The disable bit has to stick in the OFF position to protect user privacy, so a program cannot re-enable the processor serial number without the user's knowledge. Since the MSR bit sticks in the OFF position, it cannot default to OFF after a processor reset since there would be no way to re-enable the processor serial number. The processor serial number feature will then stay disabled until the user uses the control utility to enable it. Summary The Intel processor serial number is a new feature, which will enable a variety of new and better applications. We have designed the ability to disable the feature in software, and we're making a control utility available for the user to control the processor serial number.
Consumers have the choice whether to enable the processor serial number or disable it.