[Need Help] ME Firmware for HP Pavilion 17-e063sr

Special Topics Intel Management Engine
1

Dear Win-Raid,

There is a conflict in data presented by HWINFO and MeAnalyzer.

HWINFO says I have v8.1, Build 1416, Hotfix 40

hwinfomeinfo.png



While running ME Analyzer on my latest downloaded and installed BIOS BIN file shows 9.0.20.1447.

meanalyzer.png



I want to update ME Firmware and have downloaded ME tools v8 and latest ME 8 1.5MB v8.1.70.1590.

Running MeInfo from v8 tools gives the following output:
Intel(R) MEInfo Version: 8.1.56.1541
Copyright(C) 2005 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.


FW Status Register1: 0x1E000042
FW Status Register2: 0x66000106

CurrentState: Recovery
ManufacturingMode: Disabled
FlashPartition: Valid
OperationalState: M0 with UMA
InitComplete: Initializing
BUPLoadState: Success
ErrorCode: No Error
ModeOfOperation: Normal
ICC: Valid OEM data, ICC programmed

Windows OS Version : 6.2.9200 “”
OS BIOS Support : UEFI

Table Type 16 ( 0x 10 ) found, size of 23 (0x 17 ) bytes
Table Type 17 ( 0x 11 ) found, size of 34 (0x 22 ) bytes
Table Type 20 ( 0x 14 ) found, size of 35 (0x 23 ) bytes
Table Type 17 ( 0x 11 ) found, size of 34 (0x 22 ) bytes
Table Type 20 ( 0x 14 ) found, size of 35 (0x 23 ) bytes
Table Type 19 ( 0x 13 ) found, size of 31 (0x 1F ) bytes
Table Type 0 ( 0x 00 ) found, size of 24 (0x 18 ) bytes

Windows OS Version : 6.2.9200 “”
OS BIOS Support : UEFI

Table Type 16 ( 0x 10 ) found, size of 23 (0x 17 ) bytes
Table Type 17 ( 0x 11 ) found, size of 34 (0x 22 ) bytes
Table Type 20 ( 0x 14 ) found, size of 35 (0x 23 ) bytes
Table Type 17 ( 0x 11 ) found, size of 34 (0x 22 ) bytes
Table Type 20 ( 0x 14 ) found, size of 35 (0x 23 ) bytes
Table Type 19 ( 0x 13 ) found, size of 31 (0x 1F ) bytes
Table Type 0 ( 0x 00 ) found, size of 24 (0x 18 ) bytes
Table Type 1 ( 0x 01 ) found, size of 27 (0x 1B ) bytes
Table Type 2 ( 0x 02 ) found, size of 16 (0x 10 ) bytes
Table Type 3 ( 0x 03 ) found, size of 23 (0x 17 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 9 ( 0x 09 ) found, size of 17 (0x 11 ) bytes
Table Type 9 ( 0x 09 ) found, size of 17 (0x 11 ) bytes
Table Type 9 ( 0x 09 ) found, size of 17 (0x 11 ) bytes
Table Type 11 ( 0x 0B ) found, size of 5 (0x 05 ) bytes
Table Type 13 ( 0x 0D ) found, size of 22 (0x 16 ) bytes
Table Type 32 ( 0x 20 ) found, size of 20 (0x 14 ) bytes
Table Type 41 ( 0x 29 ) found, size of 11 (0x 0B ) bytes
Table Type 131 ( 0x 83 ) found, size of 64 (0x 40 ) bytes
MEBx Version found is 0.0.0.0000

Error 9458: Communication error between application and Intel(R) ME module (FW Update client)

Error 9459: Internal error (Could not determine FW features information)


Currently installed is latest F.28 BIOS obtained from HP (can’t post link to support page due to limit for new users)

The only Intel management interface driver which works is the one from the HP support website which is version 9.5.10.1658.

Stock windows driver and latest driver for V8.0 ME gives device can’t start 10 error.

What is going on?

I have slow boot issues and if ME is in recovery mode, as you can see, could it be the problem?



