ME firmware upgrade on SandyBridge

[GTate2]

Hello,

I have a couple of questions pertaining to ME firmware upgrades.

1. Is a global reset required anytime a ME firmware update is done on the system? Is the reset required only on a major version and not on a minor version of a ME update?

2. Is there an Intel document explaining best practices/how to procedures for ME firmware updates?

3. I'm assuming since the BIOS code resides in NVM, if I do an upgrade using a G540/G850/i3 CPUs that only support standard manageability, this upgrade could still work for a full vPro certified CPU like an i5 if I decide to upgrade in the future?

4. Is there a Windows tool that can do full ME/BIOS upgrades? If all I have to do is run an exe in Windows to do the upgrade, this would be very simple.

A little inforrmation about my system. I have a SandyBridge/Q67 platform and am concerned about doing ME updates. If I have thousands of systems deployed out in the field, I need a way to do a ME firmware upgrades without having to unplug AC power and plug back in. I'm checking to see whether this can be done on my platform or not.

Thank you for any help you can provide.

George

[Adolfo_S_Intel2]

Currently none of Intel motherboards have a Firmware update tool that will work on the operating system, the only way to do so on Intel motherboards is trough a BIOS update.

If you have a third party motherboard with an Intel chipset, you need to contact the motherboard manufacturer or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) system, so they can provide you the options that they have in order to perform ME updates for your OEM system.

[idata]

Check out this use case reference design: /docs/DOC-4078 http://communities.intel.com/docs/DOC-4078 for automatic Intel AMT firmware updates.

[GTate2]

Thanks for the help. Perhaps I was not clear with my original question. I am working with an OEM vendor in developing my SandyBridge platform. What I was concerned about is how to do ME updates on the system. In the link you provided, Dell has an exe that you can run that updates both the ME and the BIOS. This was what I was interested in doing. Even if I have the most sophisticated remote management console: SCCM, Altiris, LANDesk, etc., I still need a way to run a file to update the ME.

Does Intel have some guidelines on how this can be done? What update tools should I be using so I can do this - FPTW, FWUpdlcl?

Thanks again.

[Adolfo_S_Intel2]

Currently on Intel motherboards the only way to update the ME is trough a BIOS update.

In third party motherboards or branded systems, there might be a software way to update the ME, however you will need to contact the motherboard / system manufacturer for information on that matter.

[idata]

Hello!

I would like to ask if the Z68/P67 based Intel's own motherboards, DZ68DB for example, will provide Ivy Bridge compatibility after a ME (as far as I know ME8 is required) and BIOS update. So that they can be of further future use with 22nm CPUs. OEM manufacturers have already provided such BIOS updates. Will Intel also provide one?

Thank you for your time!

[Adolfo_S_Intel2]

That is not possible, Z68 and P67 boards are based on Cougar Point chipset and socket LGA1155 and won't support the new 22nm processors. The new Sandy Bridge, 22nm processors use socket FCLGA2011 which requires a different chipset and motherboards. So updating the BIOS of the motherboard will not make it compatible with processors bases on socket FCLGA2011.

[idata]

@Adolfo_Intel

Than you very much for your response!

It seems that I have confused the sockets and the CPUs. 2011 socket are the 22nm ones and 1155 socket Ivy Bridge-Sandy Bridge compatible-. What I actually wanted to know is if the above mentioned Motherboards (DZ68DB for instance) will be compatible with the Ivy Bridge CPUs directly or via a BIOS/EM8 Firmware update. Right now current firmware is 7.1xxx.One click away. I am asking this because the DZ68DB Motherboard is a nice one and I would like to know if it will be further supported!

Thank you very much in advance!

[Adolfo_S_Intel2]

What I can give you is the list of supported processors for this motherboard, which is located at:

http://processormatch.intel.com/CompDB/SearchResult.aspx?Boardname=dz68db http://processormatch.intel.com/CompDB/SearchResult.aspx?Boardname=dz68db

Any processor that is not listed there will not work on that motherboard.