Updating Intel ME Firmware on 15 r2/17 r3 or possibly other BGAs as well

Good idea.
I always follow complicated things. I'll test the BIOS NVRAM reset as well which is listed as beta.

 

FYI,

I finally got through to an escalation engineer at Intel. Here's our conversation:

Ken:

Me:

Ken:

So I guess there's now a chance that Dell may eventually release a subsequent official BIOS update that works properly.

 

Maybe just Dell Specific OEM codes to activate some features at BIOS level is needed.
Even adjusting LocalME update in AMIBCP will brick your PC. So I'm hoping Dell doesn't mess this up on PC with no warranty!

 

HunterZ0's method worked for me! I have a 17 R3 running BIOS 1.3.12. My Local FWUpdate was disabled so clearing CMOS did indeed enable it!

 

I have a 15 R2 laptop, installed 1.4.4 BIOS and got long boot and no shutdown/hibernate properly. reverted to 1.3.2 and only the long boot problem was fixed, wanted to try any of this methods but it looks like Intel ME is not installed on my laptop and can't allow me to install it

 

You can check original post for more info to update MEI FW.

 

I have an Alienware 15 R2 with issues as a result of bios 1.4.4. I'm trying to update the ME firmware. When I run MEinfo to see if local fwupdate is disabled I get an error.

 

It would actually help if you told us which error.

Gesendet von meinem Redmi Note 4 mit Tapatalk

 

Open the back panel and remove RAM sticks and short out the CLR1 pins like @HunterZ0 method suggests.

 

If I run MEinfo from the tools folder I get "Error 86: Communication error between application and Intel(R) ME module (FWU client)" and "Error 81: Internal error (Could not determine FW features information)". I've also tried running the Intel Verification Utility as an admin and get "Error 9270: Fail to load driver." I have tried shorting out the CLR1 pins and have tried going back to bios 1.3.12 as well. Do I need to run MEinfo from a specific folder or can I run it from the desktop? Also should I rename the bios file when I put it on the usb? In the past I've run the bios update without changing the name through the flash upgrade menu.

 

Install MEI driver for 15 r3 and reboot and re-run the MEINFO.exe

 

Everytime I try to install the MEI drivers for my computer I get: "The setup program ended prematurely because of the following error: The platform is not supported."

 

Try reinstalling intel chipset SW.

 

Just tried reinstalling the chipset software and still getting error with MEI driver. Should I try going back to 1.3.12 bios to install or is it ok to stay on 1.4.4?

 

Just wanted to ask and make sure.. how'd you know that you have shorted the clrp pons properly and reset cmos? When you shorted the clrp pins and then went to bios did the time restarted? might be because cmos was not reseted? Mine worked with bios 1.4.4..

 

After I reset the cmos I checked in the bios and it showed that the time was reset.

 

Se also post above... http://forum.notebookreview.com/thr...3-owners-lounge.797884/page-712#post-10705211

 

I'm still having trouble getting the MEI drivers to install. Not sure what I'm doing wrong even when I run the intel sa-00086 detection tool it just says unknown for Intel management engine version.

 

Can you download driverstore explorer and post the screenshot of it by running it as admin?

 

Do I need to upload the image in another format? It doesn't look like the screenshot I uploaded is showing up properly.

 

there's some issue. Upload it to Imgur.

 

Have the issues faced by Sopey15 been solved? I am experiencing the exact same issues:
1) MEInfo gives me the same error message: ""Error 86: Communication error between application and Intel(R) ME module (FWU client)" and "Error 81: Internal error (Could not determine FW features information)".
2) Everytime I try to install the Intel MEI drivers for my Alienware 15 R2 system I get the error: "The setup program ended prematurely because of the following error: The platform is not supported."
3) When I run the intel sa-00086 detection tool it reports that the Intel Management Engine version is unknown.

I have not yet tired to update the Intel ME firmware using the directions posted by HunterZ0 but I am anticipating that it won't work for me since they did not work for Sopey15 (unless someone was able to get his issue resolved).

Among with a few other small annoyances, my laptop never shuts down unless I hold the power button for a long time. It won't update to the new bios version 1.61 as the system just hangs at a black screen on the system reboot.

Thanks.

 

Hi, I suggest go for @HunterZ0 method and before doing that clear your cmos.. Everything should work..

 

Make sure hibernation is disabled and then restart/shut down the PC.

 

Check in Bios if you have selected 'RAID on' or 'AHCI' please. Only using 'RAID on' I was able to install IMEI and/or IRST in Windows 10 on Alienware 13R3. With 'AHCI' in Bios I was getting the same 'unsupported' message.

 

I just checked and RAID was selected (not AHCI) for SATA Operation in Advanced BIOS options.

