Aurora-R1, motherboard install issues

Question

Long story shortened. My Dell Alienware Aurora R1 had its CPU liquid cooler fail this past year or so. Bought a new one. Had trouble installing it. Contacted Dell; no luck there as it was so old, from like 2011.

Ultimately had to remove the motherboard and attach a different back plate. That seemed to go alright.

Alas, I ran into trouble when I went to reconnect the motherboard. Despite my taking photos and making notes, the PC will now not even boot. I am getting it to POST - where I have one short beep. I obviously did not reconnect everything to the motherboard right. I thought I have everything made note of or photographed but I seem to have missed something.

Motherboard Connections:
Green connection is 1394.
Black 6-pin is SPDIF
'Ver' is USB3
White 4 pin near ram MB CPU FAN
Soundcard - yellow 9-pin
HDD SATA2 - from SATA 2 - top right
HDD SATA4 from SATA 4 top middle
Serial ATA MB E3157 from SATA 6 top left
HDD SATA1 from SATA 1 bottom right
Marked HDD from bottom middle
MB no number from SATA 5 bottom left

I am left with a few USB cables to connect. They missed getting noted or photographed well. One of the USB cables is marked USB; it is currently plugged into USB1. USB3 is connected to my Master IO cable. USB2 is empty. The FRONT PANEL connection is connected to a blue-tipped 9-pin cable.

I could use some help and assistance figuring this out. I may end up taking it in to a local shop for service and repair.

Thanks

Tesla1856 · Answer

Yeah, take a break.

It should be right (I wrote it myself). Maybe you don't really have an Aurora-R1? What Intel processor is installed?

Also, most of that could be unplugged and motherboard would still BIOS-Post and display BIOS options. Liquid-Cooler (or some cooler) must be attached and working. Intel CPU will only run for 60 seconds or so without a proper cooler.

Tesla1856 · Answer

Download AW1382A0.exe and make bootable media (CD/DVD or maybe USB) .

Boot the Aurora-R1 with it.

https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/drivers/DriversDetails?productCode=alienware-aurora&driverId=R267117

aXa · Answer

Thank you for the prompt reply.

I am confused. Not all of the connections you have mentioned match up with my motherboard layout. Part of that is likely due to the builds being a bit different, or the Revision being off. I am sure that my crappy, spotty note-taking doesn't help.

Right now, my brain is just overloaded and stressed. I will look again come morning.

aXa · Answer

It very well could be a different Revision. Not sure what came before R1. Revision listed in the PC's manual as "a00 - August 2009."

It is an Intel core i7 920 - LGA1366.

I will try to reattach my liquid cooler in the morning. That could be part of why it will not fully boot.

Tesla1856 · Answer

I have one right here. An oldie but a goodie :Cool:

MotherBoard Connections:
MB USB1 - MIO-Board (one USB channel for MIO, one for FlexBay ports)
MB USB2 - Front-Top Panel (2 x USB 2.0 Ports)
Front_Panel - Front-Top Panel (Power Switch, Power Light, HDD Light)
Front_Panel - BLINK header on MIO-Board (wires in parallel with others ... 2 wires on each pin)
Firewire - Front-Top Panel (1 Firewire port)
Audio - Front-Top Panel (analog heaphone and mic)
Chipset Fan
MB_CPU_Fan - 3-pins of the 26-pin cable that goes to the MIO-Board (MB_MIO)

MIO-Board Connections:
Power supply - Molex 4 pin (5v/12v)
MotherBoard USB (MB_USB)
MotherBoard Front_Panel (BLINK)
MotherBoard MB_CPU_Fan (3-pins of the 26-pin cable that goes to MB_MIO)
Top Lighting Board 26-pin (MB_MIO)
FlexBay (USB Card reader)
BlueTooth Module
All exterior lights
Large case fans

"Top Lighting Board" Connections:
CPU_Pump (Asetek Cooler) pump
Sys_Fan (Asetek Cooler) radiator or main system fan
CPU_Fan - No connection
Mem_Fan (small case fan in top for memory)
Arrow - "Rear of case" external white lighting with switch (to help view external connections)

Tesla1856 · Answer

@aXa wrote:

1. It is an Intel core i7 920 - LGA1366.

2. I will try to reattach my liquid cooler in the morning. That could be part of why it will not fully boot.

1. Yeah, that's an Aurora-R1 alright. Intel x58-chipset. Just called "Aurora" on release back then.

2. Right ... must have some kind of functioning cooler. Let's see if this old page still works?

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-General/5-Anti-MIO-Cooling-Project/m-p/5591343#M92938

Yep, but try to hook-it-up the proper/normal way ... unless you expect your MIO-Board is fried.

aXa · Answer

After much work, I got the AiO liquid cooler reattached. Now to try booting again.

