This Intel ME driver issue gonna driver me crazy!

Yesterday the combination Intel MEI Drivers & Software v2020.14.0.1600 and the newer driver Intel MEI Driver v2021.14.0.1615 was a fail, first time my laptop went to sleep it hanged with high CPU usage, I lost some unsaved work but it was my bad I should have saved all the time, but I excepted the laptop to sleep and wake up the first time with no issue, but i was wrong.

So I restored v1950.14.0.1443 from the same file I always install but this time it installed the LMS utility and the jhi_service and they are running as a service in the program files not as a driver

Why would the Intel ME installer this time install the services? It never did? I am so confused

Intel(R) MEInfo Version: 11.8.77.3665
Copyright(C) 2005 - 2019, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.
 

 
Intel(R) ME code versions:
 
BIOS Version                                 E1815IMS.312
MEBx Version                                 0.0.0.0000
GbE Version                                  Unknown
Vendor ID                                    8086
PCH Version                                  31
FW Version                                   11.8.78.3681 H
Security Version (SVN)                       3
LMS Version                                  1946.14.0.1377
MEI Driver Version                           1944.14.0.1370
Wireless Hardware Version                    Not Available
Wireless Driver Version                      Not Available
 
FW Capabilities                              0x31111140
 
        Intel(R) Capability Licensing Service - PRESENT/ENABLED
        Protect Audio Video Path - PRESENT/ENABLED
        Intel(R) Dynamic Application Loader - PRESENT/ENABLED
        Intel(R) Platform Trust Technology - PRESENT/ENABLED
 
Re-key needed                                False
Platform is re-key capable                   True
TLS                                          Disabled
 

I think I should contact Intel!

I will return if I got the High CPU usage / Sleep Wake up problem happens this time with the old driver. If it happens this would mean only one thing that the LMS utility is causing the problem

"Note: File size exceeds firmware, unneeded padding!"
0x274EDC (2576092) byte
Can I flash this?


CSME Limit (byte) = 0x2FFFFF (3145727)

Everything is in order, ME has been updated.

AN update: I started a Thread in Intel Forum, usually I get a specialist to contact me.

Yesterday My laptop could not wake up and stuck on high CPU usage while waking up while using the old diver

I uninstalled and installed again the old driver and it installed again the LMS utility and DAL(jhi_service.exe).

One thing for sure, these utilities make my Laptop much faster and smoother I don't know how, better I/O response and communications maybe, I don't know what they do, but for sure tey are always on IDL and do nothing in the back ground.

Still not sure if the LMS utility and DAL(jhi_service.exe) are causing the issue, but with the old driver and utilities I got the problem

@jen1
This driver is not supposed to do any change in performance. In fact, the useless services may cause adicional resources usage and will never have a real purpose on a consumer laptop (not true if you have a intel vPRO powered laptop)
So I think you should take a look at your operating system and drivers. You can uninstall anything that is intel MEI related and disable the Intel MEI device on device manager to see if it makes any difference. The critical part of intel management engine is at firmware level and that can't disabled without some bios modding.

@TigTex I agree useless services will slow down the PC and only use resources like RAM, CPU and I/O, that is why I have disabled 2 component drivers if you check my post #5005 you can see the Image.

Installing drivers for hardware will increase the performance, for example, installing VGA drivers will take much resources but will make your PC much faster, I think it is the case with Intel ME

Regarding Intel ME, I tried once disabling the device on device manager as someone suggested in Microsoft Forum, but it didn't help my laptop failed to sleep as I recall, but that was with a different older firmware.

ON Topic: I think I found the solution, it is the LMS and DAL services, cause every time I install the older driver now it installed these services and the laptop fails to sleep/wake up every single time, not one it could sleep with the services installed. bur before there was no problem for a while, days for sure

So I decided to try the new driver without these services, I installed W8 which it is not for Windows8 as Windows 8 is not supported long time ago, I think 8 here refers to something else or maybe a Intel didn't rename in purpose to distinguish it as none DCH. but it is not a DCH and Windows 10 will not force the services through windows update, cause these drivers will not add components devices.

The results are amazing:

My laptop is super fast, it is like buying a new laptop, I can't believe how much the response is now, no High CPU usage, and so far my laptop could sleep/wake up so many times.

I think I fixed the problem now .. will return for sure but I think it is fixed now.

Intel(R) ME code versions:
 
BIOS Version                                 E1815IMS.312
MEBx Version                                 0.0.0.0000
GbE Version                                  Unknown
Vendor ID                                    8086
PCH Version                                  31
FW Version                                   11.8.78.3681 H
Security Version (SVN)                       3
LMS Version                                  Not Available
MEI Driver Version                           2013.14.0.1529
Wireless Hardware Version                    Not Available
Wireless Driver Version                      Not Available
 
FW Capabilities                              0x31111140
 
        Intel(R) Capability Licensing Service - PRESENT/ENABLED
        Protect Audio Video Path - PRESENT/ENABLED
        Intel(R) Dynamic Application Loader - PRESENT/ENABLED
        Intel(R) Platform Trust Technology - PRESENT/ENABLED
 

To sum, in my case it was the services/drivers DAL, iCLS and LMS that were causing the problem, installing just the driver "W8" fixes the problem. But please note, installing the W10 drivers will force these services by Windows Update cause it install them as component drivers.


I have seen so many complaining about sleeping/wake up issue due to Intel ME, I hope this post may help some.

Thanks,


Edit:

Although my windows is 1909, these W8 Drivers not only fixes the problem, but they made my laptop supper computer as it should be,

I am so happy no, gonna report to Intel

Is there a workaround for "Lower ARB SVN" error? I've flashed to a much newer ME firmware than my manufacturer provides and the file sizes are different ... I fear I might have broken something here and now I can't go back. :|

I see it seems I have modified this by flashing much newer firmware than my manufacturer provided, however my machine still works fine ... I think? Is there a way to downgrade to the firmware they provided?

Alos maybe you can check my thread about cleaning ME on my laptop also? I posted my full dump and flash decriptor bins. :)

EDIT: I checked my BIOS settings and the Anti-Rollback stuff is Disabled ... is there any other way to downgrade?

Zitat von Binarycraft im Beitrag #5013

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"Note: File size exceeds firmware, unneeded padding!"
0x274EDC (2576092) byte
Can I flash this?


CSME Limit (byte) = 0x2FFFFF (3145727)

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Zitat von plutomaniac im Beitrag #5023

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BIOS has nothing to do with CSME ARB SVN. I told you how to look for its value. You have no reason to downgrade if it works just fine. I'm not interested in me_cleaner utility.

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Hi @all,

12.0 Consumer PCH-H B, A Firmware v12.0.65.1567 I could not find this file. I think I'm getting old. Can anyone write the place know?

Thanks.