Aurora R11, AWCC showing incorrect case model?

Question

I launched AWCC (Alienware Command Center) today and it automatically ran an update. After the update the AlienFX RGB section of the application incorrectly shows my Aurora R11 case as "Dark Side of the Moon" instead of "Lunar Light". This is a problem because Dark Side of the Moon has two AlienFX zones (Alien Head and the Inner Ring) where as Lunar Light has four AlienFX zones (Alien Head, Inner Ring, Outer Ring and Side Logo).

So now I cannot access the latter two zones (Outer Ring and Side Logo) to change their RGB colors. Anyone else experience this issue? Any ideas on how I can fix this?

GeeksOnHugs · Accepted Answer

Hi, I figured out my issue sometime ago and thought I should come here and update this thread. I forgot you were having the same issue, if I had I would have come here sooner. Basically the connector that connects the case lights to the motherboard wasn't pushed in fully.

I opened up the case and inspected motherboard connection #13 from page 10 of the Alienware Aurora R11 Service Manual called "LED controller connector (LED_CONTROLLER)". It was not properly seated. The right side was out a bit.

I pushed it back in, reset the CMOS, Revo-uninstalled AWCC (Application, OC Controls & Components), rebooted, reinstalled the latest AWCC (Application, OC Controls & Components), rebooted and it is now working! It is properly recognizing my case as Lunar Light with access to all of the lighting zones.

It also fixed a minor (and what I thought was an unrelated) issue where the sleep indicator (the alienhead button flashing in yellow) did not flash properly.

Vanadiel · Answer

A while ago when poking around in my bios it showed me an option to select one or the other chassis.

I only noticed it once and have not been able to locate that section since, but it was there for sure.

You could enter your bios with F2 key at start-up and try to find it. It's possible it is set to the wrong chassis.

GeeksOnHugs · Answer

Thank you for the suggestion.

I will poke around in the BIOS tomorrow and see what it is set to, but I suspect it may be a new bug introduced in the new version of the software since it has been properly recognizing it all this time? Still, it's a good idea to check. Thanks!

GeeksOnHugs · Answer

OK, I pressed F2 during boot to bring up the BIOS setup and went through it item by item, including sub menus, but was unable to locate an item related to setting the chassis between Dark Side of the Moon versus Lunar Light. Any other ideas where it could be? Are there any other startup F-keys? I read F12 brings up a boot menu that has diagnostics as an option but that doesn't sound like it would offer anything helpful for this?

Alienware support seemed to think this was a good idea too so I'd really like to find this item and check it. Thanks!

Vanadiel · Answer

This is my thread from back then: Chassis selection

You can try, with that exact bios version 2.1.1, to load the optimized defaults and see if it shows up for you.

Wish I would have taken a screenshot of it.

I also have the "old" R10. If you have a Ryzen 5000 CPU you will have the new PM and it might be different. Your bios version will be different for sure.

r72019 · Answer

'Any other ideas where it could be?' Try f2 and then resetting bios to optimized defaults.  If that doesn't work you can try clearing CMOS.

GeeksOnHugs · Answer

OK, cool. Thanks for the suggestions.

I'll be working on it this morning. Support gave me a few steps to try first and if that doesn't work I will go back to trying to get setting in the BIOS to reveal itself. I'll report back my results here. Thanks again.

240mmR11 · Answer

Did you get any solution to the issue.

My machine is having the same issue.

Dell tech replaced the motherboard and now its stuck on the dark-side profile.

I have tried Cmos and bios roll back and updates and zero ways of correcting the problem.

GeeksOnHugs · Answer

No, no solution yet, but they've elevated me to engineering and they said to expect a response by late Tuesday.

I don't know if I mentioned earlier but I had had my motherboard replaced as well. Maybe that's related? Is it possible there is a physical jumper on the motherboard to set that indicates which case is used? A previous poster believes it is a BIOS setting but I'm unable to find it.

240mmR11 · Answer

ah no its more than a cable not being seated. And Dell UAE decided its not there problem. Im done with Alien and Dell. 3 machines I have will be sold eventually. Pointless trying to speak to anybody.

Pioneer2005 · Answer

Need help have a Alienware aurora r9 and I’m trying to change it to the lunar light edition in the bios but I can’t find it. Trying to get all the RGB lighting to work.

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Aurora R11, AWCC showing incorrect case model?

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