XPS 15 9570 Strange Post Behavior / Intel ME Error (After System Board Replacement)

Sorry this post got way too long.... so I understand if nobody wants to read it. I'm hoping someone at Dell reads it though and might know an engineer that has an idea lol.

Background

Machine would not POST absolutely nothing except power.

It would turn on all LED's on (Charge indicator, Keyboard backlight, caps lock stuck on). No POST error beeps, fans not even spinning. Hold down the power button to shut it off and the fans would start spinning then it would turn off.

I tried everything on Dell's site, pulled out SSD and WIFI, tried instructions for forcing ePSA, booting with charger and battery disconnected. In all cases it was exactly as stated above.

Update

A Dell tech replaced the system board today but the new board had an ancient BIOS version (don't remember what version). And diagnostics kept telling the tech my SSD was failing (it's a Samsung 970 EVO not OEM), windows wouldn't boot.

Also every time the computer is powered on it behaves like when it was dead all LED's on. Except now after 2 seconds powers off, turns itself back on and does it again for 2 seconds, then powers off and back on and and the third time you see the Dell logo. It does this consistently every time it powers on.

Windows would not boot and the online diagnostics said my SSD was bad. However he removed the SSD and the power cycle problem remained.

The tech ordered another board and I played with it after he left, eventually got it to boot.

Dell online diagnostics also said SSD was bad and even though the website clearly showed it detected the Samsung 970 EVO as failing Dell offered me a free replacement under warranty. They website clearly seen the model so I didn't deceive anyone, I'm not sure what they're going to send me but I put in my address.....

Anyway as I said I eventually got it to boot (but it was an extremely slow boot), no sound and my WIFI card was not detected. I restarted and same slow boot with the message at the end of POST "(A7) ME FW Downgrade - Request MESpiLock Failed" and still slow to boot.

I updated the BIOS to the latest version (same version as my old board confirmed in Dell command Update History). After after that was done I got the message as post finished and same slow boot.

Dell's online check and Command update all said I was fully up to date but when I checked my update history I noticed my Thunderbolt FW was updated the dame day as my BIOS. I downloaded the thunderbolt firmware and sure enough the motherboard TB firmware was 2 releases behind, despite Dell saying it was up to date.... I updated the TB firmware, then reflashed the BIOS and the machine starts right up now (windows load under 10 seconds). After that my sound started working and my WLAN was back as well, and all diagnostics online and offline report my SSD as working perfectly fine.

 

However two problems remain:

1)  I can't get rid of this off power cycling that happens every time I power on the machine. Restarts are normal. I'll see what happens with the other board I guess....

2) For now this is more of an annoyance I can't get rid of this "(A7) ME FW Downgrade - Request MESpiLock Failed" message. Which even appears when launching the onboard diagnostics so it's not Windows creating this message it's the FW on the MB. I tried reinstalling the Intel ME package in the event that would somehow help but no go, factory reset the BIOS on the new version no help.

I've seen endless reports about this after MB replacements and potential fixes but none worked. I think if the BIOS had been up to date before Windows had tried to boot I might not be looking at this message. The intel ME software does talk to the ME firmware, and the last BIOS update had a boat load of Intel security patches.

I thought about clearing NVRAM but someone at Dell decided it would be smart to position the CMOS battery so you have to rip apart the laptop and remove the system board to access it.... no thanks.

 

On a side note I tried following Dell's instructions to drop the BIOS update on a flash drive and selecting BIOS FLASH Update on the boot menu. All I get is a garbled unreadable screen...... if I hit enter I can see it change I just can't read anything......

 

Thanks,

Kenny