AMD Tackles Ryzen 3000 Issues With Beta Chipset Driver

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AMD has shared a beta chipset driver update to address problems with AMD Ryzen 3000 processors and Destiny 2.

Ryzen 3000 owners have complained about problems with Destiny 2 since the CPU series debuted in early July. The company released the AGESA 1.0.0.3ABA microcode update to address the problem, but the update was pulled a few days later due to a technical issue. AMD's senior technical marketing manager, Robert Hallock, started a Reddit thread on July 26 and said the company planned to release "a comprehensive update" related to various Ryzen 3000 problems on July 30.

Hallock commented on that thread yesterday with additional information about the update and an invitation for interested Reddit users to help test a chipset driver update meant to address those issues. He also noted that AMD has been pretty active on Reddit (and other social platforms) to offer Ryzen 3000 owners as much information as possible regarding the company's efforts to resolve the launch issues for its most enthusiastic customers.

The AMD exec also responded to concerns about Ryzen 3000 owners with older motherboards struggling to update their BIOS so they could actually, ya know, use their new CPUs.

Hallock explained that finding a way to update an older board's BIOS is a necessary evil for in-socket upgrades:

"The alternative to this BIOS 'problem,' which we find truly repugnant, is simply breaking socket compatibility with every new generation of CPU. Nobody can keep their old motherboard and upgrade, anymore. Nobody would ever have to worry about a BIOS update again... but they would also never get to keep their investment ever again. To us, that is not the right thing to do. It seems hostile and abusive to arbitrarily prevent users from keeping the same motherboard, which may cost a few hundred dollars, just to make the upgrade process a little 'neater' on paper. So we do what we can to support in-socket upgrades as we have with Socket AM4."

We doubt anyone was particularly happy about the Ryzen 3000's launch problems. Our reviews of the Ryzen 7 3800X and Ryzen 5 3600X were favorable; it's a shame for that to be marred by technical issues. But distributing a beta chipset driver update while regularly updating Reddit users about work to resolve those problems seems like a more transparent response than most companies would offer disgruntled customers.

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Nathaniel Mott
Nathaniel Mott
Freelance News & Features Writer

Nathaniel Mott is a freelance news and features writer for Tom's Hardware US, covering breaking news, security, and the silliest aspects of the tech industry.

4 Comments Comment from the forums
  • jimmysmitty
    Nobody would ever have to worry about a BIOS update again...

    Not true in any form or way. BIOS/UEFI updates are not just for CPU compatibility but also for stability and used to patch microcode for possible flaws.

    I personally never upgrade CPUs on a board. I see no reason. Run the CPU and board into the ground and build a complete system designed together for optimal performance. But that's just myself. Others can do as they please.
    Reply
  • salgado18
    jimmysmitty said:
    Not true in any form or way. BIOS/UEFI updates are not just for CPU compatibility but also for stability and used to patch microcode for possible flaws.

    I personally never upgrade CPUs on a board. I see no reason. Run the CPU and board into the ground and build a complete system designed together for optimal performance. But that's just myself. Others can do as they please.
    I wanted to upgrade my i3-6100 today. But the best CPU I can get is an i7-7700k, and it costs more than a Ryzen 5 3600, which is way, way better. But if I could upgrade to an i7-8700k, for example, it would be awesome, and wouldn't think of switching to another platform. Also, my current plan is to get a R5 3600 today, knowing I can get a R9 3950x or Zen 3 equivalent in the future, if I need to.

    Consider those who bought a strong X370 motherboard, they could just drop a R9 3900x and be happy with it.

    There is value in future upgradeability, but we are, right now, in the middle of it. So, today, it doesn't feel like much value, but owners of Ryzen 5 1600 and even 2200G can just jump in on a brand new CPU.

    That doesn't take away the hard work to make it function, obviously. If I were in charge, I'd offer compat-breaking BIOS, dropping old cpu support, because it is optional. Old boards are already mature, and probably don't need new BIOS updates. But the way they handle is also good, it doesn't look like it because of the imense trouble it is.
    Reply
  • jimmysmitty
    salgado18 said:
    I wanted to upgrade my i3-6100 today. But the best CPU I can get is an i7-7700k, and it costs more than a Ryzen 5 3600, which is way, way better. But if I could upgrade to an i7-8700k, for example, it would be awesome, and wouldn't think of switching to another platform. Also, my current plan is to get a R5 3600 today, knowing I can get a R9 3950x or Zen 3 equivalent in the future, if I need to.

    Consider those who bought a strong X370 motherboard, they could just drop a R9 3900x and be happy with it.

    There is value in future upgradeability, but we are, right now, in the middle of it. So, today, it doesn't feel like much value, but owners of Ryzen 5 1600 and even 2200G can just jump in on a brand new CPU.

    That doesn't take away the hard work to make it function, obviously. If I were in charge, I'd offer compat-breaking BIOS, dropping old cpu support, because it is optional. Old boards are already mature, and probably don't need new BIOS updates. But the way they handle is also good, it doesn't look like it because of the imense trouble it is.

    Thats why I said its my own view. I prefer to upgrade the entire system so I get the best performance boost I can and a CPU with a board and chipset that was built around and for it are better than one that was not. Yes you can drop a Ryzen 3000 into a 300 series chipset board but the 500 series is a superior platform and would allow the CPUs full performance potential.

    I still have a i5 4670K and will stick with it until I feel I can get a much more massive upgrade. I truth I am waiting to see something like Intels Optane DIMMs trickle down to the consumer market. I would love to have an OS drive made of memory with SSD/NVMe being a storage option.
    Reply
  • lakingscrzy
    jimmysmitty said:
    Thats why I said its my own view. I prefer to upgrade the entire system so I get the best performance boost I can and a CPU with a board and chipset that was built around and for it are better than one that was not. Yes you can drop a Ryzen 3000 into a 300 series chipset board but the 500 series is a superior platform and would allow the CPUs full performance potential.

    I still have a i5 4670K and will stick with it until I feel I can get a much more massive upgrade. I truth I am waiting to see something like Intels Optane DIMMs trickle down to the consumer market. I would love to have an OS drive made of memory with SSD/NVMe being a storage option.


    This makes sense on any other generation or family of chip. Ryzen has been a shining exception, and the fact that AMD is supporting it both commercially and on the grasroots level by engaging with their enthusiast users is such an amazing thing for a company IMO.

    I started my new build with an ASrock k4 fatality, r5 1600, 2400mhz ram, and a 1060 6gb in the summer of '17. Recently I bought 3200mhz corsair lpx cl16, and nabbed a 2700x for $200 on sale. I've got the ram stable at 3400mhz with the same timings and 1.375v. The cpu auto boosts single core to 4.2 (but since it seems to so evenly split workloads it rarely does and instead just uses all cores). I threw a 2060 Super in there and this rig is now unstoppable. I cannot choke it unless I go for 4k (which my monitor is 1440, so why?).

    And this is all still on the ab350 I bought 2 years ago. 9 phase VRM and enough pcie lanes for my plex server, and the prism cooler that comes with the 2700x blows air directly onto the board to cool it. There is absolutely 0 reason for me to upgrade this board save for some PBO settings, which would realistically only give me an extra 100mhz on a single core for a temporary boost.

    While your personal preference is understandable, it is far less the case today than it has ever been in the past.
    Reply