Yeah, I do use USB, but H61 doesn't have native support for USB 3.0 and this dell board doesn't have any usb 3 ports or controllers :(

I'm concerned about not properly flashing the ME Region, so I will wait for further instruction by @plutomaniac, or anybody knowledgeable about it, such as maybe @Fernando .

Ok, I'm going through with the flash, I'm using the GUI version of AFUFLASH.

I flashed and with the Sandy Bridge chip I'm getting a beep code. :(

I'm getting 6 beeps which means video BIOS test error. Please tell me what I should do next

So, I switched to the ivy bridge chip, I have no video, but no beep code either

I got it to POST, but it won't boot to os. It says that there is no boot device available, but it also detects all of my hard drives.

It doesn't post when I connect a display to integrated graphics

Currently running Dell ePSA, so far CPU fan has failed, system fan passed, video card passed, processor passed.

My suspicion is that ME is misconfigured, I might have to buy an SPI programmer for this one though. I can't boot into any OS.

So, I'm not sure if Intel ME is responsible for fan speed control, but I suspect it is. If only I can get it to boot.

Great news, I reset to defaults and then now I can boot into Windows so I can restore my BIOS back to the one provided before.

AHCI doesn't work, so I have to try to boot into Windows in IDE mode.

Cannot USB boot either.

I thought you were going to wait!? Maybe it's best to reflash now with FPT if you can, I assumed that would probably be @plutomaniac answer on which way to flash when I asked.
Command would be fptw -rewrite -f bios.bin followed by typing poweroff. Then let it shut down, remove power cord and CMOS battery for 30 seconds to a minute. Then put it all back and see if it's better.
Or maybe fptw -greset command better, see I hoped you'd wait so we'd know for sure.

Good it's booting still! So, can you see any screen at all, DOS or windows, or BIOS?

YOu can always flash from DOS, windows isn't a must. So don't worry about that, unless you can't boot to DOS via CD or USB?

ME wouldn't be misconfigured, we both made clean files and they were the same, it's just not made for this system, so probably bugs and issues we may not be able to fix.
If you look at 8.1.70.1590 ME file in FITC, you'll be able to see what all settings are there to address things you think might be caused by ME but I think there's probably more that we can't address.... Yet maybe?

I'd say wait until we are sure, can confirm ME flashed in correctly. Can you get in BIOS, if yes, can you see ME version there or no?

Well, anyways I can reflash the previous BIOS and ME region back to the PC. This time wait for further instructions :p

Yes, lets wait, and see about advise on best way to flash fully all regions at once, so confirmed ME gets flashed in at same time, I think FPT will do that. Lots of edits above I made, so if you feel jumpy again try FPT

Thankfully I'm back to a working state because of my discrete card which saved my life in getting the PC to post and boot again.

So, when it's posting, you could go to windows? If yes, before flashing back you should have, or next time before you flash back, check in BIOS and windows to see ME version (meinfo in windows will tell you, if drivers are installed, may need to install v8 drivers now too)

Hopefully we hear back soon if FPT is best way to flash or not. Seems like it would have to be, this way didn't work out so great with AFU, probably ME didn't flash in properly.

Although, I do wonder about the vBIOS now, since you got that error with Sandy. Maybe I need to make other test BIOS for you, with only vBIOS update to the SNB/IVB vBIOS and see if you have same problem, if so then we'll know I did that update wrong.
I have two versions with that vBIOS too, one with old sandy still in there and new SNB/IVB I don't think I posted, and the last one I posted with old sandy hex edited out. I could not figure out how to get UBU to remove the old one and leave the new one only, so I had to do by hand then recheck with UBU
Wait, I did post that one too, in case you want to test when your bored (post #16 [Request] Dell Vostro 260 - Add Ivy Bridge support (2)) - Never mind, don't!! It does not have ME8.
So, I could remake this one, with ME8 and leave vBIOS as it is, that would confirm our test on that vBIOS without hex edit, new snb/ivb and old sandy too.

When it posted, my BIOS setting hadn't reset yet, if I enabled AHCI my disks were detected, just not bootable. Once I switched to IDE mode it booted to Windows and I flashed back. Under Sandy Bridge with Integrated Graphics I got an beep/blink code (6 beeps) which meant VBIOS Test Failure. Under Sandy Bridge with a GTX 650 Ti Boost it posted. Under Ivy Bridge with 650 Ti it gave a black screen.

Thanks for the testing info. I think main issue is probably the vBIOS, and how I tried to remove the old sandy vBIOS. Neither CPU worked integrated correct?

