Optiplex XE3 ME FW issue/upgrade (MeSpiLock)

[marchewd]

I just updated my ESXi host (Dell X3E) with the latest 1.28.0 firmware and I am getting this error. Since it’s not a Windows machine, anyone know how to manually update the ME firmware from the boot menu? When I try to just update the flash from the F12 menu, it gives me the error and locks up after displaying the ME Firmware Downgrade Request MeSpiLock Failed error.

[lfb6]

@marchewd

Since it’s not a Windows machine, anyone know how to manually update the ME firmware from the boot menu?

From the boot menu?

FwUpdate tools exist- version dependant- often for DOS, EFI shell, linux 32 and 64 and Win32 and Win64. But if the update fails often these tools fail, too.

For the understanding of these tools and the update files for for example CSME 2-15:

Intel (Converged Security) Management Engine: Drivers, Firmware and Tools (2-15)

Intel (Converged Security) Management Engine: Drivers, Firmware and Tools for (CS)ME 2-15 Last Updated: 2022-09-08 Intel Management Engine Introduction: Built into many Intel-based platforms is a small, low power computer subsystem called the Intel Management Engine (Intel ME). This can perform various tasks while the system is booting, running or sleeping. It operates independently from the main CPU, BIOS and OS but can interact with them if needed. The ME is responsible for many parts of a…

[marchewd]

Ok, I will look into it. I wasn’t sure if there was perhaps a service menu since you can run the bios exe file from within the boot menu.

[lfb6]

An extra menu for ME updates wouldn’t make too much sense actually since Dell includes almost always an ME update in it’s bios updates?

Which ME version are we talking about?

[marchewd]

Here is the link to the BIOS. https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=jtxmm&oscode=wt64a&productcode=optiplex-xe3

I was on 1.26.0 and just upgraded it via the boot menu option to update BIOS via USB. Done it a hundred times on various Dell Optiplexes. But for whatever reason, it updated the core BIOS to 1.28.0 but gives me the ME Failure. If I try to run the update BIOS option, it locks up the system right after it flashes the ME failure error message. Luckily the machine boots fine and no issues, but I’ll never be able to update the BIOS again! LOL. I use this PC to run my vSphere instance.

[lfb6]

An ME update- that can be used with the already mentioned tools- can be extracted with Dell_PFS_Extract. Tools package for ME 12 is available in the mentioned thread. Would be interesting if the earlier ME updates worked or

The solution would probably be to re-configure / clean the ME region (in a dump of your bios) according to

[Guide] Clean Dumped Intel Engine (CS)ME/(CS)TXE Regions with Data Initialization

Guide-How To: Clean Dumped Intel Engine (CS)ME/(CS)TXE Regions with Data Initialization Last Updated: 2020-07-22 This guide is relevant to those who need to clean the DATA section of an Engine (CSME, ME, CSTXE, TXE) Region, which is part of a dumped SPI/BIOS image, in order to flash the latter on a different machine of the same OEM model. It is not meant as a guide on how to completely transform a dumped Engine region into a stock Intel-provided one. Although the guide can be used for that some…

Dump might be taken by FPT which is part of the tools mentioned.

[marchewd]

Thanks. I’ll read up on it and give it a try. Been so long since I mess with DOS to boot into, I’ll have to figure out what to do the USB to boot to that environment!