Hello, Forum experts.


First, I'd like to apologize if this isn't the right section to post this, if it is, please move it or let me know and I'll move it.

I need to solve a mystery that's been plaguing me since last night (so, a LONG time)

Last week, I got some PC parts for my daughter that ended up being insanely cheap (around ~$50 spent getting good deals); Core i5-3330, 8GB (2x4GB) Kingston DDR3-1600, WD Blue 500GB, EVGA GTX 650 SC, and this motherboard.

The motherboard is brand new so I assume nothing is wrong or damaged.

One of the things I noticed is that the BIOS even when it says UEFI: 2.3, PI 1.2, it's not a graphical interface, it's the old blue and gray 90s looking BIOS. That's fine, I don't care about that. I'm still trying to install Windows in GPT mode but I can't manage to do it. It's probably some weird BIOS setting I haven't messed with yet.

Now the mystery: it already came with the latest BIOS so all I had to do was update it in UBU to get it how I like it. Flashed the BIOS, everything went smooth. Installed Windows 8.1 64-bit in MBR mode, with AHCI enabled, everything fine and dandy. First thing I do is try to update the Intel ME Firmware so I go into Device Manager to get the driver installed and there wasn't any driver missing, I usually have to install it myself (I use version 11.0.5.1189) and when I tried to upgrade the Firmware, it didn't let me.

I checked with ME Analyzer the BIOS file and indeed, it has an ME Firmware included. Here's the screenshot

@Punkster Sanders:
Intel ME can be disabled using me_cleaner or using the HAP or AltMeDisable bit.

Both of these methods can easily be undone by flashing the original BIOS image, but usually requires the use of an external SPI flash programmer, because the flash descriptor and the ME regions are usually write protected.

@Ethaniel:
Thank you for the fast response, problem is that the Intel ME is already disabled. Yet is present in the BIOS file, so I guess it's being flashed. With any of the BIOS files (there are 4 in the website) I can't seem to enable Intel ME within Windows

@Punkster Sanders:
Unfortunately the relevant BIOS chip regions usually cannot be modified by BIOS flashing tools and can only be modified using ME that is currently not available.

In most cases you need an external SPI flash programmer even for reading the ME region in your BIOS chip.

Zitat von Punkster Sanders im Beitrag #1

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when I tried to upgrade the Firmware, it didn't let me

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@lfb6:

Sure, just give me a couple of hours until I re-install Windows and I'll take the screenshot. It goes along the lines of "Intel ME isn't installed" but I'll let you know in a while. Thank you!

EDIT:

@Punkster Sanders:
Windows 8.1 has a built-in driver for Intel ME, so if there is no Intel(R) Management Engine Interface entry under System devices in Device Manager, the most likely cause is that Intel ME is disabled.

Although the factory BIOS firmware comes with Intel ME enabled, the previous owner might have modified the BIOS firmware so that ME is disabled.

Note that the only known way of disabling ME is by BIOS firmware modification, there are no known methods for disabling it from the BIOS setup or from within the OS.

The previous owner might have disabled it because of privacy or security concerns, or because it was required for using an unsupported CPU.

Note that disabling ME reduces the attack surface of the system and I am unaware of any negative effects of disabling ME, other than the enterprise technologies by ME - that have little value for personal use - are not going to be available.

Some reports say that disabling ME results in the loss of advanced automatic performance management technologies, but unfortunately I have no information on the specifics or the impact of these technologies.

@Ethaniel:

Motherboard was purchased from a retailer brand new, I'm the first person touching it. None of the 4 BIOSes in the manufacturer's website seems to enable it. But I guess you're right, as long the system isn't unstable, I'm good!

Thank you.

@Punkster Sanders
Since it's new, you may want to RMA it so that you get it fixed or replaced with one that has ME working.

You probably want to re-flash the latest unmodded BIOS before the RMA to avoid issues because of having a modded BIOS.