Call for testers - new CPU microcode update plugins

[bamf]

3. After having upgraded your boot files, you may use early loading again by adding these tuneables via System:Settings:Tunables (for Intel CPUs):

Thank you, that was the missing piece.

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root@OPNsense:~ # dmesg | awk '/---<<BOOT>>---/{boot=""} {boot=boot $0 "\n"} END{print boot}' | fgrep microcode
[1] CPU microcode: updated from 0x24 to 0x3e

[mic]

Hello,

just to recap, these are the steps in the correct order:

• uninstall os-cpu-microcode-* plugin
• upgrade to 26.7.1
• update your boot loader
• install 26.7.1, os-cpu-microcode-* plugin

My OPNsense version is: 26.1.11_10 and bootloader is:
DFreeBSD/amd64 EFI loader, Revision 3.0

Now the question is: what are the exact steps to update the bootloader?

Thank you

[meyergru]

Again: See post #37 or use the forum search.

[mic]

Ok I follow this steps:

1. Check bootloader version:

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root@firewall:~ # strings /boot/efi/efi/boot/bootx64.efi | grep "Revision"
DFreeBSD/amd64 EFI loader, Revision 3.0

2. Show partition with fstab and be careful to /dev/ada0p3:

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root@firewall:~ # cat /etc/fstab
# Device                Mountpoint      FStype  Options         Dump    Pass#
/dev/gpt/efiboot0               /boot/efi       msdosfs rw              2       2
/dev/ada0p3             none    swap    sw              0       0

3. Show Partition:

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root@firewall:~ # gpart show
=>       40  488397088  nda0  GPT  (233G)
         40     532480     1  efi  (260M)
     532520       1024     2  freebsd-boot  (512K)
     533544        984        - free -  (492K)
     534528   16777216     3  freebsd-swap  (8.0G)
   17311744  471085056     4  freebsd-zfs  (225G)
  488396800        328        - free -  (164K)

4. Uninstall os-cpu-microcode-* plugin

5. Reboot

6. upgrade to 26.7.1_1

7. Update bootloader:

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root@firewall:~ # mkdir -p /boot/efi/efi/boot /boot/efi/efi/freebsd
root@firewall:~ # cp /boot/loader.efi /boot/efi/efi/boot/bootx64.efi
root@firewall:~ # cp /boot/loader.efi /boot/efi/efi/freebsd/loader.efi
root@firewall:~ # gpart bootcode -b /boot/pmbr -p /boot/gptzfsboot -i 2 ada0
partcode written to ada0p2
bootcode written to ada0
root@firewall:~ #


8. Reboot

9. Install os-cpu-microcode-* plugin


Now, do I have to ad the following lines to /boot/loader.conf before reboot?

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cpu_microcode_load="YES"
cpu_microcode_name="/boot/firmware/intel-ucode.bin"

Thank you

[bamf]

You do not need to add these lines, you are safe to reboot. The OS then uses late loading of microcode.

These lines are intended to enable early loading of the microcode which is preferred over late loading as the kernel then loads with the already updated microcode. So if you followed all steps, which you seemingly did, you should be fine to enable early loading.

[Patrick M. Hausen]

loader.conf.local - loader.conf will be overwritten by UI actions.

[bamf]

Or better: Use the UI. Add the lines as Tunables under System: Settings: Tunables.

[PencilHCV]

Hi all!
this by:
1.-uninstall CPU-Microcode
2.-Upgrade to 26.7.1
3.-Update Boot Loader
4.-Install CPU- Microcode
Do we always have to do this when updating to ver. 26.7.1 or will there be a new version of OPNsense that will work without all the above steps?
Best regards!
//Hugo

[Patrick M. Hausen]

You can skip the boot loader update because OPNsense shipped a workaround in 26.7.1 by late loading of the ucode update.

But if you want to use early loading via loader.conf.local you must update the boot loader first.

Abd yes, the ucode update plugin must be uninstalled before rebooting any system with a boot loader older than 26.7 but 26.7  now active because of an OPNsense update.

How many more times do I need to repeat this? 😉

[nero355]

How many more times do I need to repeat this?

#JustPeopleOnTheInternetTheseDays... 😉

Nothing we can do about it sadly :(