Because my Alienware manual mentioned that AHCI was the default I changed to AHCI and the system would not boot into Windows. Thus I changed it back to RAID and the system booted fine into Windows but when I tried to install the Intel MEI drivers I still get the error: "The setup program ended prematurely because of the following error: The platform is not supported."

 

I turned off hibernation by running the command prompt as an administrator and using the command powercfg.exe /hibernate off. On the system reboot I got back over 7 gB of hard drive space but it still will not shut down unless I press the power button for a long time and it still won't update the bios to version 1.61 as the system hangs at a black screen on the system reboot.

I am going to try the method mentioned by HunterZ0 later tonight after going out to eat. I will report back as to whether or not it worked for me. Thanks for all the replies.

 

I tried the 4-step method mentioned by HunterZ0 (including step 1 where you short the CLRP1 pins to clear the CMOS) and in step 4 when I ran the FWUpdLcl64.exe -f Data.bin command it gave me the error message you also mentioned receiving:
Error 8743: Unknown or Unsupported Platform
Cannot locate hardware platform identification
This program cannot be run on the current platform.
I know that clearing the cmos worked as the system time was reset to 0.
I may try the HunterZ0 method a second time later today but am going to sleep now.

 

I take it you have installed MEI driver also known as heci.inf If not install it by right clicking the inf file then, click install. https://mega.nz/#!WUdXERSQ!Pb3XyZtpmqlbUEsfc6PoSXfGZ3XFbb2mvswQX0EtSp0

 

I was about to say as well.. Double check if you have properly installed the correct driver.. In the Win-raid website it should show the latest one..

 

When I followed the directions for the HunterZ0 method I tried to Install the Intel MEI Drivers & Software ( Intel MEI v1828.12.0.1151 for Consumer systems) from the website
https://www.win-raid.com/t596f39-Intel-Management-Engine-Drivers-Firmware-amp-System-Tools.html
by executing the SetupME.exe file but it gave me the following error message: "The setup program ended prematurely because of the following error: The platform is not supported."

I can a) install the Intel MEI Drivers only that you linked to ( Intel MEI Driver v1815.12.0.2021 (Windows 8 & Windows 10) INF for manual installation) by right clicking on the heci.inf file and choosing Install, or b) install the Intel MEI Drivers & Software if I run the Command Prompt as an Administrator and use the command SetupME.exe -tcs -nodrv -s which creates an entry in the Program and Features Control Panel.

After doing either a) or b) MEInfo gives me the same error message: ""Error 86: Communication error between application and Intel(R) ME module (FWU client)" and "Error 81: Internal error (Could not determine FW features information)".

I tried the HunterZ0 method two more times.

First I installed the Intel MEI Drivers only that you linked to ( Intel MEI Driver v1815.12.0.2021 (Windows 8 & Windows 10) INF for manual installation) by right clicking on the heci.inf file and choosing Install. It still gave me the following error message:
Error 8743: Unknown or Unsupported Platform
Cannot locate hardware platform identification
This program cannot be run on the current platform.

On the second attempt I installed the Intel MEI Drivers & Software ( Intel MEI v1828.12.0.1151 for Consumer systems) by running the Command Prompt as an Administrator and using the command SetupME.exe -tcs -nodrv -s which creates an entry in the Program and Features Control Panel. It still gave me the following error message:
Error 8743: Unknown or Unsupported Platform
Cannot locate hardware platform identification
This program cannot be run on the current platform.

 

try inf install in safe mode. you might get it installed. Any anti-virus SW?

 

Just saw this message, sorry for never giving an update. I was in the process of selling the computer when I updated the bios and started having issues. Since I was planning on selling the computer anyways, I disclosed the problems and sold the computer with the bios issue.

 

I was hoping that you might have come up with a solution as it most likely would have worked for me as well. Anyway thanks for the update. It is almost like Intel ME was complete hosed on our systems as drivestore explorer will show that the Intel ME Driver is installed but HWInfo64 does not show the Intel ME is present.

 

I will try to install the inf for the Intel ME Drivers in safe mode and see if that helps. I have tried disabling Smart Firewall and Auto-Protect from Norton Security Premium, as well as exiting everything else that I can that loads on startup to the System Tray, but this has not helped. Maybe safe mode will do the trick. I will report back with what happens.

 

Looks like you're using older BIOS, try BIOS 1.6.x. If you have fat32 usb drive copy the new BIOS 1.6.x EXE to root of your drive. Afterwards, reboot the system, keep tapping f12 button and select Dell BIOS flash update utility. Use Tab key to navigate between options and choose the appropriate file. You might see newer MEFW and C6 microcode if everything works alright!

 

Flashed the BIOS to version 1.61 from a fat32 formatted usb drive but it did not flash the new Intel ME firmware. The laptop acts the same as before but with a newer BIOS version.

