Intel ME Update on HP Spectre x360

[Cyril-Dewez]

Dear Community,

I often check on the HP website for new drivers for my HP Spectre x360. I just discovered one concerning the Intel ME Firmware. When I run the file downloaded on the driver page of my computer, a cmd opens. After a few running seconds, I get a Windows message "Intel MEInfo stopped working". The cmd indicates that "the ME is already updated" and close (see picture below).

 (Note that the "Intel MEInfo stopped working" is not visible on my screenshot...)

I know that my ME is not up to date, because I have already faced this issue during some previous ME update (I got exactly the same problem). Also, I founded on the Intel website a tool (Download Intel® Converged Security and Management Engine Version Detection Tool (Intel® CSMEVDT)) which indicate the current ME version. Mine is 11.8.80.3746 and the tool indicates "Your system is vulnerable".

__________________________________________________________________

Product reference: HP Spectre x360 Convertible 13-ae0xx

My BIOS version is F.34 (up to date)

My UHD Graphic 620 driver is 23.20.16.5044 (25-04-18)

Windows Version is Windows 10 Family 64 bits Version: 19042.804 (up to date)

All drivers are up to date according to the HP Support Driver website.

__________________________________________________________________

What should I do to solve this?

Thanks in advance,

Cyril

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, Cyril:

The driver I see on your notebook's support page is pretty outdated...11.7.0.1057 and the driver you have installed is newer.

You mentioned you have an Intel UHD 620 graphics adapter, so I will assume your notebook has an 8th gen Intel core processor.

If I have assumed correctly, see if this driver works for you...It is from an HP Elitebook 850 G5 which also uses the Intel 8th gen core processors.

2044.15.0.1951

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp110501-111000/sp110990.exe

[Cyril-Dewez]

Dear Paul,

Thank you for your incredibly quick response.

Yes, I have an Intel Core i7 8th Gen (Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-8550U CPU @ 1.80GHz to be exact).

I don't know where you see that the driver offered by HP is outdated... I always refer to my laptop HP Driver page (HP Spectre x360 - 13-ae002nb Téléchargements de logiciels et de pilotes | Assistance clientèle HP®) to update drivers, so the 11.8... driver that I currently have comes from HP. See the advanced information in Intel ME Platform section...

I just installed the driver you sent me. I restart, finger-crossed that this has not killed my PC.

Thanks a lot already,

Cyril

[Cyril-Dewez]

I just reboot. I expected a black installation screen at the restart, but get none. In device manager, Intel Management Engine Interface is now 2040.100.0.1029 (01-10-20). The Intel toolkit is not yet happy ("Your system is vulnerable" - version is 11.8.80.3746), but that's already better I think.

Is it possible that my computer overheats less since that update?

Kind regards,

Cyril

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome, Cyril.

You posted that you have a  13-Ae0xx notebook.

This is the support page for that model series, and it shows the same driver as the support page you posted...from 2018.

HP Spectre 13-ae000 x360 Convertible PC Software and Driver Downloads | HP® Customer Support

Can you post the hardware ID for the IMEI device?

I will see if I can find a newer driver from a newer PC where the driver contains support for the hardware ID your IMEI device has.

You will find the Intel Management Engine Interface device listed in alphabetical order under the System Devices category in the device manager.

Use this guide for how to find the hardware ID for a device...

How to Find Drivers for Unknown Devices in the Device Manager (howtogeek.com)

Unfortunately, I wouldn't know if updating the IMEI driver will solve any overheating issues?

[Cyril-Dewez]

Dear Paul,

Here is my Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_9D3A&REV_21

(This link for the picture: https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ar39iNtJC20dgoYeHX8GLZJeFPGSHA?e=Lgf7gJ)

Let me know if this is the wrong ID (French translation is confusing...).

I just had the impression that my PC was cooler after the update... maybe an impression only...

In HP Support, my computer is a 13-ae00x, but on the website, the automatic identification systems detect a 13-ae002... that's confusing but all the drivers are exactly the same.

I just noticed that there were two "drivers" for Intel ME on my laptop PC Driver page... so you were right concerning the 11.7 outdated drivers (in the previous message)... my apologies.

Thank you very much for helping me!

Cyril

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome, Cyril.

OK...I found an even newer driver that reportedly has support for the hardware ID you posted.

2044.15.0.1953   Jan 5, 2021

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp112001-112500/sp112082.exe

I don't know what version of the driver it will install, but hopefully it will be even newer then the one I gave you earlier.

If you still get the vulnerability issue from the Intel toolkit, I recommend that you ignore it because these drivers are much newer than version 11.x

Paul

[Cyril-Dewez]

Dear Paul,

I ran the package you sent me. I got a cmd that closed automatically after a few seconds. Version is still 2040 and 11.8... but that's already better than before. Thanks for that.

(Link to the pictures: https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ar39iNtJC20dgoYlDh-jNn55J0x-Gg?e=4eySlp)

Yours faithfully,

Cyril

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Anytime, Cyril.

Glad to have been of assistance.

You must have the latest version of the driver installed for your IMEI hardware version then.

Intel makes drivers that install various versions of the driver on the hardware version, in one driver file.

I noticed that with wireless adapters.  One driver works for several different model wifi adapters, but based on the model, they get different versions of the driver...not necessarily the driver that is listed as the latest one.

You made mention about overheating. 

I think that temperature is also controlled by the Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework Client Driver.

This is the description on your notebook's support page...

This package contains the driver that enables the Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework firmware. Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework provide system temperature and power utilization information for the system thermal protection to function properly. This package is provided for supported notebook models running a supported operating system.

The driver was release in May of 2018.

This driver has been superseded by the Intel Dynamic Tuning Driver.   If you want to see if you can update to this newer version, here it is...not on your notebook's support page...

8.6.10402.11528   Release date of Jul 3, 2020

This package contains the driver that enables the Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework firmware. Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework provide system temperature and power utilization information for the system thermal protection to function properly. This package is provided for supported notebook models running a supported operating system.

https://ftp.hp.com/pub/softpaq/sp104001-104500/sp104384.exe

Cheers,

Paul

[Cyril-Dewez]

Dear Paul,

Thank you for the new driver. I tried to install this driver, but nothing happened. I have heard about the insertion of a tuning system on the new 2020 HP Spectre, mine (2017) is certainly not compatible. Nevertheless, maybe a newer Intel Dynamic Platform and Thermal Framework could solve my "issue" (will have a look myself soon).

Since Covid, I mainly use my computer plugged (bad for the battery?). During online courses, my CPU is often boosting around 2.50 GHz, which makes my PC heat a lot and ventilators run at high speed. In the Windows Power Settings, when I set the max CPU power to 90%, it runs at 1.77 GHz (close to the nominal frequency) and both heat and ventilators speed drops. That's fine for long term "high utilization" of the CPU as online courses, but for internet browsing, this really slow down the reactivity. So I put the max power back on 100% and PC heat a bit (still lower than during online courses on full power).

But since the update of the Intel ME framework, it already seems better: a Discord call didn't start the ventilators (before it was running pretty high).

Kind reg,

Cyril