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Talk:Transactional Synchronization Extensions

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The Intel TSX erratum fix is the first "unsafe" Intel microcode update

An interesting point: The Intel microcode update that disabled TSX is the first microcode update that violates the "microcode updates must be safe at all times" tradition that was in effect since 1995, and this fact is somewhat noteworthy.

Applying the microcode update really disables Intel TSX: it doesn't just clear the relevant cpuid bits, but also causes every Intel TSX instruction to trap with the illegal opcode exception. In a modern Linux distro, this will crash every multithreaded application linked to glibc's libpthread, causing data loss[1]. To be safe, this microcode update must be applied very early at boot, before any programs that might attempt to use the Intel TSX instructions are started.

177.22.137.250 (talk) 14:15, 23 September 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Hello! Good remark, I've added it as an external link. — Dsimic (talk | contribs) 04:47, 26 September 2014 (UTC)[reply]
  1. ^ https://bugs.launchpad.net/intel/+bug/1370352
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