[Solved] GA-X170-WS ECC: ME stuck in manufacturing mode

Special Topics Intel Management Engine
1

To replace my old SuperMicro X10SAT where the AMT SOL is all kinds of broken, I recently bought a secondhand Gigabyte GA-X170-WS. I specifically wanted vPro, ECC, and Thunderbolt. The BIOS has options for AMT, including an option to force MEBx entry, but that option doesn’t work, and neither does Ctrl-P at boot.
I even tried applying Gigabyte’s critical update, and it claims the ME is stuck in Manufacturing mode, and several capabilities are missing.

While the flash is wide open, before possibly I do something wrong by trying to do it myself, what should I do?

Here’s MEInfo –verbose (grabbed from Hiren’s Boot CD):


Intel(R) MEInfo Version: 11.8.92.4189
Copyright(C) 2005 - 2020, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.




Windows OS Version : 10.0

FW Status Register1: 0x90000255
FW Status Register2: 0x01F60506
FW Status Register3: 0x00000430
FW Status Register4: 0x00084004
FW Status Register5: 0x00000000
FW Status Register6: 0x00000000

  CurrentState:                               Normal
  ManufacturingMode:                          Enabled
  FlashPartition:                             Valid
  OperationalState:                           CM0 with UMA
  InitComplete:                               Complete
  BUPLoadState:                               Success
  ErrorCode:                                  No Error
  ModeOfOperation:                            Normal
  SPI Flash Log:                              Present
  FPF HW Source value:                        FPF HW Not Set
  ME FPF Fusing Patch Status:                 ME FPF Fusing patch NOT supported in this FW Version
  Phase:                                      ROM/Preboot
  ICC:                                        Valid OEM data, ICC programmed
  ME File System Corrupted:                   No
  PhaseStatus:                                AFTER_SRAM_INIT
  FPF and ME Config Status:                   Not committed
FW Capabilities value is 0x31301140
Feature enablement is 0x31301140
Platform type is 0x46240428
No Intel Wireless device was found
Intel(R) ME code versions:
                  
    Table Type  85 ( 0x 55 ) found, size of   0 (0x 00 ) bytes 
BIOS Version                                 F22e
    Table Type  85 ( 0x 55 ) found, size of   0 (0x 00 ) bytes 
    Table Type   0 ( 0x 00 ) found, size of  66 (0x 42 ) bytes 
    Table Type   1 ( 0x 01 ) found, size of 130 (0x 82 ) bytes 
    Table Type   2 ( 0x 02 ) found, size of 110 (0x 6E ) bytes 
    Table Type   3 ( 0x 03 ) found, size of  98 (0x 62 ) bytes 
    Table Type   8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of  25 (0x 19 ) bytes 
    Table Type   9 ( 0x 09 ) found, size of  23 (0x 17 ) bytes 
    Table Type  10 ( 0x 0A ) found, size of  33 (0x 21 ) bytes 
    Table Type  11 ( 0x 0B ) found, size of  21 (0x 15 ) bytes 
    Table Type  12 ( 0x 0C ) found, size of  21 (0x 15 ) bytes 
    Table Type  32 ( 0x 20 ) found, size of  22 (0x 16 ) bytes 
    Table Type  34 ( 0x 22 ) found, size of  19 (0x 13 ) bytes 
    Table Type  26 ( 0x 1A ) found, size of  29 (0x 1D ) bytes 
    Table Type  36 ( 0x 24 ) found, size of  18 (0x 12 ) bytes 
    Table Type  35 ( 0x 23 ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  28 ( 0x 1C ) found, size of  29 (0x 1D ) bytes 
    Table Type  36 ( 0x 24 ) found, size of  18 (0x 12 ) bytes 
    Table Type  35 ( 0x 23 ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  27 ( 0x 1B ) found, size of  30 (0x 1E ) bytes 
    Table Type  36 ( 0x 24 ) found, size of  18 (0x 12 ) bytes 
    Table Type  35 ( 0x 23 ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  27 ( 0x 1B ) found, size of  17 (0x 11 ) bytes 
    Table Type  36 ( 0x 24 ) found, size of  18 (0x 12 ) bytes 
    Table Type  35 ( 0x 23 ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  29 ( 0x 1D ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  36 ( 0x 24 ) found, size of  18 (0x 12 ) bytes 
    Table Type  35 ( 0x 23 ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  26 ( 0x 1A ) found, size of  29 (0x 1D ) bytes 
    Table Type  28 ( 0x 1C ) found, size of  29 (0x 1D ) bytes 
    Table Type  27 ( 0x 1B ) found, size of  30 (0x 1E ) bytes 
    Table Type  29 ( 0x 1D ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  39 ( 0x 27 ) found, size of 184 (0x B8 ) bytes 
    Table Type  41 ( 0x 29 ) found, size of  26 (0x 1A ) bytes 
    Table Type  16 ( 0x 10 ) found, size of  25 (0x 19 ) bytes 
    Table Type  17 ( 0x 11 ) found, size of 109 (0x 6D ) bytes 
    Table Type  19 ( 0x 13 ) found, size of  33 (0x 21 ) bytes 
    Table Type  43 ( 0x 2B ) found, size of  46 (0x 2E ) bytes 
    Table Type   7 ( 0x 07 ) found, size of  29 (0x 1D ) bytes 
    Table Type   4 ( 0x 04 ) found, size of 186 (0x BA ) bytes 
    Table Type  20 ( 0x 14 ) found, size of  37 (0x 25 ) bytes 
    Table Type 130 ( 0x 82 ) found, size of  22 (0x 16 ) bytes 
MEBx Version                                 11.0.0.0010
GbE Version                                  0.8
Vendor ID                                    8086
PCH Version                                  31
FW Version                                   11.8.50.3425 H
Security Version (SVN)                       3
LMS Version                                  Not Available
MEI Driver Version                           2603.9.4.0
Wireless Hardware Version                    Not Available
Wireless Driver Version                      Not Available
                                             
