Windows 10: Performance issues after updating, most likely due to Spectre fix

Hello,


A few weeks ago, my laptop got a BIOS update and since then it has been running ridiculously slow. I own a pavilion laptop 15-aw01nd, with an AMD processor.
After browsing the internet for a while I concluded it must be due to the fix for the Spectre problem. I tried several things to fix it, such as downloading the windows update KB 4078130. However, it does not seem to work. After I downloaded it and try to open or run it, it does nothing.

Since I do not know a lot about computer systems, or how to go about solving these problems, my brother helped me out.
We tried several things such as changing registry settings, however we did not succeed in this endeavour. Following the steps as described in this article (https://portal.msrc.microsoft.com/en-US/security-guidance/advisory/ADV180002, point 17 and 18) did not work (or refused to work). The same article seems to mention a solution, a windows security update Microsoft released in August 18 for my operating system , but I cannot find this update.
In the end we sort of fixed the problem by running the InSpectre tool and turning off the fix. However, this is a temp. solution. Does anybode have advice for me how to keep my laptop protected and running smoothly??


Any help is very much welcome!

:)

 

NVIDIA GeForce 390.65 Driver with Spectre Fix Benchmarked in 21 Games

They might not really be affected by this, but they're working with other companies to iron out performance issues.

Source: https://www.androidcentral.com/meltdown-spectre (about halfway)

 

Intel Deploys Microcode Update for Spectre Flaw on Skylake

They were found as twins. When it comes to mitigation though, that is different for both of them as well as for Spectre variants. As you noted, AMD CPUs are not vulnerable to Meltdown and needs no patches for it. Intel CPUs do. These are the KPTI patches for Linux and similar patches for MacOS/Windows. Microcode updates (what this news/thread is about) have nothing to do with Meltdown. Microcode patches are for Spectre 2.

That was their initial statement. I would like to point out wording there. "Near zero risk" is quite an interesting phrase when it comes to security issues and there are examples from the past where this has come back to bite companies in their asses.

However, you might want to read the statement update from a week later - 11th. I copy-pasted this directly from your link:

Second one does. Intel's broken microcode updates saga has all been about this exact Spectre 2 mitigation. AMD states (in their statement quoted above from link you provided. also, you say it does yourself in the quote below) it will release microcode fixes for Spectre 2. I am not sure why you claim it is different.

That optional part might be interesting. Linus was very annoyed with Intel when their patches had the apparent intent of defaulting Spectre mitigation to being turned off. Now AMD officially says their microcode updates are optional...

 

Intel Deploys Microcode Update for Spectre Flaw on Skylake

You may want to notify the OP: