Aurora R11, dead out of the box, 3,6 blinking lights, no video

"Followed steps here and created a 8gb usb key (formatted FAT32)"

Those steps omit extracting the exe to a readable recovery image.  Did you remember to run the extraction commands, writeromfile and writehdrfile, and the order they are run matters. 

Thanks for the response! I have tried the writeromfile and writehdrfile commands numerous times in an admin command window. The command runs and looks like it works with no errors however, no file is ever created in the folder.

Any suggestions?

Thanks for the help!

Should be obvious, but just noting that the above was an example, you'd need to use your file location. 

You can try running them one at a time, and pay careful attention to punctuation and location of spaces: 

C:\users\name\downloads>BIOSfilename.exe /writehdrfile

C:\users\name\downloads>BIOSfilename.exe /writeromfile

It says to use that command on Dell's website for the Aurora:

https://www.dell.com/support/article/en-in/sln309785/bios-recovery-steps-for-a-no-post-issue-on-alienware-aurora-r5-r6-r7-r8-and-xps-8910-8920-8930-pcs?lang=en

@r72019  , @speedstep 

Good catch on the discrepancies you guys .

Someone with a dead system is just gonna have to try it and report back. Or, (carefully and thoroughly) try it both ways.

I still don't understand why the Dell-tool doesn't just prepare the USB flash-drive completely in the first place. 

I think the system has to be pretty jacked-up to get to this point, because the new BIOS-Guard technology is suppose to catch-and-correct all this automatically.

Thanks speedstep! I already followed this earlier exactly. My issue is, once I turn her on she  blink 3,6 however I get no power to USB keyboard (light does not turn on) and more importantly no video. I already pulled the CMOS battery and discharged. Power supply is getting power and video card fan spins but slower than usual. The activity light on the USB key doesn't blink either.

Am I and just send her back or any other tricks you can think of?

Thanks for the help!

Are you seeing a 3-6 or 3-7 LED No POST diagnostic error on your Alienware or XPS PC?

https://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/alienware-aurora-r11-desktop_service-manual_en-us.pdf

https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/us/en/04/alienware-aurora-r11-desktop/alienware-aurora-r11-service-manual/working-inside-your-computer?guid=guid-dd3ae169-a824-4f1d-832e-585b176f6faf&lang=en-us

https://www.dell.com/support/article/en-us/sln300716/how-to-recover-the-bios-on-a-dell-computer-or-tablet?lang=en

must be usb2 media 16 gig 32 gig max MUST be FAT32

cannot be fat 16 or exfat or ntfs

https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-Flash-Cruzer-Glide-SDCZ60-016G-B35/dp/B007YX9O9O/

Affected Systems:

Alienware R5/R6/R7/R8/R11
XPS 8910/8920/8930/8940

https://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/alienware-aurora-r11-desktop_users-guide_sl.pdf

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/product-support/product/alienware-aurora-r11-desktop/drivers

https://dl.dell.com/FOLDER06209676M/1/Alienware_Aurora_R11_1.0.0.exe

On a working machine
Download the BIOS update executeable
Erase the flash drive FAT32
Copy the file to the flash drive.
Hook up wired USB Keyboard
in an admin dos prompt go to the flash drive letter and
ren Alienware_Aurora_R11_1.0.0.exe      BIOS_IMG.rcv

with power off

Put this in dead pc with nothing else attached except the keyboard and the flash drive.

As soon as you power the system on, press and hold down the CTRL + ESC keys until the BIOS Recovery page appears.

(If it can’t enter the BIOS Recovery page, then remove the power cord and CMOS battery coin and wait for about 1 min, then re-plug the power cord and reseat the CMOS battery and repeat)

Select the Recover BIOS option on the screen to perform a BIOS recovery
The system will show a process bar of the BIOS Flashing Process

(It may take time to complete)
Once the BIOS flash process is complete it will display an on-screen message asking you to Press any key to reset the system

That is true as everything I read said it should auto repair. Anyway I tried both ways but I think I might have a fried MB, as I cant get video or usb power even thought it flashing 3,6.

USB KEYBOARD Should be attached to USB2 port.  NOTHING ELSE other than USBKEY and USB KEYBOARD and MONITOR must be attached.  USB-C and USB3 ports cannot be used.

Flash Drive should be USB2 flash drive 16 gig  or 32 gig.

Working PC needs to erase the drive FAT32.

EXFAT NTFS ETC is NOT working.

You have 21 days max to return so I would get cracking.

You may need to disconnect hard drive and remove M2 and remove cmos battery.

C:\users\name\downloads>BIOSfilename.exe /writehdrfile is not aurora recovery

https://www.dell.com/community/Systems-Management-General/How-to-create-flash-BIOS-Header-file/td-p/1784308

https://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/alienware-aurora-r11-desktop_service-manual_en-us.pdf

https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/us/en/04/alienware-aurora-r11-desktop/alienware-aurora-r11-service-manual/working-inside-your-computer?guid=guid-dd3ae169-a824-4f1d-832e-585b176f6faf&lang=en-us

https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/us/en/04/alienware-aurora-r11-desktop/alienware-aurora-r11-service-manual/flashing-bios-usb-key?guid=guid-060d210f-c287-462b-ac38-81183d440a9d&lang=en-us

Thanks r72019 but unfortunately as stated above I dont seem to have power to my usb keyboard or video so not sure how to kick this off. The doc says you can recover from this state but no instructions on how.

CLEAR CMOS JUMPER

USE USB2 RECOVERY DRIVE MADE ON working computer.

3,6 is VERY specific

USB 3 ANYTHING is not going to work.

Must be FAT32  16 gig or 32 gig USB2.0 flash drive.

Command Prompt (Admin) must be used to create this key

None of the WRITEHDR stuff you were talking about applies to a recovery USB.

There should be ONLY 1 file on the drive after erase BIOS_IMG.rcv

As soon as you power the system on, press and hold down the CTRL + ESC keys until the BIOS Recovery page appears. (If it can’t enter the BIOS Recovery page, then remove the power cord and CMOS battery coin and wait for about 1 min, then re-plug the power cord and reseat the CMOS battery and repeat step 9.)

NOTHING ELSE Attached NO MOUSE ETC