FW Capabilities                              0x31301140
                                             
	Intel(R) Capability Licensing Service - PRESENT/ENABLED
	Protect Audio Video Path - PRESENT/ENABLED
	Intel(R) Dynamic Application Loader - PRESENT/ENABLED
	Service Advertisement & Discovery - NOT PRESENT
	Intel(R) NFC Capabilities - NOT PRESENT
	Intel(R) Platform Trust Technology - PRESENT/ENABLED
                                             
Re-key needed                                False
Platform is re-key capable                   True
TLS                                          Enabled
Last ME reset reason                         Global system reset
Local FWUpdate                               Enabled
BIOS Config Lock                             Enabled
GbE Config Lock                              Enabled
Get flash master region access status...done
Host Read Access to ME                       Enabled
Host Write Access to ME                      Enabled
Get EC region access status...done
Host Read Access to EC                       Enabled
Host Write Access to EC                      Enabled
Protected Range Register Base #0 0x0
Protected Range Register Limit #0 0x0
Protected Range Register Base #1 0x0
Protected Range Register Limit #1 0x0
Protected Range Register Base #2 0x0
Protected Range Register Limit #2 0x0
Protected Range Register Base #3 0x0
Protected Range Register Limit #3 0x0
Protected Range Register Base #4 0x0
Protected Range Register Limit #4 0x0
SPI Flash ID 1                               C22018
SPI Flash ID 2                               Unknown
BIOS boot State                              Post Boot
OEM ID                                       00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Capability Licensing Service                 Enabled
OEM Tag                                      0x00000000
Slot 1 Board Manufacturer                    0x00000000
Slot 2 System Assembler                      0x00000000
Slot 3 Reserved                              0x00000000
M3 Autotest                                  Disabled
C-link Status                                Enabled
Independent Firmware Recovery                Disabled
EPID Group ID                                0xFA3

Retrieving Variable "LSPCON Port Configuration" 
LSPCON Ports                                 None

Retrieving Variable "eDP Port Configuration" 
5K Ports                                     None
OEM Public Key Hash FPF                      Not set