I will make a few new BIOS later today or tonight. One I will leave old sandy and have the new sandy/ivy combo too, that way no odd editing by me is done, only UBU inserting new.
And second BIOS I will try other way to get the new sandy/ivy in there instead of UBU, probably via GUID extract/mod w/ UEFITool or similar w/ MMtool, I didn't even look at doing it that way the other day.

We'll get there I think, high hopes :)

Thanks for the reply and suggested info and methods plutomaniac! I knew I should have tried the vBIOS other ways before thinking it was OK, I guess UBU showing it OK and no errors made me think all was well.
And yes, I should have really had him confirm about FD unlocked or not, because without that he needs programmer before any progress can be made here

Can you check out that linked guide @Flagers (Section D) and upload the dumped image for me to look at, thanks! You will need the ME system tools for v7 and probably v8 for later - from this thread Intel Management Engine: Drivers, Firmware & System Tools
Flash Programming Tool is where the FPT app is located, 4 types. If you do the dump in windows with FPT you will need to install correctly matching Intel ME system drivers first (I think). Does not apply to running FPT in DOS

Yes, sorry @plutomaniac I was testing as I go, won't do it again. I should flash with FPT from now on, correct? Also, when I was running Dell ePSA, it tested for a Service Mod e jumper. I'm thankful for your assistance, as I said before, I would have never gotten here. We're progressing very fast and I hope that we succeed.

My opinion is that the ME update should work in theory because when I flashed the updated BIOS it posted. The only reason it originally didn't post was because of the VBIOS Test Failure.

But, we really still need to see about if the ME is locked or not, because if not the ME8 can't get flashed in without flash programmer and removing the chip or using jumper.

I tend to agree with you too, but since you didn't check ME version while it was flashed we can't be certain. I was waiting for you to edit in on your reply, to get back tome about the dump via FPT so we could check if FD and ME is locked or not.

I know you don't like to wait around, and I have BIOS ready with properly edited vBIOS now, if you want me to post let me know. This edit, I removed both old Sandy Bridge vBIOS using MMTool(one desktop, and one Mobile?), and inserted the new SNB/IVB single vBIOS.
I also redid the vBIOS settings adjust following the guide posted here again, to recheck my work on that from the other day, new vBIOS matched byte to byte in hex so original work on that vBIOS was correct.
I think it BIOS probably failed due to the way I edited the entire BIOS via hex and FF filled the old SB out of the vBIOS and probably missed a leading header, or left some in there I shouldn't have (Some bytes before I left as-is, since they were not part of either vBIOS), or something with how I did it so it screwed up.
I do feel it is OK now, and vBIOS is clean reset SNB/IVB single only, but would like to know if your FD/ME is locked or not.

This time if you flash, if you get any post action, please check ME version in BIOS or windows (you'll have to install drivers first, then check with MEInfoWin.exe and save/post an image here).
Would be great if you reflashed image from yesterday again too so we could check some things, if it's not too worrisome for you, now that you know it's OK with certain hardware.
But really, easiest thing would be to create FPT dump and post so we can check if you can even update ME or not, or at least image of output from this command >> fptw -I << that will show if FD/ME unlocked too, I think, I have not confirmed on a locked FD/ME system


Would really be great for both, image of the above command (fptw -I ) ran now without new BIOS flash, and >> fpt -d spi.bin (Send dump/bin file). If "Access" errors on that last one, try these "fpt -me -d me.bin" for Engine region, "fpt -desc -d desc.bin" for FD etc and send dump/bins

Up to you, let me know how you want to proceed

I'd prefer to wait for further instruction. I would've gotten back to you about the ME region locking, but my computer has been misbehaving for other reasons.

Well, the further instructions are posted above, if you meant by Plutomaniac.

He said first thing you should do is verify the FD/ME is unlocked or not via the thread he linked and detailed info I gave you above in posts 40 & 42 on how to check and dump to send over for me to look at.
Then test the BIOS he posted in this thread he linked (Flash using FPT command > fptw -rewrite -f -savemac bios.bin ), which is original BIOS with only his updated ME8 inserted, to verify ME8 works with that BIOS
No Ivy needed for this test, so should either be OK or fail due to ME8 not compatible with BIOS.
But the above needs verified first, about FD/ME Lock or not otherwise you wont know if ME8 gets flashed in for sure or not.

No hurry, but whenever you're ready, that is his suggested steps to proceed.
Then once/if all that is OK we can test next same BIOS but with new vBIOS added in for Ivy

Ok, thank you for collecting everything I need to do in one place and reiterating it for me. I will do it now.