CPU-Z Mainboard screenshot: (my chipset which is HM76, should be ME V8.0, right?)

cpuzbios.png



Hope I was clear enough with the information provided.

I have tried all day long and figured out that it is better to ask, since you are experts in the subject!
Thanks in advance for your time and help!

David


Edit by Fernando: Thread title shortened

hwinfoserial.png

2

HM76 its ME FW 8.1 NOT 9.x

ME FW images ARE NOT the same as ME Drivers

3

Hi there! Thanks for the confirmation that the ME firmware is 8.1.

How should I update it now? Trying to dump via flash tool gives error 26.

Should I just try to flash with latest ME firmware anyway? Would it work or should I solve recovery mode and error 26 first?

Please help me heal and update this computer :slight_smile:

Much appreciated!

David

4

Start reading, learning and working.

Intel (Converged Security) Management Engine: Drivers, Firmware and Tools

Dump, analyse it, verify FW variation, search for latest in same variation 1.5Mb/5Mb, update it.

5

Good day!

I receive the following output for MEManuf:

Intel(R) MEManuf Version: 8.1.56.1541
Copyright(C) 2005 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.


FW Status Register1: 0x1E000042
FW Status Register2: 0x60000106

CurrentState: Recovery
ManufacturingMode: Disabled
FlashPartition: Valid
OperationalState: M0 with UMA
InitComplete: Initializing
BUPLoadState: Success
ErrorCode: No Error
ModeOfOperation: Normal
ICC: Valid OEM data, ICC programmed

Error 9256: Communication error between host application and Intel(R) ME FW

Error 9255: Internal error

Could not determine FW features information

Error 9296: MEManuf Test Failed


and the following output from FWupdate:

C:\me\tools\FWUpdate\Local-Win64>FWUpdLcl64 -save fw.bin

Intel (R) Firmware Update Utility Version: 8.1.72.3002
Copyright (C) 2007 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.


Error 8193: Intel (R) ME Interface : Cannot locate ME device driver

STATUS: restore point operation failed.




Driver installed is 11.0.5.1189
Driver status:
This device cannot start. (Code 10)

STATUS_DEVICE_POWER_FAILURE


The older driver which HP supplies V9.5 works without Code 10 but still same errors in MEManuf and FWupdate.

What is the cause for this?

6

Without a working "Intel(R) Management Engine Interface" device in OS environment, the Intel ME tools will not work.

Run on cmd admin: meinfowin (-verbose)

Uninstall all ME related apps and old drivers, reinstall only the driver from section D1

7

Uninstalled and installed only the driver from section D1.

Here’s the output from meinfowin -verbose

Intel(R) MEInfo Version: 8.1.56.1541
Copyright(C) 2005 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.


FW Status Register1: 0x1E000042
FW Status Register2: 0x66000106

CurrentState: Recovery
ManufacturingMode: Disabled
FlashPartition: Valid
OperationalState: M0 with UMA
InitComplete: Initializing
BUPLoadState: Success
ErrorCode: No Error
ModeOfOperation: Normal
ICC: Valid OEM data, ICC programmed

Windows OS Version : 6.2.9200 “”
OS BIOS Support : UEFI

Table Type 16 ( 0x 10 ) found, size of 23 (0x 17 ) bytes
Table Type 17 ( 0x 11 ) found, size of 34 (0x 22 ) bytes
Table Type 20 ( 0x 14 ) found, size of 35 (0x 23 ) bytes
Table Type 17 ( 0x 11 ) found, size of 34 (0x 22 ) bytes
Table Type 20 ( 0x 14 ) found, size of 35 (0x 23 ) bytes
Table Type 19 ( 0x 13 ) found, size of 31 (0x 1F ) bytes
Table Type 0 ( 0x 00 ) found, size of 24 (0x 18 ) bytes

