Since this information will not match your machine, ME will be confused and most likely stop working at all. So if you flash a BIOS image dumped from another machine, this image will contain ME region with information specific for that particular machine. Since PCH storage is limited only ME bootloader is kept there - the rest is in ME region of BIOS IC. ME stands for Management Engine and it has its own piece of BIOS image (region) where its firmware is stored and where (most importantly) it keeps its working files, which are unique to a particular PC/system. Turns out, a so called ME region was the reason. It failed to update 'cos update just wasn't happening. For flashing, a BIOS image from another notebook was used (of the same model) but BIOS was of older version, so I decided to update it. My current notebook was revived from a bricked state (it turned on but wasn't booting at all - not even to BIOS screen) via reflashing BIOS using SPI programmer. More or less safe method is described here: The other method is more a bug then a feature. It depends on the method used and particular model/brand of the PC, since different systems behave differently if MEI is not working. It can be disabled with no side effects or with some side effects. I guess there are plenty of more simple methods to achieve same goals. So in most cases there is no need to be paranoid about it (IMHO). It can for sure be used for malicious intents, buts it's NSA grade stuff (certainly not for script kiddies). Looks scary, but it's not, since it require not so trivial knowledge of hardware and networking.

In theory it has a complete access to the hardware and can even flash BIOS, since it has its own storage in PCH. For it to work, PC should be connected to a network (LAN, duno about WiFi). Hence it is embedded deeply in the system (it evolved during its career and its location had changed several times, now it is usually located in PCH).

The 'pure' idea behind it was to enable admins to manage computer remotely, as if they had the computer in question right in front of them.

Management engine