Some Intel software can be downloaded in Russia again because of "warranty obligations"

[midian182]

In brief: Russian media is reporting that Intel and Microsoft are allowing downloads of their respective software/drivers in Russia and Belarus, something that was prohibited in 2022 as a result of sanctions stemming from the Ukraine invasion.

In February and March last year, after Russia invaded Ukraine, Intel became one of the first companies to suspend all shipments to customers in the country; this was followed by a suspension of all business activities in Russia soon after.

Russian media outlets are now reporting that users can download Intel drivers once again. However, sources told Tom's Hardware that while Intel did block Intel Driver and Support Assistant (DSA) downloads in Russia last year, access was restored later in 2022—Intel said in a statement that it hadn't made any "recent" changes in regards to its Russia operations.

Intel has suspended all business operations in Russia.

The company continues to join the global community in condemning Russia's war against Ukraine and calling for a swift return to peace. https://t.co/8YYASW36tb

— Intel News (@intelnews) April 6, 2022

The company also said that access to these resources is part of Intel's warranty obligations. Russian media site CNews reports that it accessed the Intel download portal on January 11, 2023, though it had to get to the download section using a search engine such as Google or Yandex, as the main Intel Russia site remains inaccessible.

Another caveat for Russians is that downloading the drivers requires users to register and create a profile on Intel's Russia website, which is impossible to do from a Russian IP address, meaning the driver updates are only available through the automatic download tool.

Last summer also saw Microsoft ban Windows 10 and 11 ISOs and installation tools from its servers for anyone using a Russian IP. CNews reports that Microsoft then blocked access to updates and security patches in September, but access to Windows 11 updates in Russia was possible as of January 11, 2023, though the Windows distribution kit still can't be downloaded from the Microsoft website.

The publication also notes a large number of Intel and AMD processors are available from Russian online retailers, despite both companies no longer shipping products to the country. This is a result of the so-called parallel imports of certain foreign tech products that are used to evade restrictions. The Russian government allows this practice even when the manufacturers don't, essentially turning a blind eye to unofficially imported goods and intellectual property theft. Some of these chip imports come from China, though 40% of them are possibly defective.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/97265-intel-starts-allowing-russia-download-software-again-because.html

 

[RudyBob]

Must be some monetary pressure against those two

 

[Bullwinkle M]

I'd like more info on the very last sentence....

"Some of these chip imports come from China, though 40% of them are possibly defective."

Why would 40% of Intel and AMD processors be defective?

Why wouldn't China get warranty replacements before reselling them?

40% defective seems a bit high don't you think?

I personally have never in my life seen a brand new Intel chip in a defective state

Have you?

 

[quadibloc]

The United States has neglected to use the Trading with the Enemy Act to cover Russia, and this is why things like this can happen. It should be recognized that there is a war on.

 

[NikoBB]

Everything is a little different, as the author writes. Different providers in the Russian Federation have a different situation. On some large ones, you can safely download OS/Soft images of any Microsoft and have full access to the site of Intel and other manufacturers, but on some large providers there is no access.

In any case, what kind of "guarantee obligations" can there be to the population supporting Putin's regime?

This is the complete duplicity of the Western world and its immoral business...

 

[Hodor]

I'd like more info on the very last sentence....

"Some of these chip imports come from China, though 40% of them are possibly defective."

Why would 40% of Intel and AMD processors be defective?

Why wouldn't China get warranty replacements before reselling them?

40% defective seems a bit high don't you think?

Maybe they were talking about the usual practice of manufacturing microchips. For example, why we have 6-core CPUs. They originally make a ton of 8-core chips. But if one or two cores are defective, they disable them and sell the chip as 6-core.

One could say that 40% of those CPUs are defective, but most of those defective can be "fixed" outside (ruined modules disabled by electric impulses) and sold as lower-end CPUs.

 

[Avro Arrow]

This is fair. A lot of Russians are suffering under these sanctions, including Russians who are opposed to the war or at least have nothing to do with it. Economic sanctions hurt the Russian populace, not the Russian government.

 

[Avro Arrow]

The United States has neglected to use the Trading with the Enemy Act to cover Russia, and this is why things like this can happen. It should be recognized that there is a war on.

You've neglected to notice that Russia isn't at war with the USA so it doesn't apply. Russia is no more an enemy of the USA than China and the USA does TONNES of trade with China.

Everything is a little different, as the author writes. Different providers in the Russian Federation have a different situation. On some large ones, you can safely download OS/Soft images of any Microsoft and have full access to the site of Intel and other manufacturers, but on some large providers there is no access.

In any case, what kind of "guarantee obligations" can there be to the population supporting Putin's regime?

It's a lot more nuanced than you seem to realise. I completely agree that those who support Putin deserve nothing. I feel the exact same way about Trump supporters. The thing is, what about the people who don't support these megalomaniacs? They're nothing more than victims of circumstance with their only crime being born in a country that has a lot of mindless sheep supporting a demagogue. Or, in the case of Russia, that demogogue has stolen so many elections that it's impossible to tell if they really do support him or not. Putin has also made damn sure that the military is obedient to him so even if the majority of the Russian people don't support him, they can't exactly depose him; they're stuck.

