(Michael Justin Allen Sexton)
Intel’s fix to stop 13th and 14th Generation Core desktop chips from crashing might not be enough to fully repair the problem.
As the company prepares to release a patch next month, Intel is facing reports that the crash bug can permanently degrade the processors. In response, Intel tells PCMag it’s “confident that the microcode patch will be an effective preventative solution for processors already in service."
The key word there is “preventative.” For PCs currently dealing with the crash bug, the company says, "It is possible the patch will provide some instability improvements to currently impacted processors.”
From a glass-half-empty perspective, this means the patch might not fix the problem at all. Intel also didn’t directly deny that chips experiencing the crash bug are irreversibly damaged.
This is probably because the crash bug involves the affected Intel desktop chips running at an incorrect, elevated voltage, which can trigger the system to crash. The company has since traced the problem to a software bug running the chips at the wrong voltage levels.
Still, a higher voltage is also known to create excess heat and power, which can damage a CPU. So even though Intel has traced the problem to a software bug, rather than an inherent hardware defect, it seems like the repeated crashes can take a toll on an affected processor.
The chipmaker provided the statement days after Tom’s Hardware reported the crash bug in the 13th and 14th generation Core desktop chips causes “irreversible degradation.” On Friday, The Verge also noted that Intel isn’t issuing a product recall, even though the company says the issue can potentially affect a large range of chips, including K/KF/KS-series processors.
For now, Intel tells PCMag that affected customers “experiencing instability on their 13th or 14th Generation desktop processor-based systems should contact their system manufacturer (OEM/SI purchase) or Intel customer support for further assistance." The company is also investigating ways for consumers “to easily identify affected processors on end user systems.”