I
What exact firmware did he try to flash? With what tool exactly? I can tell you from now that:
a) USB FlashBack does not restore the ME Region, only the BIOS Region (which are both different components of the SPI chip on the motherboard)
b) The SPI chip of that motherboard is socketed so it can be removed and either replaced by ordering a new one or reflashed with a very cheap programmer
By the way: I have removed your email to avoid spam and removed the 2nd thread.
He
What tool did he use? Was it FWUpdate? It makes no sense because that tool does not allow you to flash 5MB firmware on a system which has 1.5MB, it will report wrong sku and abort the operation. It’s important to know what tool was used and with what command exactly. Did he also flash other stuff at the time, other BIOS maybe? Maybe the problem is not ME but BIOS. Try a clear CMOS first by pressing the equivalent button on the motherboard in case it’s just bad BIOS configuration. Also, try reflashing the BIOS region with FlashBack followed by a clear CMOS in case the BIOS has the problem. If these don’t work and the problem is at the ME or the system doesn’t boot at all, then there is no other way to restore it without a programmer or buying a new pre-flashed chip.
c
FWUpdate doesn’t flash the wrong SKU, maybe it got stuck for some reason or maybe the power was cut in the middle of updating. As I said though, if the problem is indeed the ME and it doesn’t even post then we cannot fix it via software. Flashback can restore the BIOS Region only and quite frankly I’m not even sure if it can do as much with a bricked ME since the latter is loaded/checked first. If you want to try it then go for it. Just download the latest “BIOS” (SPI image) from ASUS, and put the ~8MB .cap file in a fat32 formatted usb drive. I don’t have to add anything, the ME is already at the SPI image provided by ASUS.
Whatever
I am not obligated to help you, not in any way. Keep that in mind before calling someone rude out of thin air. Don’t expect help without the story of what exactly happened. I do not, for example, visit a doctor with the claim of being in pain while refusing to pinpoint where it does and how/when it occurred in the first place. It’s funny how you think (and demand) that someone can fix your pc from a distance when such a problem exists. It’s even funnier that you were hiding crucial details which would lead the one helping to reach a conclusion quickly, the only conclusion by the way. Obviously the system is bricked, FPT is completely the wrong tool to flash the ME firmware in that way. The SPI image was replaced with just the ME region. That’s what happens when people don’t read instructions. The system is dead, end of story. If you cannot run a programmer, get a pre-flashed replacement chip or visit someone closeby, family, internet cafe, neighbor where another computer is. I told you what’s wrong and your options, nothing else can be done. My previous posts were not even remotely rude, read them again. On the contrary, that was you. When you don’t respect the free help, don’t expect to be respected back.