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How do I see CPU microcode version in Windows 7? Is there some application that will show it?

I'm just curious to see if under windows my CPU is using newest microcode version. If I remember correctly, microcode updates used to be issued together with windows update, but at one point they moved them to hotfixes that need to be downloaded manually.

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Check the version number of the microcode dll: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2493989

The dll is Mcupdate_genuineintel.dll and the latest version for you depends on your Windows version.

This page has the actual downloads of the microcode update: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/936357

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I don't even have that file on my system. If there no way to read that form the CPU itself line in say GNU/Linux? – AndrejaKo Nov 9 '11 at 22:36
I'd imagine not. The microcode is an OS function for communication with the CPU, not a direct CPU function. The CPU would not be able to tell you the microcode internally to itself. – music2myear Nov 9 '11 at 22:45
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That is NOT true. In Intel's programmer's manual, volume 3A, chapter 9, section 9.11.7 it is clearly described how to read the current version of the microcode, so I know that the procedure is possible. It is possible to detect the current version of the update or to see if no update was done. Unfortunately, the RDMSR command must be run from ring 0 or real mode, so I can't just write an application on windows that will give me the information. – AndrejaKo Nov 9 '11 at 22:57
Then I stand corrected. I assumed that because it resides in Windows as a dll, unless that dll is some sort of firmware update system, the microcode in that dll would only be applicable inside the Windows environment. – music2myear Nov 9 '11 at 23:01

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