Retrieving Variable "OEM Public Key Hash" 
OEM Public Key Hash ME                       0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
ACM SVN FPF                                  0x0
KM SVN FPF                                   0x0
BSMM SVN FPF                                 0x0
GuC Encryption Key FPF                       Not set

Retrieving Variable "GuC Encryption Key" 
GuC Encryption Key ME                        0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
                                             
                                             FPF                      ME
                                             ---                      --
Force Boot Guard ACM                         Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Force Boot Guard ACM Enabled" 
          Disabled
Protect BIOS Environment                     Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Protect BIOS Environment Enabled" 
          Disabled
CPU Debugging                                Not set        
Retrieving Variable "CPU Debugging" 
          Enabled
BSP Initialization                           Not set        
Retrieving Variable "BSP Initialization" 
          Enabled
Measured Boot                                Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Measured Boot Enabled" 
          Disabled
Verified Boot                                Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Verified Boot Enabled" 
          Disabled
Key Manifest ID                              Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Key Manifest ID" 
          0x0
Enforcement Policy                           Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Error Enforcement Policy" 
          0x0
PTT                                          Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Intel(R) PTT Supported" 
          Enabled
EK Revoke State                              Revoked
PTT RTC Clear Detection FPF                  Not set
2

Just in case anybody else has similar issues, I managed to fix it. I had to install Windows on a spare drive (I went with Window 7 for period accuracy), then install the App Center (downloaded from a third-party site), then the “FlashCMD” tool, then flash the BIOS again. Apparently, using Q-Flash must not flash it fully properly.

Weirdly, it still seems to be in an uncommitted state. Can I do anything interesting with it? Is HDCP likely to be broken by the lack of provisioning? (Though if so, whatever, I don’t use HDCP on Linux.)


Intel(R) MEInfo Version: 11.8.92.4189
Copyright(C) 2005 - 2020, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved.




Windows OS Version : 7.0

FW Status Register1: 0x91000255
FW Status Register2: 0x8A11010E
FW Status Register3: 0x00000430
FW Status Register4: 0x00084000
FW Status Register5: 0x00000000
FW Status Register6: 0x00000000

  CurrentState:                               Normal
  ManufacturingMode:                          Enabled
  FlashPartition:                             Valid
  OperationalState:                           CM0 with UMA
  InitComplete:                               Complete
  BUPLoadState:                               Success
  ErrorCode:                                  No Error
  ModeOfOperation:                            Normal
  SPI Flash Log:                              Not Present
  FPF HW Source value:                        FPF HW Not Set
  ME FPF Fusing Patch Status:                 ME FPF Fusing patch NOT supported in this FW Version
  Phase:                                      Maestro
  ICC:                                        Valid OEM data, ICC programmed
  ME File System Corrupted:                   No
  FPF and ME Config Status:                   Not committed
FW Capabilities value is 0x3DFE5147
Feature enablement is 0x1DFE5147
Platform type is 0x46241428
No Intel Wireless device was found
Intel(R) Manageability and Security Application code versions:

    Table Type  85 ( 0x 55 ) found, size of   0 (0x 00 ) bytes 
BIOS Version                                 F22e
    Table Type  85 ( 0x 55 ) found, size of   0 (0x 00 ) bytes 
    Table Type   0 ( 0x 00 ) found, size of  66 (0x 42 ) bytes 
    Table Type   1 ( 0x 01 ) found, size of 130 (0x 82 ) bytes 
    Table Type   2 ( 0x 02 ) found, size of 110 (0x 6E ) bytes 
    Table Type   3 ( 0x 03 ) found, size of  98 (0x 62 ) bytes 
    Table Type   8 ( 0x 08 ) found, size of  25 (0x 19 ) bytes 
    Table Type   9 ( 0x 09 ) found, size of  23 (0x 17 ) bytes 
    Table Type  10 ( 0x 0A ) found, size of  33 (0x 21 ) bytes 
    Table Type  11 ( 0x 0B ) found, size of  21 (0x 15 ) bytes 
    Table Type  12 ( 0x 0C ) found, size of  21 (0x 15 ) bytes 
    Table Type  32 ( 0x 20 ) found, size of  22 (0x 16 ) bytes 
    Table Type  34 ( 0x 22 ) found, size of  19 (0x 13 ) bytes 
    Table Type  26 ( 0x 1A ) found, size of  29 (0x 1D ) bytes 
    Table Type  36 ( 0x 24 ) found, size of  18 (0x 12 ) bytes 
    Table Type  35 ( 0x 23 ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  28 ( 0x 1C ) found, size of  29 (0x 1D ) bytes 
    Table Type  36 ( 0x 24 ) found, size of  18 (0x 12 ) bytes 
    Table Type  35 ( 0x 23 ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  27 ( 0x 1B ) found, size of  30 (0x 1E ) bytes 
    Table Type  36 ( 0x 24 ) found, size of  18 (0x 12 ) bytes 
    Table Type  35 ( 0x 23 ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  27 ( 0x 1B ) found, size of  17 (0x 11 ) bytes 
    Table Type  36 ( 0x 24 ) found, size of  18 (0x 12 ) bytes 
    Table Type  35 ( 0x 23 ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  29 ( 0x 1D ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  36 ( 0x 24 ) found, size of  18 (0x 12 ) bytes 
    Table Type  35 ( 0x 23 ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  26 ( 0x 1A ) found, size of  29 (0x 1D ) bytes 
    Table Type  28 ( 0x 1C ) found, size of  29 (0x 1D ) bytes 
    Table Type  27 ( 0x 1B ) found, size of  30 (0x 1E ) bytes 
    Table Type  29 ( 0x 1D ) found, size of  27 (0x 1B ) bytes 
    Table Type  39 ( 0x 27 ) found, size of 184 (0x B8 ) bytes 
    Table Type  41 ( 0x 29 ) found, size of  26 (0x 1A ) bytes 
    Table Type  16 ( 0x 10 ) found, size of  25 (0x 19 ) bytes 
    Table Type  17 ( 0x 11 ) found, size of 109 (0x 6D ) bytes 
    Table Type  19 ( 0x 13 ) found, size of  33 (0x 21 ) bytes 
    Table Type   7 ( 0x 07 ) found, size of  29 (0x 1D ) bytes 
    Table Type   4 ( 0x 04 ) found, size of 186 (0x BA ) bytes 
    Table Type  20 ( 0x 14 ) found, size of  37 (0x 25 ) bytes 
    Table Type 130 ( 0x 82 ) found, size of  22 (0x 16 ) bytes 
MEBx Version                                 11.0.0.0010
GbE Version                                  0.8
Vendor ID                                    8086
PCH Version                                  31
FW Version                                   11.8.50.3425 H
Security Version (SVN)                       3
LMS Version                                  11.6.0.1045
MEI Driver Version                           1914.12.0.1256
Wireless Hardware Version                    Not Available
Wireless Driver Version                      Not Available
                                             
FW Capabilities                              0x3DFE5147
                                             
	Intel(R) Active Management Technology - PRESENT/ENABLED
	Intel(R) Capability Licensing Service - PRESENT/ENABLED
	Protect Audio Video Path - PRESENT/ENABLED
	Intel(R) Dynamic Application Loader - PRESENT/ENABLED
	Service Advertisement & Discovery - NOT PRESENT
	Intel(R) NFC Capabilities - NOT PRESENT
	Intel(R) Platform Trust Technology - PRESENT/DISABLED
                                             
