Thanks. I use CH341A programmer.
Then you wont have any problems, to reflash any ME version 
THE_FIST will need to look into this possibly, even though ME region is write enabled Iâm not sure if Gigabyteâs Qflash in BIOS or EFIFlash will flash full BIOS including the ME region when he flashes the new ME Downgraded BIOS I posted.
If either program doesnât, then heâll have to do via Intel FPT, that should work OK without needing a flash programmer due to Descriptor region being Write enabled. At least I think thatâs true
I think itâs very good 
I hope THE_FIST will succeed.
Iâm thinking he should have success! Hopefully the other ME was the only issue with those BIOS making it not boot yesterday.
Oh wow, I didnât know that was an issue. All of my 8700kâs are ES. They are engineering samples obtained in a legal and legitimate wayâŚ
I can easily remove the IC and re-solder if needed. I have an Arduino I can use to program the IC, but now I think the issue might be ES/retail as you mentioned. When I get home today I will flash the recent bios you made for me and see how it goes.
Thanks again for all the help with this. I am good with the hardware end in terms of soldering SMT and extreme cverclocking, but the bios editing is new to me.
Good luck
Oh wow, I didnât know that was an issue. All of my 8700kâs are ES. They are engineering samples obtained in a legal and legitimate wayâŚ
I can easily remove the IC and re-solder if needed. I have an Arduino I can use to program the IC, but now I think the issue might be ES/retail as you mentioned. When I get home today I will flash the recent bios you made for me and see how it goes.
Thanks again for all the help with this. I am good with the hardware end in terms of soldering SMT and extreme cverclocking, but the bios editing is new to me.
Youâre welcome for the help! Thatâs why I asked, legalities I donât care about, I use ES sometimes too
I only asked because often ES microcodes are different, and usually donât get updates always either.What is your CPUID, or give a link to CPU-z validation if you arenât sure. I only made those BIOS with retail microcodes, Iâll have to re-edit to put in ES code instead so donât flash until new BIOS is posted once you give your CPUID
CPU-world doesnât show CPUID for ES on these, or I wouldnât have to ask. It does give separate s-spec though (QNMK ), but clicking that does not show what CPUID they use, so Iâll need you to show or tell me.
If it is the same as retail (906EA) then go ahead and flash, none of this is of concern
Then send me one 8700K sample (for testing purposes), thanks
As for soldering, itâs good you can do if needed, but I think you can reflash ME region with Intel FPT from DOS as mentioned since ME region is write enabled in these BIOS.
Iâm not sure if Gigabyteâs flashers (Qflash or EFIFlash) will redo the ME for a downgrade, if not do FPT so you donât have to solder for no reason
I did some digging but didnât find anything either. Iâm inclined to believe there may not be a different cpuid for es cfl. KBL cpuid was 906e8 for early es, and 906e9 for final es / prod. CFL starts immediately after at 906ea/906eb.
I was messing around today with MOCF and LN2 8700k, so I grabbed a quick validation file. I just did this one 20 minutes ago, not sure if it tells you what you need to know. I can fire up MOCF tomorow once board thaws out and drys off, then I can get any info you need.
http://valid.x86.fr/p7gls2
Thanks, that shows what I needed to see on CPUID, itâs on the middle left side 906EA. Itâs same CPUID as retail, so if my mod is good now with the older Intel ME you should be able to boot it
Although, I did not clean ME, but it was taken out of a motherboard BIOS not a dump, so I didnât think it would need that. Someone with more knowledge would have to speak on that.
In case anyone knows thatâs reading, attached is the ME I inserted, if you could check it and see if it needs cleaned, reset, or otherwise changed for this motherboard (Z270X-Gaming-SOC).
If was pulled from Asrock Z170 Extreme6(7.20), please edit it if you donât mind or let me know what it needs - thanks!
Nice 7.1GHz! 
11.60.1126.ME.zip (1.17 MB)
Ok, I just tried the last one you made with downgraded ME (Z27XGSOCME.F5). It flashed fine but its the same result, fails to post with coffee 8700k.
I guess at this point I will have to look into the Intel flashing.
Does it post with skylake CPU? If yes, check what Intel ME version shows in BIOS or windows.
Also, did you try flash both ways? 1x Qflash and 1x EFIFlash? If not, may want to try that too, in case one reflashes ME and the other doesnât and you only happen to try the method that doesnât
If it does post with skylake, and Intel ME is wrong version, you can update it with skylake CPU in just flash Intel ME from DOS or windows (With driver installed) with FPT and then try coffee CPU again (Without more BIOS flash needed)
With connected and insulated pins? Use the pcie patched file? If so then try to do as says Bugger Vance.
Speaking of PCIE. When you test this, are you checking a bootup with both onboard and then another with PCIE card? Test both ways, in case one is not working.
Do you get any debug LED codes shown? If yes, what are they?
I bet itâs the ME issue though, usually even if a branded flasher like Qflash or EFIFlash is going to reflash the ME, I think it usually only does that forwards not backwards, so you may have to manually flash it backwards
FWIW, although itâs a different model (GA-H110M-S2PV), QFlash was able to overwrite/downgrade ME on my board.
Here, another set of BIOS to try! This one is updated with old Intel ME from this specific board Z270X-Gaming-SOC, BIOS F3+F4 @ ME ver. 11.6.20.1221
Itâs probably best to use this one, the other 11.6 Intel ME I put in previously was from another brand board and Z170 chipset, so ME probably not set as it should be for this board.
http://www.filedropper.com/z270x-gaming-âŚ-mod-f5-old-me2
I think this is best bet, hopefully as GnatGoSplat mentioned, Qflash will update/downgrade the ME to this version.
If that doesnât happen, you can do via windows or DOS with Intel Flash Programming Tool (FPT), command for that is on this page or previous
asus B250i Strix will works??
Guys in a quick browse I didnât seem to find anything
does this somehow work in an h110m-C/BR? Is there a bios mod for it?
just a dump question: is that microcode from post#1 (microcode 72) the only one that will work or is it possible to implement any newer microcode for kaby-/coffeelake within this project to make coffeelake cpu run on series 100/200 motherboards?
i asked because of i implemented all the latest microcodes which UBU 1.7dev currently will have. But i could my i3-8350K CPU not to run (even after downgrading ME firmware from 11.8.50.3470 to 11.0.6.xx
newer microcodes work fine. Some people prefer to not endure spectre patch slowdowns.