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Microsoft’s Spectre-fixer wrecks some AMD PCs

froggyboy604

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Microsoft’s fix for the Meltdown and Spectre bugs may be crocking AMD-powered PCs.

A lengthy thread on answers.microsoft.com records numerous instances in which Security Update for Windows KB4056892, Redmond’s Meltdown/Spectre patch, leaves some AMD-powered PCs with the Windows 7 or 10 startup logo and not much more.

Users report Athlon-powered machines in perfect working order before the patch just don’t work after it.

It gets worse: Microsoft’s Spectre-fixer wrecks some AMD PCs

This is unfortunate for older AMD users. I think it maybe best for older AMD CPU users to temporary not install the latest patches by disabling automatic updates. It can be a good idea to Install a Linux based OS like Linux Mint on your PC, or run Linux from a Live USB drive instead of waiting days or longer for Microsoft to release a version of the Meltdown/Spectre patch which does not break Windows.

I bet, Chromebooks, Apple PCs, Linux computers, and non-Windows tablets may get more users from people who got their old AMD computer broken by this bad Windows Update to secure their PC from Meltdown/Spectre.

Unsupported OS like Windows XP, and Vista may also see a slight rise in users from people who need to use their computer, but don't want to risk their computer being broken again by a failed Windows update which broke their AMD PC. Both XP, and Vista no longer have new updates release for them, so they can't break because of new Windows Updates releases.
 
Someone fucked up the patch (no surprise given it was most likely given a rush order), but the fact its for Intel it shouldn't affect amd machines.
 
Demon_Skeith said:
Someone fucked up the patch (no surprise given it was most likely given a rush order), but the fact its for Intel it shouldn't affect amd machines.
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I bet, it may of took Microsoft too much time to create a CPU checking program for checking what CPU is installed on a computer before installing the patch which is not yet needed for AMD system, and the patch may not work at protecting AMD systems because of a different CPU design which is not the same as Intel CPU design. Even if this patch did not break older AMD computers, it may make the computer's CPU up to 30% slower according to computer articles I read about this patch slowing down the CPU.

Microsoft may get more complaints and lawsuits if it took too long to release Spectre/Meltdown security patch, and hackers are already using this security vulnerability to hack the billions of Intel Windows PC to steal data on Windows Intel computers used by the government, business, college/university, and their MS computer models like the Microsoft Surfacebook laptops.

Microsoft may also get more sales of Windows 10 and 7 licenses from Windows Vista and XP Intel PC users after creating the patches for Spectre and Meltdown. Vista and XP Users who won't get the Security Patch to protect against the Spectre and Meltdown Intel security problems, so XP and Vista users will need to upgrade to Windows 7 and 10 to be protected from this Intel vulnerability if they want to continue using Windows.

The number of old AMD Athlon computers is not as big as the number of Intel CPU computers, so Microsoft may more likely release a defective patch which patch Intel computers, but unintentionally broke older AMD computers with an Athlon CPU.
 
Demon_Skeith said:
I just wonder how much more sales AMD will get out of this. Already had a person come in today saying they didn't want anything Intel in their device.
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I think AMD will get a couple million sales worldwide from companies, people, and schools who feel Intel CPU are no longer secure to use, and they don't trust that the Microsoft Patch for Spectre and Meltdown can protect them from these two vulnerabilities. AMD CPU usually cost less than Intel CPUs, so some people will feel they are getting a good deal on a computer which has a more secure CPU.

Danielx64 said:
I hear that AMD prices went down.......
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I think the bad news of a Windows Update Spectre and Meltdown patch bricking older Windows 7 and 10 AMD Athlon PCs may cause the price of AMD to go down even when it is Microsoft's fault for breaking older AMD PCs by releasing this patch for AMD CPUs without fully testing out the patch before releasing it to Windows Update.
 
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