For such desktop systems the "whole SPI image" is basically what ASUS lists under their BIOS without the AMI Capsule which can be easily removed with UEFITool. I have attached the latest BIOS without the capsule just in case. I've also unlocked the flash descriptor but the image needs to be flashed via a programmer first for the latter to apply later.

Getting a programmer is the best solution as it's the fastest and can be used for anything else you like down the line. However, if you don't want to, you can try (it's difficult to perform sometimes) another method to unlock the flash descriptor. Basically, while the system is off, find the audio chip (Realtek 1150 in your case), use tweezers or a paper clip to short together pins 1 and 5 (DVDD + SDATA-OUT), power the pc, wait for POST to complete and then stop shorting the two pins.



If successful (those pins are small, it's not always easy), you should boot into Windows with the flash descriptor temporarily unlocked until the next reboot. You can check by trying again fptw -d SPI.bin or fptw -d ME.bin -me (no error 26 in both cases). If you manage to unlock the descriptor that way, you can a) repair the ME region by reflashing it and b) unlock the flash descriptor permanently for future maintenance.

@ CodeRush:

Right, thank you for letting me know CodeRush.

@ abstract:

Ah, EM Shield. Nothing you can do with the audio chip then, get a programmer as previously mentioned.

Note: You don't have to use @username for me in this thread, I monitor it regardless.

Hello :)

This file from HP contains the following tools:

FWUpdate(DOS): 11.0.0.1205
FWUpdate(EFI64): 11.0.0.1205
FWUpdate(Win): 11.0.0.1205
FWUpdate(Win64): 11.0.0.1205
MEInfo(DOS): 11.0.0.1205
MEInfo(EFI64): 11.0.0.1205
MEInfo(Windows): 11.0.0.1205
MEInfo(Windows64): 11.0.0.1205

Intel MEI Drivers & Software v11.0.4.1186 for Consumer systems

Intel ME System Tools v11.0 r17:

Flash Image Tool: 11.0.0.1202
FWUpdate(DOS, EFI64, Win, Win64): 11.0.0.1205
MEInfo(DOS, EFI64, Windows, Windows64): 11.0.0.1205
MEManuf(DOS, EFI64, Windows, Windows64): 11.0.0.1202
CCT(DOS, EFI, Windows): 11.0.0.1202
Manifest Extension Utility: 11.0.0.1202

Intel ME 11.0 Corporate PCH-LP Firmware v11.0.0.1205



Note: VCN was increased to 12. No downgrade via FWUpdate possible after updating.

MEA: 11.0.0.1205_COR_LP_XX_PRD_RGN_5C3D7000598989D9B168E3F4BD11FB020043722A_SHA1

Thanks to Intel for the driver and HP for MEInfo/FWUpdate. Also ex58 and Pacman for letting me know.

Intel MEI Driver v11.0.3.1184 MEI-Only Installer

Intel MEI Drivers & Software v11.0.3.1184 for Corporate systems

Intel ME 11.0 Consumer PCH-H Firmware v11.0.2.1003



MEA: 11.0.2.1003_CON_H_XX_PRD_EXTR_C40CAED447089B8A203AC9C044FCFC76AC4CADBF_SHA1

Thanks to SD/Pacman for the new ME firmware.

@ PhatAgent:

Reinstalling Windows and changing the boot sector shouldn't change anything as far as your ME issue is concerned. Did you try anything on the ME firmware besides the os reinstall? Make sure you are using FWUpdate v7 and try to flash the attached file under Windows or DOS. If the same error occurs then it may be that Apple has a custom version of FWUpdate which works with that unique SKU and firmware components they use. I cannot verify it but it wouldn't be unlikely based on Apple's tendencies and the fact that their ME region cannot be reproduced with the Flash Image Tool (FITC) we have, meaning the removal of some missing partitions inside is not possible to my knowledge and quick testing. However, as I said earlier, you have read/write access to ME through the unlocked flash descriptor. So you can replace the entire ME region if you like provided that you have read what I wrote in this post carefully first.

Note: There is no need to use @username for me in this thread. I monitor it regularly regardless.

@ PhatAgent:

Apple has a special SKU, what I call 1.5MB_MAC, so you cannot update to anything other than that. The latest in that case, as provided by Apple's latest EFI images, is 7.0.1.1205. It seems that Apple follows their own versioning based on the firmware's date. For example the seemingly newer 7.0.2.1164 firmware has a date of 20/12/2010 compared to Apple's 7.0.1.1205 which has a date of 17/05/2011. So you are not as outdated as you think and unless Apple releases a new 1.5MB_MAC firmware, you cannot update to something newer.

@ rootuser123:

Are you sure it's 0405 and not 0406? You can also show a MEInfo picture. I am aware of Lenovo having the 0406 OEMID, not 0405. The former OEMID is placed at MEA but disabled because it can lead to many false positives due to it's lack of pattern uniqueness.

Alright, good. I'll add it to MEA for reference but I don't think it can be checked, just like 0406. Thank you for letting me know rootuser123.