Microsoft Kernel Patch CPU Before and After Benchmarks Thread

[Jampe]

  On 09/01/2018 at 05:36, adrynalyne said:

Maybe? This isn't my forte. As it was explained to me, it matters if it is x86 code instructions being called with sys calls. The GPU isn't x86 as far as I know.

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This certainly is not a problem how processor executes x86 code. It is a problem here how user mode app communicates with the OS kernel and how processor handles that matter. All requests for hardware (graphics, disk, memory access) must be passed to the OS which then executes them. Apps do not write directly to GPU . They use OS to handle these calls which then calls graphics driver (at the OS kernel level) which then writes data and commands to the GPU. Therefore I think there is a great chances that these fixes affect 2D graphics as well as other data intensive tasks.

 

Here is the security problem (as far as I understand): cpu allowed user mode app to gain access to OS kernel data, which it should never do. CPU does not handle OS and user mode isolation securely enough.

 

Intel (and others) have used a "shortcut" to speed up things and created a security flaw which is severe.

 

But I must say I was amazed that the effect of this fix was so huge at my Lenovo Thinkpad T440s laptop. Did not expect that much. Maybe Lenovo will provide fixes to the drivers which will help here.

[Jampe]

Here are my results. FIrst test was right before update. After update I ran tests 3 times since I could not believe my eyes. Results are consistent. PC is Lenovo thinkpad t440s model 20ARS04W00

[Yogurth]

  On 09/01/2018 at 09:25, Jampe said:

Here are my results. FIrst test was right before update. After update I ran tests 3 times since I could not believe my eyes. Results are consistent. PC is Lenovo thinkpad t440s model 20ARS04W00

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Disk and 2D Graphics really suffer. I hope neither Microsoft nor Intel will stop optimising their patches. As they are now, I won't be updating. In fact, I will try to find updated Windows 10 ISOs with December patches and archive them if I ever need to reinstall Windows.

[+Sledge Subscriber²]

On the Azure front we're seeing slowdowns on our legacy Azure VM's running SQL Server. We're having to scale up the VM's to cope with the slowdowns.

 

Obviously this is all being logged and the extra costs will be argued.

 

Not seeing the same impact on Azure SQL Servers, there is an impact but probably only 10% extra as opposed to the ~25% on the VM's.

 

To make matters worse, MS scheduled production VM's for updates then threw the date out the window and upgraded when they felt like it. We're talking multiple end clients productions systems going down for anywhere from 30 mins to 5 hours without warning. A cluster###### if ever there was one.

 

Read some of the comments on this Azure status. I won't say which is my real life account...

https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/securing-azure-customers-from-cpu-vulnerability/

 

[Daedroth]

Don't forget that these patches are only part of the fix. According to the articles I've read, a BIOS update will also be required to fully patch the fix. I presume this is where a lot of the slowdowns will come from.

[Mando]

  On 09/01/2018 at 10:54, Daedroth said:

Don't forget that these patches are only part of the fix. According to the articles I've read, a BIOS update will also be required to fully patch the fix. I presume this is where a lot of the slowdowns will come from.

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the bulk of dell systems should get a bios fix today.

[Mando]

guys the following CERT advisory has links to lots of affected platforms and products, including timescales for fixes from vendors.

 

https://www.us-cert.gov/ncas/alerts/TA18-004A

 

[Mando]

we are currently assessing the entire global enterprise (20k endpoints, 8k+ servers) and we have reached out to NetApp, Cisco and other suppliers of enterprise kit.

 

Were using the tack, if it has a CPU, its potentially susceptible until we are told otherwise (called due diligence).

 

NetApp have confirmed their SAN arrays are  not affected. They dont permit execution of 3rd party code. Awaiting confirmation about Cisco kit.

 

*UPDATE** Cisco have responded. A mixed bad, some products immune but the bulk are affected.

 

https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20180104-cpusidechannel

 

 

[Mando]

Asus have released the microcode fix/BIOS update for my S270 Strix H. 

 

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-Z270H-GAMING/HelpDesk_BIOS/

 

STRIX Z270H GAMING BIOS 1203
Improved DRAM compatibility.
Fixed SAMSUNG M.2 device issue.
Fixed SanDisk M.2 device issue.
Fixed AMD SSD device issue.
Fixed SteelSeries Keyboard issue.
Update CPU MicroCode.

 

Cinebench 4D BEFORE Win patch

CPU Benchmark = 966CB

OpenGL Bench = 140 FPS

AFTER

CPU Benchmark = 975CB ???

OpenGl Bench = 149.95 FPS ???