One further inspection, I found that the strange blue-tipped 9-pin cable is marked as the LED + SWITCH - on a spare, replacement Front I/O Cover Assembly. That is currently connected to FRONT PANEL on the motherboard. It seems to only fit on that connector.

speedstep · Answer

The new backplate if it does not have insulating material may have shorted out and Fried the board.\

Cass-Ole

has quite a lot on these.

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-General/Alienware-Aurora-R1-motherboard-search/td-p/5622490

Aurora R1 motherboard MS7591 4VWF2 92JYY
Aurora R1 motherboard MS7591 H869M

MIO Part numbers MS4194 MS4195

P0GVP = Aurora-R1, Aurora-R2
2JXP2 = Aurora-R1 ALX, Aurora-R4 ALX

Before opening the case cover, try this to fix your MIO board issues =
* Turn the system off
* Disconnect the power cord from the rear of the PC
* Press and hold in the power button for one minute (yes, it is a long time)
* Reconnect the power cord to the PC
* Turn the system on

Diagnostics
* Restart the PC
* Press F12 at the BIOS screen
* Cursor down to the Utility Partition [press Enter]
* Run the diagnostics on the MIO board. This will test it and sometimes reset it so that it will work the next time the Command Center is loaded fresh. Post the results

MIO Diagnostics from within windows
* Do a search for AlienwareAlienFXTester.exe and run it. Post the results

Jumper Reset
* Shutdown the PC
* Open the case cover and find the MIO board
* Locate the green plastic jumper on the MIO board
* The jumper is on pins 1/2
* Remove the jumper
* Turn the system on. Once into Windows, do a proper shutdown (turn power off)
* Place the jumper on pins 2/3
* Turn the system on. Once into Windows, do a proper shutdown (turn power off)
* Return the jumper to pins 1/2
* Turn the system on

1. If you are inside the warranty period and were told by Dell Technical Support to load the MIO board driver from the CD or the Dell File Library, and the installation renders the MIO board corrupt, Dell will replace the MIO board via an onsite technician.

2. If you are inside the warranty period and loaded the MIO board driver from the CD or the Dell File Library WITHOUT any direction from Dell Technical Support, and the installation renders the MIO board corrupt, Dell will ship you the MIO board. You will need to do the installation.
3. The policy is firm and we cannot go around it. If you are outside the purchased warranty period, regardless of whether you used the CD or the Dell File Library, and the installation renders the MIO board corrupt, you must purchase the MIO board and replace it yourself.

Pictures in this order = R1/R2

Always confirm from your seller that they do in fact have an Intel x58 socket 1366 motherboard capable of running an I7 9xx cpu, since some of these used/eBay items appear to be going by the R2 designation (which means P55 skt 1156 motherboard i7 8xx etc). Find your part#, but the 1st two boards are for the R1, either will work. Test your CMOS coin-cell battery for 2.5v - 3v, try one memory stick at a time, follow the troubleshooting guide.

10/25/2013  1:23 AM      6459362 
alienware-aurora_service manual_en-us.pdf

R1 Motherboards by Part #

4VWF2 (part# circled)

H869M

aXa · Answer

Thank you, and thanks for including the link to the Service Manual. It was most helpful. Based on the pictures and my notes etc. it looks like my motherboard is most like the H869M. It is the three 9-pin UBS like connections that are giving me the most trouble. One or two of them escaped my photos and notes. They are labeled USB1, USB2, and USB3. Currently the MASTER IO cable is plugged into USB3. USB2 is empty. And I have my USB labeled cable plugged into USB1. The blue-tipped LED + SWITCH cable is connected to the one marked FRONT PANEL.

The backplate looked to have insulating material on it when I installed it. However, you do raise an important point about shorting out the motherboard.

I am familiar with some of the work and posts by Cass-Ole. I looked at quite a number of his posts and topics. In fact, the CPU PUMP adapter is one he made for me. Too bad he is no longer with us as part of the Dell community.

