Cant decrease memory clock via bios i5-7200u

[brick2928]

Hi, 

it has come to my attention that sadly my i5-7200u does not boot, no matter what when I change the memory ratio or ref clock. I've had friends who experience this exact same issue on a i5-9300H with a completely different device. Whats interesting is memory clock options work fine on i7-9750HF, there are no hiccups. 

Changing memory timings do in fact work and there are no problems on the i5-7200U and i5-9300H

My system has 2 SO-DIMM sticks, one rated for 2400 JEDEC with 8 GB size, and another rated for 2666 JEDEC with 4GB size. Issue does not stop when using only one stick, and changing memory sticks do not help either. There appears to be a fundamental issue with **memory training** on these CPUs.

I believe this might be a microCode bug preventing the boot of the system when anything is set besides the stock values. This needs to be fixed as it is not intended behavior and damages the performance and capabilities of this CPU. Intel does not state that this cpu is incapable of changing memory clocks in any way.

I am ready to provide further info and proof.

[AlHill]

All of these processors are no longer supported.  The 7200u is already 9-years-old.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. (Andy Grove)]

[brick2928]

Really? Thats it? They wont fix this because they didn't fix it in time before? How about the fact that all intel ultra CPUs degrade in stability with vdd above 1.45v and vddq above 1.35v? I have a feeling you will want to write that off too. What you said isn't a justification you know, this is a big flaw in the mcode.

[AlHill]

Yes, really. That's it.

Read this:

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/95443/intel-core-i57200u-processor-3m-cache-up-to-3-10-ghz/specifications.html

Specifically:

• Marketing Status
  Discontinued
• 
  Launch Date
  Q3'16
• 
  Servicing Status
  End of Servicing Lifetime
• 
  End of Servicing Updates Date
  Tuesday, December 31, 2024
•  

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. (Andy Grove)]

[brick2928]

Thanks. This does not help me resolve this issue in no way or form.

[AlHill]

Glad to help.

Question:  Just how long do you think a processor should be supported?  8 years?  10 years?  15 years?

You need to be real here, and face reality.  Your processor was supported as in my previous post.  

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. (Andy Grove)]

[brick2928]

I think a processor should receive feature updates (like binary optimization) for around 3 years, if fundamentally possible.

For bug fixes I think processors should be split to 2 groups, high priority which would hold CPUs that are not older than 5 years and low priority which would hold CPUs that are past 5 years of age. Support can be dropped after 15 years.

These problems don't appear out of nowhere, once they are fixed they are unluckily to return. While most engineers at Intel handle the higher priority issues and continued processor development, Intel can make a relatively small team of engineers for their Low priority support, and if they dont have any actual issues to fix they can help out with whatever else.  I dont think fixing relatively small issues similar to this every now and then wouldn't kill a 500 billion dollar company like intel. Unlike AMD AGESA, intel mCode updates do not need a recompilation of the entire bios. Thanks to UEFITool people can just update themselves.

(Technically AMD AGESA wowuldnt have to either, if it wasnt for how AMI and InsydeH2O implemented it. Award/Pheonix proved this)

These CPUs are still plenty capable, Intel shouldn't neglect them like this. Some people just cannot afford the newest out of the factory you know. I just want the least I can get which is a bug fix..

[AlHill]

Well, until someone decides to implement your support options, you have no support.

Time to move on.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Success breeds complacency. Complacency breeds failure. (Andy Grove)]