Windows OS Version : 6.2.9200 “”
OS BIOS Support : UEFI

Table Type 16 ( 0x 10 ) found, size of 23 (0x 17 ) bytes
Table Type 17 ( 0x 11 ) found, size of 34 (0x 22 ) bytes
Table Type 20 ( 0x 14 ) found, size of 35 (0x 23 ) bytes
Table Type 17 ( 0x 11 ) found, size of 34 (0x 22 ) bytes
Table Type 20 ( 0x 14 ) found, size of 35 (0x 23 ) bytes
Table Type 19 ( 0x 13 ) found, size of 31 (0x 1F ) bytes
Table Type 0 ( 0x 00 ) found, size of 24 (0x 18 ) bytes
Table Type 1 ( 0x 01 ) found, size of 27 (0x 1B ) bytes
Table Type 2 ( 0x 02 ) found, size of 16 (0x 10 ) bytes
Table Type 3 ( 0x 03 ) found, size of 23 (0x 17 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of 9 (0x 09 ) bytes
Table Type 9 ( 0x 09 ) found, size of 17 (0x 11 ) bytes
Table Type 9 ( 0x 09 ) found, size of 17 (0x 11 ) bytes
Table Type 9 ( 0x 09 ) found, size of 17 (0x 11 ) bytes
Table Type 11 ( 0x 0B ) found, size of 5 (0x 05 ) bytes
Table Type 13 ( 0x 0D ) found, size of 22 (0x 16 ) bytes
Table Type 32 ( 0x 20 ) found, size of 20 (0x 14 ) bytes
Table Type 41 ( 0x 29 ) found, size of 11 (0x 0B ) bytes
Table Type 131 ( 0x 83 ) found, size of 64 (0x 40 ) bytes
MEBx Version found is 0.0.0.0000

Error 9458: Communication error between application and Intel(R) ME module (FW Update client)

Error 9459: Internal error (Could not determine FW features information)


Driver status is:
This device cannot start. (Code 10)

STATUS_DEVICE_POWER_FAILURE

Device PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1E3A&SUBSYS_1972103C&REV_04\3&11583659&0&B0 had a problem starting.

Driver Name: oem7.inf
Class Guid: {4d36e97d-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
Service: MEIx64
Lower Filters:
Upper Filters:
Problem: 0xA
Problem Status: 0xC000009E

8

Can try, FPT -greset
Does the “Intel(R) Management Engine Interface” in device management has yellow exclamation mark?
You can have a bios issue or motherboard HW issue, as it is you’ll never get the ME FW update through OS environment in that device state
Load bios defaults or flash/recover again latest official bios (but official bios from HP are not a full image only update with no ME image). Did you messed with the bios/mods? Anything you’re not sharing here with us?
DOS based ME8 tools also an option

9

FPT -greset output:

Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool. Version: 8.1.60.1561
Copyright (c) 2007 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Platform: Intel(R) HM76 Express Chipset
Reading HSFSTS register… Flash Descriptor: Valid

— Flash Devices Found —
EN25Q32B ID:0x1C3016 Size: 4096KB (32768Kb)

Could not set the GlobalReset bit
Initializing HECI Client…
FW Status Register1: 0x1E000042
FW Status Register2: 0x66000106
Current ME State ( 0x6 ) : Host Comm
The ME could not be reset from the program. The system requires a manual Power-off

Error 217: Setting Global Reset Failed



The device has yellow exclamation mark.
Only official and latest BIOS is installed, version F.28.

Tried yesterday to re-flash with the latest bios, still the same results…

Here is what is interesting, only HP supplied ME driver, version 9.5 works in Device Manager without exclamation mark, but all tools still give the same errors mentioned in previous posts.

10

That 9.5 from HP is indeed strange behavior, even so it wont let the tools communicate, this getting out of my league, maybe Plato can help as he has greater more skills on this subject.
The power-off should be done, if u can access CMOS battery and off course AC and main battery, remove all and leave it to drain the mainboard. Next clean boot try the tools again.
This can also indicate beside an HW issue, a bios/ME FW image corrupted, but i would ask an opinion to Plato.
Good luck.