Cass-Ole · Answer

I read over this post yesterday, was interested (lurking) to see what develops; when a working PC is taken apart and doesn't work when put back together, it can be tough to know what step(s) was skipped. Tesla has an R1 like u do, in a better position than me to help out. AlienTube has a 4 part series on disassembly, looks like an R2 they used, but you might browse them in order to get your PC hooked back up (never remove CPU if you don't need to): Aurora Disassembly (see Vids 1 2 3 4)

If CPU 8pin, ATX 24pin, mem/cooler/GPU/Keyboard/Monitor/Mouse/front panel/MIO have power & are hooked up ok, coin-cell battery ok, PC should work

F2 enters Bios (to verify mthrbrd/GRFX/hardware is ok)
if HDD data/power is also plugged in, system should boot
1 beep is good sign mthrbrd is ok
PSU black bulk connector should be fully seated into PSU chassis, now is a good time to reseat all PSU hardware ends of cables
reseat GPU &/or try a new PCI-E slot > you'll get no where if u can not see the initial Bios Logo
disconnecting power to your monitor then reconnecting power can sometimes solve the black screen (where monitor is the issue / not the PC)

aXa · Answer

Hi there Cass-Ole,

Good to hear from you. I had been using the Liquid Cooling Pump Adapter you graciously made me. Thanks again. It was plugged into CPU PUMP and seemed to be working well enough to run a fan. I tested it in a few pumps and they also seemed to run. I have my doubts, however. I am still getting high temps even with an AiO liquid cooler installed. Will try reseating the pump block on the CPU again later.

Anyways...I got the PC to not only POST but passed the BIOS and all the way into Windows! Yay!

Thank you to all who have helped. Cheers all around!

Tesla1856 · Answer

@aXa wrote:   Anyways...I got the PC to not only POST but passed the BIOS and all the way into Windows! Yay!   Good work. :Yes: It's Miller time: :Beer:

Cass-Ole · Answer

When in Windows, launch CmndCntr, see Active Thermals, see if CPU Pump is running or failed (Pump + System Fan Widgets >any or all widgets< can be placed on the desktop by clicking the triangles; then they're there at startup so you can check on them). Normal SysFan readings could be 800-1200 RPM at idle, higher than that could mean a faulty pump (or no power), dirty rad/fan, poorly aligned pump head. A program like Intel XTU can keep an eye on CPU core temps as well. As a test, if after you re-seat the pump over the CPU so it's good & tight, your temps are high? (high to me is everything over 40C at idle), were it me?, I'd disconnect from the Mind-Meld adapter, disconnect the top (impossibly small) memory fan (that's bolted to the roof), & temporarily plug cooler pump into that fan header (it provides constant 12volts, it's next to black pump 7pin) for a few temp tests / see if temps drop (assume side panel is off, so temps should be at their lowest)

if no change, adapter is ok, problem is elsewhere
if so (if temps drop), reseat adapter into 7pin & retest pump motor power - or rather - switch back n' forth between adapter & light strip fan header / gauge which header gives the lowest temps
CmndCntr pump widget should be the arbiter over a clearly running vs clearly failed motor (failed = failed, or it means simply a no power situation > ie poor connection / ie reseat connection)
in the end, if pump's plugged into Mind-Meld adapter / CmndCntr says running?, then adapter is ok / works, pump has power, motor is working
(far right 'orange harness' in top light strip needs fully seated @both ends)
let us know what u find

aXa · Answer

The main issue being that I am no longer using a Dell/Alienware AiO liquid cooler. After going through two of them - both listed as failed in Command Center - I went for a different brand. I have both an EVGA CLC as well as a Corair unit. Neither uses software or anything besides a 3 or 4 pin fan header to connect. I have been using NZXT's CAM software and HWMonitor to watch temperature of the CPU. It is excessively high. Enough so that Windows notifies me about it when I get in to Windows.

On my next boot, I am trying one of the other fan headers with the CPU pump connected to it. Seeing how that goes.

I do have one other lingering issue, however. Could use some help on it. Where do I plug my ODD SATA2 plug into on the board? SATA2 already has my HDD SATA2 plugged into it. When I was disconnecting everything, I made note of all 6 SATA cables I unplugged. Oddly enough, when I went to plug them all back in, I have one extra: a 7th SATA that did not get plugged back in. I neither know where it goes nor what it came out of.

If I can't get temperatures under control, I may try a different cooler that I have available. As well as taking up the issue with either EVGA or Corsair separately.

Cass-Ole · Answer

For the aftermarket coolers that use the basic 3/4 pin fan connectors, yes you can test them (or run them full time) in the top light strip memory fan location. I'm interested in what CmndCntr says (running vs failed) when using the adapter ... & that you're getting a System (rad) fan RPM reading also. All rad fans plug into the top left Sys_Fan header, same locale as original rad fan did. In most instances, the original 38mm Delta / Nidec server fan can be used / re-used with new coolers

Mthrbrd has x6 SATA ports --> typically, the top two SATA ports are for x2 ODD, middle + bottom are x4 HDD ports

Alienware Desktops

Aurora-R1, motherboard install issues

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