Disabling Intel ME 11 via undocumented mode (Positive Technologies)

Posted Sep 1, 2017 12:58 UTC (Fri) by nix (subscriber, #2304)
In reply to: Disabling Intel ME 11 via undocumented mode (Positive Technologies) by fratti
Parent article: Disabling Intel ME 11 via undocumented mode (Positive Technologies)

On server-class Linux boxes it is used to boot Linux *twice*, since the BMC usually runs Linux too.

Disabling Intel ME 11 via undocumented mode (Positive Technologies)

Posted Sep 2, 2017 0:59 UTC (Sat) by rahvin (guest, #16953) [Link] (1 responses)

Maybe I don't know how IPMI systems work but I thought the IPMI system was completely separate on it's own die with it's own flash hooked in to the bios, video and the USB bus but otherwise completely independent of the CPU (it in fact powers on when plugged in even if the main computer is off just like ME). One of the strengths of this approach was no matter what's going on with the computer and CPU the IPMI can still function. I've always been curious if the IPMI can function without a CPU loaded.

Disabling Intel ME 11 via undocumented mode (Positive Technologies)

Posted Sep 8, 2017 21:02 UTC (Fri) by nix (subscriber, #2304) [Link]

Yeah, sorry, I got it backwards -- my motherboard manual states that the BMC starts the ME which then starts the CPU, not the other way round. But that's still Linux booting Linux booting Linux. :)

(I believe that at least some BMCs can function with no (other) CPUs, because my motherboard has a special front panel and mobo light state for 'no CPUs detected'. Those lights are driven by the BMC.)