Can you run a BIOS update in windows safe mode? Although I have disabled Smart Firewall and Auto-Protect from Norton Security Premium, as well as exited everything else that I can that loads on startup to the System Tray, this has not helped to allow flashing the BIOS from windows as after the system restarts it just goes to a black screen where nothing happens.

 

Some drivers won't run in safe mode so it can give problems.

 

I was very excited to find this forum and this thread as I thought it might help me fix the Intel Management Engine problems on my Alienware 15 R2. Thanks. I appreciate all of the helpful suggestions. I learned a bunch about the Intel ME by reading this thread and the items it had links to in its posts.

Since a BIOS update won't run in windows, and a fat32 formatted usb drive updated the BIOS to the new 1.61 version but it didn't flash the new Intel ME firmware, it looks like I will have to live with my laptop in it present state (Won't shut down without pressing the power button for a long time; AlienFX not working correctly; periodically the system will take a long time to boot and then TPM 2.0 will show up with a This device cannot start. (Code 10) error in Device Manager as the BIOS option get automatically changed).

I think that the flash to BIOS version 1.44 did not update the Intel ME correctly. All of the following seem to be symptoms of this problem:
1) MEInfo gives me the same error message: ""Error 86: Communication error between application and Intel(R) ME module (FWU client)" and "Error 81: Internal error (Could not determine FW features information)".
2) Everytime I try to install the Intel MEI drivers for my Alienware 15 R2 system I get the error: "The setup program ended prematurely because of the following error: The platform is not supported."
3) When I run the intel sa-00086 detection tool it reports that the Intel Management Engine version is unknown.
4) Intel Management Engine has disappeared from Device Manager-System Devices

After spending the past couple of days trying to solve my problems with the Intel Management Engine, it seems that for my laptop the problem was not that Intel ME local firmware update was disabled, or that the Intel ME drivers were not installed. The problem seems to be that the Intel Management Engine was completely broken by the BIOS version 1.44 update. I have also private messaged Alienware-Eimy in the Alienware Laptops forum at Dell so maybe Dell will be able to come up with a solution to this somewhat common problem.

I believe that I could buy a refurbished motherboard to fix the problem but it would cost between $400 and $600 for the part and take me a lot of time to install as it would be my first motherboard replacement on a laptop. Dell won't do this as my system is out of warranty coverage. I will periodically continue to search this forum and the web for a fix to this issue.

 

Can you try installing dotnet redistributable from MSFT. It solved my AlienFX issue.
https://www.microsoft.com/net/download/thank-you/net472-developer-pack
and https://www.microsoft.com/net/download/thank-you/dotnet-sdk-2.1.302-windows-x64-installer

 

I have attached the Alienware AlienFX controller error message that appear as a notification on every system startup.
I frequently run Windows Update, update all Drivers and downloads from Dell/Alienware using my service tag and using Alienware Update, update Intel drivers with the Intel Driver and Support Assistant, and download other updated drivers from NVidia, Dell, Killer Networking, etc.
I have also attached a screen capture of the ASoft.Net Version Detector 18 R1 which shows I am pretty up-to-date on the dot.net frameworks. I will download and update the linked to dotnet redistributable files from MSFT to check if it make the AlienFX error message go away.

Does updating a BIOS from a bootable usb drive flash the Intel ME? I am sure that others have thought of this so I am guessing this does not flash the Intel ME.

 

It seems AFX is disabled. Use Fn+F12 to enable it.

 

Thanks for explaining how to enable AlienFX. The Alienware AlienFX controller error message does not appear anymore!

I still believe that the other two problems (Laptop won't shut down without pressing the power button for a long time; Periodically the system will take a long time to boot and then TPM 2.0 will show up with a This device cannot start. (Code 10) error in Device Manager.) are caused by a corrupted Intel ME .

I am going to read posts in the following forum to see if they have information that might help. https://www.win-raid.com/f39-Special-Intel-Management-Engine.html

 

If ME is corrupted you'll see PC restarting after every 15 mins. Check out win-raid.

 

I'm in the same boat as the guys above. Tried all 3 methods. ME is bricked. I am out of options at this point.

 

Put the BIOS in USB drive and use Dell Flash Update utility when you hit f12 upon starting up the PC. Try the update twice and see if it fixes the issues.

 

I did it 3 times just now just to make sure I didnt miss the obvious. Thumb drive w/ 1.6.1, installed via F12 3 times in a row. Never touched NVRAM or ME.

Your AMI AFU method at least did the NVRAM but I can't see what it says in the dialog before rebooting/failing to do ME.

 

Any thoughts on /ME option failing with AFU due to different file size?

https://imgur.com/a/kVcdEHm