MSI Rolls Out BIOS Updates for 'Unsupported Processor' BSODs

It has been almost two weeks since Windows update KB5029351 clashed with MSI's newest BIOS updates, causing "unsupported processor" BSODs on affected systems.   MSI today released BIOS updates for the affected motherboards that fix the problem. 

MSI was admirably quick to come out with official workarounds for the BSOD issue affecting users of its Intel 700 and 600 series motherboards. However, the officially-sanctioned workarounds were merely a stopgap, echoing workarounds already devised by social media users affected by the BSODs.

In some ways MSI was a victim of its own success in preparing new BIOS files ahead of the expected Intel release of a new series of desktop Core processors. (In its PR, MSI refers to the upcoming Intel chips as "newer ones," even though the Intel 14th Gen Core Raptor Lake Refresh processor family is no longer a secret.) Sadly, for MSI and its fans, the initial flurry of revised BIOS files had an issue with Microsoft's newly-released Windows update, resulting in BSOD crashes.

Now we can see the specific OS-motherboard configurations that were having issues. It wasn't just Windows 11 22H2 users with update KB5029351, but also Windows 11 22H1 users applying KB5029332 and Windows 10 22H2 users applying KB5029331.

MSI says that its work with Intel found that the issue was due to a "firmware setting of Intel Hybrid Architecture." It also said that all genuine reports of the BSOD issue were limited to users of Intel’s 13th Gen Core i9 CPUs.

BIOS files with a new microcode are now ready:

MSI's outpouring of BIOS updates to mitigate the BSODs issue isn't limited to the above; it says it will follow up with BIOS updates for "all Intel 700 and 600 Series models this week," and all BIOS updates should be ready by the end of the month.

Intel is expected to take the wraps off its 14th Gen Core ‘Raptor Lake Refresh’ processors in a few weeks at its Intel Innovation event, which will run Sept. 19 - 20.