Need Intel ME Firmware Downgrade as experiencing slower boot times. Any help would be appreciated.

Upgraded Intel ME firmware but experiencing slower boot times, especially 4-6 seconds extra during POST Acer logo animation and seeing the round loading logo, which was not the case prior to the update.

Reflashing BIOS didn't help as it shows "Update Native Intel ME failed, BIOS status code 0x0003".

If there's any other possible explanation for this added loading time, I would like to learn that too.

Any help here would be much appreciated.

PS: I'm running latest BIOS v1.10 and Intel ME Firmware version 16.1.38.2676. Would appreciate if someone knows which version comes default with Acer BIOS.

[Edited the thread to add issue detail]

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Puraw

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/727108/need-intel-me-firmware-downgrade-as-experiencing-slower-boot-times-any-help-would-be-appreciated

Hello PREDATOR07

🛠️ Four Seconds vs. Function: A Message to Our Fellow Enthusiasts

To those chasing peak optimization—even down to POST delays—we salute your dedication. That keen eye has helped uncover fan curve bugs, firmware regressions, and thermal throttling patterns others miss. But not every second lost is a symptom of failure.

In the case of the Intel ME firmware update causing a 4–6 second POST delay, we've seen:

✅ Stable OS performance
✅ No degradation in thermals or power delivery
✅ BIOS update flagged with 0x0003, but without functional impact

Before reaching for a downgrade:

Consider if the delay is rooted in revised ME initialization routines or hardware handshakes—not a malfunction.
Downgrade attempts come with risks, including bricking or invalidating newer microcode protections.

🧠 What Matters More? The boot splash running a few seconds longer isn’t ideal, but if your system's doing its job reliably, then perhaps it's time we channel that energy into actual problems:

Erratic PredatorSense fan readouts
RAM compatibility quirks across Acer boards
Misreported USB-C charging pathways
Community-supported BIOS transparency

Let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture just because the logo animation overstays its welcome. Save the obsession for the specs that actually affect gameplay, workflow, and uptime.

—Contributed with respect from the “practical fix” camp 🧩

PREDATOR07

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1348479#Comment_1348479

Thanks for the response and appreciate the practical perspective towards optimization! My bad in that I omitted to point out that the OEM supplied Intel ME firmware version is v16.1.30.2255 (BIOS v1.10) whereas the one I installed is v16.1.38.2676.

Although on checking, the currently installed v16.1.38.2676 is OEM config and seemingly compatible (PFA image for reference), however this boot delay coincided with this new installation. Additionally, the temps have fluctuated more noticeably since. Could these possibly be due to some other reason?