EDIT: Yes i saw it, but thats an original HP Win 8.1 driver, by the way what OS your’re on? I ask this because usually a modern OS clean install after Win Update doesn’t use any 9.5 driver…

11

Tried loading defaults and re-flashing the BIOS. This laptop needs to be torn apart in order to access the CMOS battery, not sure I want to go through that right now.

The driver which works is 9.5.10.1658 - 02/07/2013.

But no tool communicates with it…


EDIT: Both in Win 10 and Win 11. Currently Win 11. I have manually downloaded and installed that driver, from HP website. The latest driver doesn’t start both in Win 10 and in Win 11.

Would be glad if Plato could assist.
Thanks for your help!

12

Good day!

I was researching why I can’t communicate with the ME region and came across this guide:
https://github.com/mostav02/remove_intelme_fpt

According to the writer, ME driver isn’t necessary for FPT operations but it is necessary for MEInfo.
’‘Intel Management Engine Interface is not required for FPT, but it’s required for communicating with Intel ME. In our specific case it is needed to run MEInfo in order to determine the Intel Boot Guard status on your system for choosing a correct method of disabling Intel ME.’‘

So I ran FPT like this:
"‘Run cmd.exe in the escalated privileges mode (Right-click on cmd.exe and and choose Run as administrator)

Move to the directory Flash Programming Tool which is inside the extracted Intel ME System Tools distribution.

Run FPT with -i and optionally -verbose flags (e.g. fptw64.exe -i) to check whether you have the supported SPI and ensure FPT is able to use it.’‘


The result:
Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool. Version: 8.1.60.1561
Copyright (c) 2007 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Number of LPC Devices supported: 174
LPC Device Id: 1E59.
Platform: Intel(R) HM76 Express Chipset
Initializing SPI utilities
Reading HSFSTS register… Flash Descriptor: Valid

Region Limits as programmed into the SPI Registers
FREG0 - DESC Region:Base Address: 0x000000 Limit : 0x000FFF
FREG1 - BIOS Region:Base Address: 0x180000 Limit : 0x3FFFFF
FREG2 - ME Region:Base Address: 0x001000 Limit : 0x17FFFF
FREG3 - GbE Region:Base Address: 0x1FFF000 Limit : 0x000FFF
FREG4 - PDR Region:Base Address: 0x1FFF000 Limit : 0x000FFF
Address Limit 0x400000 Maximum Memory 4096kB


— Flash Devices Found —
EN25Q32B ID:0x1C3016 Size: 4096KB (32768Kb)

Using hardware sequencing.
Reading region information from flash descriptor.
Base: 0x000000, Limit: 0x000FFF
Base: 0x180000, Limit: 0x3FFFFF
Base: 0x001000, Limit: 0x17FFFF
FW Status Register1: 0x1E000042
FW Status Register2: 0x60000106
— Flash Image Information –
Signature: VALID
Number of Flash Components: 1
Component 1 - 4096KB (32768Kb)
Regions:
Descriptor - Base: 0x000000, Limit: 0x000FFF
BIOS - Base: 0x180000, Limit: 0x3FFFFF
ME - Base: 0x001000, Limit: 0x17FFFF
GbE - Not present
PDR - Not present
Master Region Access:
CPU/BIOS - ID: 0x0000, Read: 0x0B, Write: 0x0A
ME - ID: 0x0000, Read: 0x0D, Write: 0x0C
GbE - ID: 0x0118, Read: 0x08, Write: 0x08

Total Accessable SPI Memory: 4096KB, Total Installed SPI Memory : 4096KB
FW Status Register1: 0x1E000042
FW Status Register2: 0x60000106
Current ME State ( 0x6 ) : Host Comm

FPT Operation Passed

I was happy to see some progress, but, then trying to read / write to ME region showed that it is locked…

’‘However, some FPT versions may give false-positives regarding access status using -I, so a guaranteed way is to try reading the flash memory and writing it back, in this case the FD or ME region.