Re-key needed                                False
Platform is re-key capable                   True
Intel(R) AMT State                           Enabled
AMT Global State                             Disabled
TLS                                          Enabled
Last ME reset reason                         Power up
Local FWUpdate                               Enabled
BIOS Config Lock                             Enabled
GbE Config Lock                              Enabled
Get flash master region access status...done
Host Read Access to ME                       Enabled
Host Write Access to ME                      Enabled
Get EC region access status...done
Host Read Access to EC                       Enabled
Host Write Access to EC                      Enabled
Protected Range Register Base #0 0x0
Protected Range Register Limit #0 0x0
Protected Range Register Base #1 0x0
Protected Range Register Limit #1 0x0
Protected Range Register Base #2 0x0
Protected Range Register Limit #2 0x0
Protected Range Register Base #3 0x0
Protected Range Register Limit #3 0x0
Protected Range Register Base #4 0x0
Protected Range Register Limit #4 0x0
SPI Flash ID 1                               C22018
SPI Flash ID 2                               Unknown
BIOS boot State                              Post Boot
OEM ID                                       00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
Link Status                                  Link Up
System UUID                                  031b021c-040d-050c-5006-7e0700080009
MAC Address                                  1c-1b-0d-0c-50-7e
IPv4 Address                                 192.168.1.159
IPv6 Enablement                              Enabled
IPv6 Address                                 FE80::A51:6E33:C17C:1BA5	2600:6C52:7D7F:C00::5DC	
Privacy/Security Level                       Default
Configuration State                          Completed
Provisioning Mode                            PKI
Capability Licensing Service                 Enabled
OEM Tag                                      0x00000000
Slot 1 Board Manufacturer                    0x00000000
Slot 2 System Assembler                      0x00000000
Slot 3 Reserved                              0x00000000
M3 Autotest                                  Disabled
C-link Status                                Enabled
Wireless Micro-code Mismatch                 No
Wireless Micro-code ID in Firmware           0x24F3
Wireless LAN in Firmware                     Intel(R) Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260
Wireless Hardware ID                         No Intel WLAN card installed
Wireless LAN Hardware                        No Intel WLAN card installed
Localized Language                           English
Independent Firmware Recovery                Disabled
EPID Group ID                                0xFA3

Retrieving Variable "LSPCON Port Configuration" 
LSPCON Ports                                 None

Retrieving Variable "eDP Port Configuration" 
5K Ports                                     None
OEM Public Key Hash FPF                      Not set

Retrieving Variable "OEM Public Key Hash" 
OEM Public Key Hash ME                       0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
ACM SVN FPF                                  0x0
KM SVN FPF                                   0x0
BSMM SVN FPF                                 0x0
GuC Encryption Key FPF                       Not set

Retrieving Variable "GuC Encryption Key" 
GuC Encryption Key ME                        0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
                                             
                                             FPF                      ME
                                             ---                      --
Force Boot Guard ACM                         Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Force Boot Guard ACM Enabled" 
          Disabled
Protect BIOS Environment                     Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Protect BIOS Environment Enabled" 
          Disabled
CPU Debugging                                Not set        
Retrieving Variable "CPU Debugging" 
          Enabled
BSP Initialization                           Not set        
Retrieving Variable "BSP Initialization" 
          Enabled
Measured Boot                                Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Measured Boot Enabled" 
          Disabled
Verified Boot                                Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Verified Boot Enabled" 
          Disabled
Key Manifest ID                              Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Key Manifest ID" 
          0x0
Enforcement Policy                           Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Error Enforcement Policy" 
          0x0
PTT                                          Not set        
Retrieving Variable "Intel(R) PTT Supported" 
          Enabled
EK Revoke State                              Revoked
PTT RTC Clear Detection FPF                  Not set
3

You can try EFIflash for cmd and earlier boot support, not OS apps
or
Intel FPT tool, full system firmware backups is advisable before any “adventures”.
for a full FW re-flash overwrite (bios region + csme region), fpt -greset in the end.

4

Weirdly, the other position on the BIOS switch just gives loud sets of 5 beeps and postcode 55. I’ve tried booting from the working one, switching to backup, and flashing, but that doesn’t fix the backup bios. I’ve tried with Gigabyte’s Windows utility, and with their DOS utility (it didn’t accept the /DB argument). When I use FPT to back up the main flash, then slide the switch and run a new backup, there’s no difference between the files. How can I update the backup BIOS?

EDIT: should I make a new thread for the new question, or nah?

5

Depends on board model and generation…
EFIflash /db switch, Alt+F10 or booting to backup bios and using embedded Q-Flash.

6

It seems like the q-flash must have actually flashed the backup BIOS, for the image to be the same… but then why does that backup BIOS get 0x55 postcode?

7

That’s a typical post error on RAM.