[coreboot] Intel me problems

[Nico Huber]

On 25.05.2017 01:34, Alejandro Flores wrote:
> Problem is solved. I was using an old precompiled version of flashrom to
> write the bios.

Was that a chromiumos flashrom? or flashrom proper?

> When I compiled a new binary from latest source it gave an
> error when I tried to write the rom.
> 
> It said it would be unable to write to ME since the ME is currently active
> and in use. The old binary hadn't given any error and presumably tried to
> write to ME and failed silently leaving some mix of new and old that failed
> signature verification.

Leaving a mix should be impossible if the firmware descriptor is cor-
rectly configured. Do you have a backup of the original descriptor?

> 
> I confirmed this by using a hardware writer to verify first that the rom on
> chip is not the rom I intended to write and then writng the correct rom.
> 
> ME now works as expected. I wonder though if this is expected behavior to
> be unable to flash the ME from a running system or if it is just my model
> of laptop?

Yes, the ME region is completely locked (not even readable) in the
correct configuration. You can however flash other regions (patches
for flashrom are pending, currently it gets confused because it can't
read).

Nico