see a bunch of individual microcode files that have filenames like this: cpu0001067a_plat00000044_ver00000a0b_date20100928.bin Here's what the different parts of the filename mean:
Set aside the microcode files for your processor's CPUID (there may be more than one). Step 4 - Move cbrom195, your BIOS file, and the microcode files you set aside earlier to the same directory, and open that directory in a DOS command prompt windowHow to open a folder in a DOS command prompt window Step 5 - Rename your CPU's microcode file to cpucode.bin (plus what to do if you have multiple microcode files)If there are multiple microcode files for your CPU, you'll need to combine them into 1 file with the following command: copy /b file1.bin + file2.bin + file3.bin cpucode.binThe example shown above will combine file1.bin, file2.bin, and file3.bin into 1 new file called cpucode.bin. Step 6 - Add the new microcode to your BIOSThe following command will add the new microcode to your YOUR_BIOS.BIN (it won't touch any of the existing microcode). cbrom195.exe YOUR_BIOS.BIN /cpucode CPUCODE.BIN
Having trouble finding the BIOS file that you need to MOD?Read this Step 7 - Verify that the microcode was added correctlyRun the following command to display information about what's stored in your BIOS: cbrom195.exe YOUR_BIOS.BIN /DYou should see a new module called "CPU micro code" at the end of the numbered list, and its filename should be the same as the microcode file you added in step 6 (cpucode.bin). Why don't I see the new microcode in the "Micro Code Information" table at the bottom of the screen?This table is supposed to list all of the microcodes in your BIOS. However, since we added the new microcodes as a compressed module, they won't show up in this list. Additionally, since the microcodes are stored in a compressed form, you also won't see them if you run intelmicrocodelist.exe on your BIOS (this program was mentioned in method 1). The "Micro Code Information" table may also be empty for some BIOSesThis is normal, and you'll usually see this happen when method 1 failed due to not enough free space. It just means the microcodes are stored in a non-standard way in your BIOS. However, the method we just used for updating the microcodes should still work fine. Step 8 - Update your BIOS using the modified BIOS that you just createdYou should be able to update it the same way you'd update a normal BIOS. Step 9 - Do a FULL BIOS reset (use the 3-pin motherboard reset jumper, and then load the default BIOS settings on the first startup)How to fully reset your BIOS Troubleshooting ProblemsI can't find the BIOS file that I need to MODIf your BIOS is in an .EXE formatYou'll need to first extract it with an unzipping program like 7-Zip. Then look for a file that ends in .BIN, .ROM, or possibly something else like a number. LGA 775 BIOSes are usually around 1024 KB in size, so look for a file about that size. You can also try running the following command on each of the files that could be your BIOS: cbrom195.exe YOUR_BIOS.BIN /D If cbrom displays information about your BIOS after running that command, it should be the correct BIOS file. If it hangs or gives you an error, try another file. How to extract the actual BIOS from a Dell .EXE fileExecute the following command from a DOS command prompt window: DellBiosFilename.exe /writeromfile This should extract the actual BIOS file to the same directory. The method for updating your BIOS is different for each motherboard manufacturer.
If there's a Windows or DOS BIOS updating program, it will usually be included with the BIOS or mentioned when you download the BIOS. If you don't see it, check the downloads section, FAQ section, or support section. If all else fails, try searching Google for your motherboards model and update BIOS or something like that. |