NVidia Driver update

CPU Benchmark = 962CB

OpenGL Bench =147.64FPS

Post Bios UPD

CPU Benchmark=942CB

OpenGL Bench=147.36

 

3D Mark timespy extreme BEFORE

3998

AFTER

3997 ????

NVidia Driver Update

3971

Post Bios UPD

3955

 

Novabench 

2713

After

2703

NVidia Driver update

2677

Post Bios UPD

2618

 

RealBench BEFORE

Image Editing 212,486/ Time 25.0745

Encoding 93,501/time 56.9829

OpenCL 113,529/ Ksamples per sec 20877

Heavy Multitasking 110,647

Time 68.9761

System Score 132,540

RealBench AFTER

Image Editing 208.830/Time 25.5135

Encoding 92,841/time 57.3881

OpenCL 113,529/ Ksamples/sec 20922

Heavy Multitasking 103,867/Time 73.4779

System Score 129,766

Post NVidia 

Image Editing 108,788/ Time 48.9757

Encoding 84,939/time 62.7273

OpenCL 113,529/ Ksamples per sec 20948

Heavy Multitasking 99,848

Time 76.4357

System Score 101,776 

Post Bios UPD

Image Editing 91,665/ Time 58.1242

Encoding 80,259/time 66.3843

OpenCL 112,996/ Ksamples per sec 20798

Heavy Multitasking 94,712

Time 80.5809

System Score 94,908

 

Hmm taking it with a pinch of salt, as i noticed post BIOS upd i left the OC as auto, so its at 4.37Ghz, not 4.5Ghz I benched with before...DOH

 

ill redo it tomorrow and update.

[Yogurth]

  On 09/01/2018 at 22:47, Mando said:

Asus have released the microcode fix/BIOS update for my S270 Strix H. 

 

https://www.asus.com/Motherboards/ROG-STRIX-Z270H-GAMING/HelpDesk_BIOS/

 

STRIX Z270H GAMING BIOS 1203
Improved DRAM compatibility.
Fixed SAMSUNG M.2 device issue.
Fixed SanDisk M.2 device issue.
Fixed AMD SSD device issue.
Fixed SteelSeries Keyboard issue.
Update CPU MicroCode.

 

Cinebench 4D BEFORE Win patch

CPU Benchmark = 966CB

OpenGL Bench = 140 FPS

AFTER

CPU Benchmark = 975CB ???

OpenGl Bench = 149.95 FPS ???

NVidia Driver update

CPU Benchmark = 962CB

OpenGL Bench =147.64FPS

Post Bios UPD

CPU Benchmark=942CB

OpenGL Bench=147.36

 

3D Mark timespy extreme BEFORE

3998

AFTER

3997 ????

NVidia Driver Update

3971

Post Bios UPD

3955

 

Novabench 

2713

After

2703

NVidia Driver update

2677

Post Bios UPD

2618

 

RealBench BEFORE

Image Editing 212,486/ Time 25.0745

Encoding 93,501/time 56.9829

OpenCL 113,529/ Ksamples per sec 20877

Heavy Multitasking 110,647

Time 68.9761

System Score 132,540

RealBench AFTER

Image Editing 208.830/Time 25.5135

Encoding 92,841/time 57.3881

OpenCL 113,529/ Ksamples/sec 20922

Heavy Multitasking 103,867/Time 73.4779

System Score 129,766

Post NVidia 

Image Editing 108,788/ Time 48.9757

Encoding 84,939/time 62.7273

OpenCL 113,529/ Ksamples per sec 20948

Heavy Multitasking 99,848

Time 76.4357

System Score 101,776 

Post Bios UPD

Image Editing 91,665/ Time 58.1242

Encoding 80,259/time 66.3843

OpenCL 112,996/ Ksamples per sec 20798

Heavy Multitasking 94,712

Time 80.5809

System Score 94,908

 

Hmm taking it with a pinch of salt, as i noticed post BIOS upd i left the OC as auto, so its at 4.37Ghz, not 4.5Ghz I benched with before...DOH

 

ill redo it tomorrow and update.

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Mando, is RealBench only for ASUS gaming boards bench utility? Thx for the update, btw

[Mando]

  On 10/01/2018 at 13:44, Yogurth said:

Mando, is RealBench only for ASUS gaming boards bench utility? Thx for the update, btw

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not 100% its via ROG aspect.

 

give it a whirl, it may work

http://dlcdnmkt.asus.com/rog/RealBench_v2.56.zip?_ga=2.161564219.660284626.1515594169-1054940240.1499777541

 

 

[+Warwagon MVC]

nm