The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Alienware M15x - NO LIGHTS HELP!!!!!!

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by onetel_comms, Jul 31, 2013.

  1. onetel_comms

    onetel_comms Newbie

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    1
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hi All, I recently bought a Dell Alienware M15x laptop. I thought it would be a good idea to do a full re-install of the OS as the laptop was previously used. After the re-install the lights on my laptop stopped working.

    After a bit of research I found this is a common problem with the Alienware laptops and its not an easy or quick fix. I tried what the DELL website says to do by downloading the latest drivers and doing the re-install again but no joy! I then contacted DELL support who advised due to the wrong firmware being applied, my motherboard was now corrupted and will need replacing for which they wanted close to £400.

    My issue is I used the resource CD that comes with the laptop from DELL to do the re-install. The CD's only purpose is for that very reason, to provide all the drivers needed after a re-install. If this is a known problem, why is DELL providing these CD's with the laptops? surely there's a legal case to made somewhere in this??

    I can't afford to spend another £400 on a new motherboard so I am hoping someone on these forums has come accross this issue before and managed to resolve it. If so I would be immensely grateful if you could post how it was fixed. If I cant fix this issue I will have to sell the laptop as spares or repairs and only get back a fraction of what I paid. I will also NEVER buy from DELL again!!!

    Looking forward to any response!!!!

    PLEASE HELP!!!!!

    Please see the error messages I am getting below:

    [​IMG]

    Error reads:
    Error 2:
    [​IMG]

    Error reads:
    AlienFX Test:

    [​IMG]


    PLEASE HELP!!!!!
     
    onetel_comms, Jul 31, 2013
    #1
  2. fatboyslimerr

    fatboyslimerr Alienware M15x Fanatic

    Reputations:
    241
    Messages:
    1,319
    Likes Received:
    123
    Trophy Points:
    81
    Unfortunately you've fried the FX chip on the motherboard I think. No fix but the laptop should still work perfectly except for the lighting.
    I'm sure you can live with that?
     
    fatboyslimerr, Jul 31, 2013
    #2
  3. batfinks

    batfinks Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    106
    Messages:
    292
    Likes Received:
    14
    Trophy Points:
    31
    the MIO chip is corrupted, not fried, and usually it cannot be reprogrammed, but having said that the guys on dell forums have a work around that can reprogram the corrupted MIO chip.
    please turn your attention to: AlienFX repair.....WORKING LEDS at last!! - Alienware Forum - Alienware Club - Dell Community
    it required the purchase of a usb programmer and a lot of messing around but many have reported success with many different model alienware versions.

    and just so you know, my new board only cost me £100 new with pnp.
     
    batfinks, Jul 31, 2013
    #3