This is the complete duplicity of the Western world and its immoral business...

On this I agree. Capitalism is a morally bankrupt economic system that only exists because enough people are so stupid that believe the BS line that it's better than everything else. Capitalism is actually what caused this whole mess to begin with:

Maybe they were talking about the usual practice of manufacturing microchips. For example, why we have 6-core CPUs. They originally make a ton of 8-core chips. But if one or two cores are defective, they disable them and sell the chip as 6-core.

One could say that 40% of those CPUs are defective, but most of those defective can be "fixed" outside (ruined modules disabled by electric impulses) and sold as lower-end CPUs.

You could be right but a yield of only 60% is so bad that it's barely considered to be viable. The other thing is, these aren't necessarily CPUs that they're talking about. They could be any kind of chip imaginable that are being fabbed by China. The only real CPUs that Russia could get from China would either be ARM-based or hopelessly-weak x86. I don't think that these are what the article is talking about.

CPUs generally don't fail over time if properly taken care of. I have an old Core2Duo E6320 that still functions and is 16 years old. Hell, there are many Commodore 64 computers that still function and those are 30+ years old. These aren't perishable goods that need replacement, these are chips that Russia needs to build MiG's, Sukhois, Ladas, T-90 Tanks, etc. and they've never used x86 for that.

I think that this is just China using the crappiest fabs that they have because they know that right now, Russia is a beggar, not a chooser.

 

[NikoBB]

It's a lot more nuanced than you seem to realise. I completely agree that those who support Putin deserve nothing. I feel the exact same way about Trump supporters. The thing is, what about the people who don't support these megalomaniacs? They're nothing more than victims of circumstance with their only crime being born in a country that has a lot of mindless sheep supporting a demagogue. Or, in the case of Russia, that demogogue has stolen so many elections that it's impossible to tell if they really do support him or not. Putin has also made damn sure that the military is obedient to him so even if the majority of the Russian people don't support him, they can't exactly depose him; they're stuck.

People differ from animals in that they are capable of meaningful actions. If there are no actions, they are no different from animals and do not deserve to be treated differently from the treatment of animals. People who understand the full extent of the guilt of their society are not against suffering because of this, along with those who deny this guilt and help the Putin regime. Get it into your head. Reasonable people are ready for suffering, because are not animals and victims. They are able to take on the responsibility of being forced to suffer because of the vile behavior of the majority, otherwise Putin would not have come to power, just as Biden would not have come to power and Trump would not have come to power. Freedom imposes duties on everyone to act in such a way that the whole society behaves reasonably, stopping the scoundrel. If everyone pretends that it is none of their business and they are innocent sufferers, this does not justify them and they deserve punishment.

 

[Endymio]

The United States has neglected to use the Trading with the Enemy Act to cover Russia, and this is why things like this can happen. It should be recognized that there is a war on.

The US is still attempting to maintain the fiction that Russia is fighting Ukraine, rather than a proxy war with the USA.

Capitalism is a morally bankrupt economic system

And yet, you've chosen to live your entire life under that system. The hypocrisy is rank. Had you ever lived in a consumer paradise like Cuba, North Korea, or one of the FSU republics, you'd have wised up fast.

People...deny this guilt and help the Putin regime.

And what of those who aid the Zelensky regime? Are they equally culpable?

 

[NikoBB]

And what of those who aid the Zelensky regime? Are they equally culpable?

They are not equal - Russia attacked Ukraine, and not vice versa. Moreover, the second was a priori impossible. Putin lies that Ukraine would have attacked first if he had not attacked. Ukrainians, those who went to fight voluntarily, at least defend THEIR land.

But there is no doubt that the Zelensky regime is the same dictatorship as the Russian one. Forced mobilization and there and directly violates human rights enshrined in the Constitutions and in the UN charter on human rights. Moreover, for some reason, women are exempted from this obligation (although they demand equality everywhere). This means that they should automatically be lowered in civil rights compared to men, in those countries where only men carry military service and therefore, a priori, cannot demand equal rights with men. But for some reason, crazy feminists diligently deny these facts.

And only in Israel, Sweden and Norway, women carry military service, like men. Although compulsory military service directly violates human rights enshrined in the UN Charter.

In the United States, by the way, massive problems began with the recruitment of new volunteers into the contract army. So people began to understand where they might end up after a while. Apparently, the United States will soon forget about human rights and introduce conscription as well.

So soon everyone will see that human rights mean nothing anywhere for the second time after the covid scam.

Actually, since 2020 it has become clear that the regime in the USA is totalitarian and in the EU it is the same everywhere. And if all modes are like that, then what the hell is the difference from the point of view of a liberal and freedom-loving person??

 

[neeyik]

Stick to the news topic itself, please.