Stemming from the recent discussion of Intel's open-source Linux driver for Arc Graphics not yet running on POWER , another rather interesting support caveat was also raised. It turns out updating the GSC firmware for Arc Graphics hardware currently requires the Intel Management Engine (ME) functionality, which basically limits the graphics card firmware updating in turn to systems with Intel CPUs.

For now at least, Intel is only supporting the updating of their Graphics System Controller (GSC) firmware by way of the Intel Management Engine. Thus older Intel systems without HECI-over-MEI or non-Intel systems like AMD CPUs or AArch64 / POWER / RISC-V systems are not able to apply the GSC firmware updates to Arc Graphics cards.

Lead LVFS/Fwupd developer Richard Hughes pointed out this support caveat following the recent Arc Graphics + POWER article.

And it's not going to be updatable without the CSME functionality. The Arc card firmware is updated using HECI-over-MEI which means it's only available on Intel machines only. See https://t.co/QbGB8mc3l0

— Richard Hughes (@hughsient) November 4, 2022

It's nice that the Intel Graphics System Controller will be updatable under Linux by way of an Fwupd plugin, but unfortunate that it relies upon Intel Management Engine functionality for facilitating the update. Handling the GSC firmware updates via the Intel Management Engine interface is done in the name of security.

Details on the Fwupd intel-gsc firmware updating with Fwupd can be found via Fwupd on GitHub . We'll see if Intel ends up changing how the GSC firmware can be updated in the future or will remain tied to the Intel ME in what is then effectively an Intel CPU mandate for Arc Graphics GSC firmware updating.