Snakeyes wrote:
It's a remote management component for vPro. It needs additional downloads and steps to be set up to improve security for businesses. PITA and of minimal value to home users. I just uninstall the damn thing. Just another IMO unnecessary service.
I've answered this question a few times before... This is a VERY common misconception. The Intel ME is NOT a part of VPro. It is the other way around. VPro technology is part of the ME but the ME is the firmware of the PCH. The firmware defines a LOT of internal settings for the chipset and version to version it may fix bugs, introduce new ones, affect features under the hood, thermal stuff or simply affect overclockability.
The ME driver interfaces with the firmware and allows things like overclocking from the operating system (certain utilities related to overclocking or changing settings on the fly from within the OS will certainly NOT work if the driver is not installed).
Other things related to thermal and power management may also be affected by the ME driver. Not having the driver installed is not advised but in the end everyone is entitled to install or remove anything they want from their systems:)
