Issue
Customer may experience devices unable to boot or display any images after applying the latest Intel Management Engine firmware update. The device will indicate it is powered by observing the backlit keyboard if available or backlight may be in the screen, but no display. This is a result of the latest firmware applying the update as part of a Power Cycle event. The Intel Management Engine is not exclusive to Lenovo, this may also apply to other OEM devices, but we have only seen this with Lenovo units so far.
Solution
In a meeting with our Lenovo counterparts, they described this issue as being the fault of the Intel Management Engine Firmware deployable having changed from applying the FW update in Windows, to applying the FW update as part of a power cycle event that makes use of the EFI System Partition to hold onto a part of the FW update.
Because a power cycle on an OPAL SED that is managed by SecureDoc will cause the ESP to become inaccessible due to the drive locking (the SMBR with our pre-boot image is the only part accessible at that time), this triggers a boot loop for the device receiving the IME FW update as it cannot access the ESP anymore. This is not a WinMagic-exclusive problem as any software that makes use of OPAL SED SMBR space for pre-boot image and Self-Encrypting Drive (such as SEDUtil) will put the drive in the same state.
Lenovo has already removed all download links for IME FW versions that use this ESP update format, but has recommended to me that Customers affected by this boot loop/bricking issue contact Lenovo Support and ask for assistance in replacement of their laptop motherboard to restore functionality to their device.
Due to this being a Lenovo software update issue that is not caused by WinMagic software directly, we should advise Support Team to direct affected customers to speak to Lenovo directly to handle this problem.