LL v2.8 Kernel and Intel Processor Microcode Updates

[Lex24]

I have LL v2.8, it runs without any problems and I intend to keep it until it reaches end-of-life in April of 2019. But I'm considering kernel and processor microcode updates.

As it turns out, intel-microcode package has never been installed, although the machine has an Intel processor (old Core2Duo). The kernel is 3.19.0-33-generic:

Code:

cat /etc/lsb-release

DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=14.04
DISTRIB_CODENAME=trusty
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Linux Lite 2.8"

Code:

inxi -C

CPU:   Dual core Intel Core2 CPU 6300 (-MCP-) cache: 2048 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3 vmx)
       Clock Speeds: 1: 1596.00 MHz 2: 1596.00 MHz

Code:

uname -r

3.19.0-33-generic

Code:

apt-cache policy intel-microcode

intel-microcode:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 3.20180108.0+really20170707ubuntu14.04.1
  Version table:
     3.20180108.0+really20170707ubuntu14.04.1 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/main amd64 Packages
     2.20140122.1 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty/multiverse amd64 Packages

I have two questions:

1) The latest kernel that includes spectre mitigation updates recommended for Ubuntu v14.04 is 3.13.0-141.190 and it can be pulled from LL repos:

https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/lin....0-141.190

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/SecurityTeam/Kno...ndMeltdown

Code:

apt-cache policy linux-headers-3.13.0-14

linux-headers-3.13.0-141-lowlatency:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 3.13.0-141.190
  Version table:
     3.13.0-141.190 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/main amd64 Packages
linux-headers-3.13.0-141-generic:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 3.13.0-141.190
  Version table:
     3.13.0-141.190 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/main amd64 Packages
linux-headers-3.13.0-141:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 3.13.0-141.190
  Version table:
     3.13.0-141.190 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates/main amd64 Packages
        500 http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-security/main amd64 Packages

Are the following commands correct to install kernel and microcode updates? Has anyone tried that, have there been any problems reported anywhere?

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get -y install linux-headers-3.13.0-141 linux-headers-3.13.0-141-generic linux-image-3.13.0-141-generic linux-image-extra-3.13.0-141-generic

sudo apt-get install intel-microcode

2) Does intel-microcode need to be loaded ahead of initial ram disk, which would require initrd line in the bootloader to look as follows:

Code:

initrd /boot/intel-microcode.img /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-141-generic

I have replaced Grub2 bootloader with Grub4Dos (because of its simplicity), so I have to create menu.lst manually:

Code:

title Linux Lite
root (hd1,4)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-3.13.0-141-generic root=UUID=c0af9bh9-39c8-519g-cz4j-87684beg7958 ro
# intel processors only
initrd /boot/intel-microcode.img /boot/initrd.img-3.13.0-141-generic

-----
For the record:

a) according to ArchWiki loading processor microcode very early in the boot process and ahead of initial ram disk is only required with Intel processors. In case of AMD processors the microcode does not need to be loaded by the bootloader, at least for now:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/microcode

b) the new versions of Grub4Dos can handle two image files placed on initrd line, as confirmed here:

http://reboot.pro/topic/21397-intel-proc...itrd-line/