Read the FD with FPT:
fptw64.exe -DESC -D myFD.bin

Try to write the FD back:
fptw64.exe -DESC -F myFD.bin’’‘


The result:
C:\me\tools\Flash Programming Tool\Windows64>fptw64.exe -DESC -D myFD.bin

Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool. Version: 8.1.60.1561
Copyright (c) 2007 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Platform: Intel(R) HM76 Express Chipset
Reading HSFSTS register… Flash Descriptor: Valid

— Flash Devices Found —
EN25Q32B ID:0x1C3016 Size: 4096KB (32768Kb)


- Reading Flash [0x001000] 4KB of 4KB - 100% complete.
Writing flash contents to file “myFD.bin”…

Memory Dump Complete
FPT Operation Passed

C:\me\tools\Flash Programming Tool\Windows64>fptw64.exe -DESC -F myFD.bin

Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool. Version: 8.1.60.1561
Copyright (c) 2007 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Platform: Intel(R) HM76 Express Chipset
Reading HSFSTS register… Flash Descriptor: Valid

— Flash Devices Found —
EN25Q32B ID:0x1C3016 Size: 4096KB (32768Kb)

PDR Region does not exist.
GBE Region does not exist.

Error 25: The host CPU does not have write access to the target flash area. To enable write access for this operation you must modify the descriptor settings to give host access to this region.


I then tried:
’‘In case the FD is locked, you still could try to check whether ME is unlocked.’'

Read the ME with FPT:
fptw64.exe -ME -D myME.bin

Try to write the ME back:
fptw64.exe -ME -F myME.bin

The result:
C:\me\tools\Flash Programming Tool\Windows64>fptw64.exe -DESC -F myFD.bin

Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool. Version: 8.1.60.1561
Copyright (c) 2007 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Platform: Intel(R) HM76 Express Chipset
Reading HSFSTS register… Flash Descriptor: Valid

— Flash Devices Found —
EN25Q32B ID:0x1C3016 Size: 4096KB (32768Kb)

PDR Region does not exist.
GBE Region does not exist.

Error 25: The host CPU does not have write access to the target flash area. To enable write access for this operation you must modify the descriptor settings to give host access to this region.

C:\me\tools\Flash Programming Tool\Windows64>fptw64.exe -ME -D myME.bin

Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool. Version: 8.1.60.1561
Copyright (c) 2007 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Platform: Intel(R) HM76 Express Chipset
Reading HSFSTS register… Flash Descriptor: Valid

— Flash Devices Found —
EN25Q32B ID:0x1C3016 Size: 4096KB (32768Kb)



Error 26: The host CPU does not have read access to the target flash area. To enable read access for this operation you must modify the descriptor settings to give host access to this region.


So I guess there is no way to update the FW without using an external reader / writer?


EDIT:
fptw64.exe -BIOS -D BIOS.bin

This command works, other regions, such as ME, can’t be read and saved…

C:\me\tools\Flash Programming Tool\Windows64>fptw64.exe -BIOS -D BIOS.bin

Intel (R) Flash Programming Tool. Version: 8.1.60.1561
Copyright (c) 2007 - 2014, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.

Platform: Intel(R) HM76 Express Chipset
Reading HSFSTS register… Flash Descriptor: Valid

— Flash Devices Found —
EN25Q32B ID:0x1C3016 Size: 4096KB (32768Kb)

[BIOS.bin] file already exists
Do you want to overwrite file? Y/<N> or q to quit : y


- Reading Flash [0x400000] 2560KB of 2560KB - 100% complete.
Writing flash contents to file “BIOS.bin”…

Memory Dump Complete
FPT Operation Passed

13

Normal behaviours, specially on OEMs like HP… as usually its locked

All your tests means that for this tools to read and write on the SPI, needs the bios regions to be unlocked.

[Guide] Unlock Intel Flash Descriptor Read/Write Access Permissions for SPI Servicing
[GUIDE] Grub Fix Intel FPT Error 280 or 368 - BIOS Lock Asus/Other Mod BIOS Flash

Careful on the use of this tools or you’ll end up indeed needing an SPI programmer.