Are your intel management engine components slowing down PC? Today we will have a deeper look at this question. Intel management engine is an embedded microcontroller integrated into the chipset and is used to provide various kernel-level features. It can be thought of as a computer within a computer that virtually interoperates between the host OS and the intel’s CPU. Recently, users are reported having issues with the system being slowed down due to the management engine’s components. The engine components exploit the resources like RAM and CPU, which causes the PC to lag under normal load.
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What is the Intel management engine?
The intel management engine is an intermediate subsystem that resides between the motherboard and the operating system’s kernel and can be thought of as a computer within a computer. The management engine technology has been in use in all of Intel’s mainstream processors since 2008. The engine is always on even when the PSU supplies no power. It utilizes the power provided by the CR2032 lithium-ion CMOS battery for its continuous operations. Intel’s management engine runs on a MINIX operating system parallel with the host operating system and has full access to all the system hardware and information.
The engine runs even when the system is off, when the system is booting up, and also when the host operating system is in operation. It has access to system resources like memory, input-output, and even network interfaces. The engine also includes the Intel Active Management Technology, a remote management system typically for servers and is disabled by default.
Intel Management engine components slowing down pc
The Intel management engine components use the system hardware in the background and slow down the PC’s performance. The engine components are more likely to consume GPU resources as well without any practical reasons. Due to this, fewer resources are available for the primary operating system and other user application software, which eventually leads to a slower and laggier system. The best way to solve this problem is to disable the management engine components.
The problem with this approach is that there is no official way to disable the Intel management engine components. You would have to do workarounds to restore your system’s performance. However, we provide information to disable Intel’s AMT from the BIOS, part of the management engine.
Avast: Intel management engine components slowing down PC
Avast is an antivirus that is widely used throughout the world and is available for free to download. The avast antivirus has a unique feature that keeps track of the application software. It keeps track of applications that uses the most computing resources and eventually leads to slower system performance. Users of the Avast antivirus report that the Intel management engine components are at the top of the list of applications that cause the PC to slow down. If your Avast antivirus shows engine components as a resource-hungry application, then use the following methods to resolve the issue.
Disable Intel AMT in the BIOS
Even though it is impossible to wipe the management engine components completely off your computer, you can disable a few of its components that would help you rescue your valuable resources from unnecessary access. Follow the given steps to disable Intel Active Management Technology from your BIOS.
- Reboot your computer.
- Now, during the reboot process continously prss F12 or Delete key to enter into the BIOS.
- In the BIOS, look for Advance Chipset Features.
- Under the Advance Chipset Features look for AMT menu.
- Now, Disable the Intel ME control State if enabled.
- Save and Exit the BIOS and Reboot.
Disabling the Intel Mangement Engine driver
Suppose you do not use the AMT on your system and any other component of the management engine, but it still hogs your computer’s resources, and you have already disabled the AMT in the BIOS. In that case, you certainly don’t need the interface drivers. So the best thing to do in this scenario is to disable the Intel Management Engine Interface drivers from the device manager so that they won’t use any resources. Follow the given step to disable the Intel management engine interface drivers on your computer.
- Right click on the start menu.
- Select device manager from the menu and open it.
- In the device manager under the devices list, expand the system devices section.
- Right click on the Intel Management engine and open its properties.
- Click on the Disable driver button.
- You would be prompted to assert your descison by Windows, Click on Yes.
- Click on OK.
Can I remove Intel management engine components?
The Intel management engine can not be removed entirely. The engine is also implemented in hardware, and it is physically impossible to remove the hardware component from the CPU. The same is with the management engine’s software. It can be disabled but not removed as it is hardcoded in non-erasable firmware memory. The only possible thing that can be done is to disable its features. Some advanced users can bypass the engine software by using custom firmware. But it is not recommended as it would make the system highly unstable and vulnerable.
FAQs on Intel Management Engine Components Slowing Down PC
Can I put Intel management engine components to sleep?
In a nutshell, YES, but sleep is not the appropriate word to use here. The components can be disabled.
What is AMD’s similar technology to Intel’s management engine?
AMD’s PSP (Platform Security Processor) is similar to Intel’s management engine.
Is Intel’s AMT a backdoor?
No, it can not be called a backdoor, but it has been vulnerable to backdoor attacks in the past.
Is Intel AMT enabled by default?
Generally, the Intel AMT is disabled in the BIOS by default.
Conclusion
The intel management engine is a firmware feature with many components such as AMT and driver interface components. These components can sometimes exploit the system resources for no reason and make the PC slow and sluggish. The management engine itself can not be deleted from the system as it is integrated into the CPU itself. But the individual components can be disabled. Today, we provided you with enough information on how to disable two management engine components and prevent your system from slowing down.
