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November 21st, 2020 08:00

Aurora R11, issue with BIOS update 1.0.3

So I purchased my Alienware Aurora R11 back in August, I loved it. Now, I'm not so sure I made the right investment because ever since I updated my BIOS to 1.0.3, any type of additional non-Dell OEM memory RAM I try installing on the Aurora R11, the PC won't turn on. My R11 came with 2 16GB Dual Channel HyperX(FM) FURY DDR4 XMP at 3200MHz sticks, I wanted to add more so I purchased 2 16GB Crucial Ballistix Gaming 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR4-3200 PC4-25600 CL16 Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit. It was working perfectly fine, until I updated my BIOS to 1.0.3 yesterday. Initially it wouldn't allow me to update it and was getting an error that I had to put the original Kingston Memory Ram's inside to update the BIOS (which they were already in). Dell technical support suggested removing the additional Ballistix RAM I had already installed for the past several months, and it worked, BIOS updated and PC was working fine, until today. Today I try to turn on my PC, it'll turn on for a few seconds and turn off. I tried everything from the videos that Dell's automated system suggests as unplugging power, pressing the button behind the CPU to test the power supply, everything. I thought it could be perhaps I needed to reseat the memory RAM's maybe I didn't put them correctly, removed the ballistix and it worked. Tried putting them back in, nothing, same problem. I even tried reseating the hyper x and ballistix on different slots to see if the slots went bad, tried leaving the hyper x on and try 1 ballistix memory at a time, nothing. Only thing I can think of is the BIOS update wont allow me to add more memory. Contacted Dell support and we tried reinstalling BIOS, ran a systems check, everything is working fine, it only stops working when I add the additional memory. Now, I'm just frustrated and frustrated if I should even try buying another set of RAM, maybe buying the same brand that came with the R11, but on Dell's website its a rip off. I feel like I'm being forced to buy more from Dell in order for me to upgrade my PC, which a consumer should never feel like this.

5 Practitioner

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274.2K Posts

November 21st, 2020 10:00

@ElJJ177 

Did you try and remove the coin cell battery & let sit a few minutes the re-insert battery

Make sure you unplug your PSU before removing the CMOS battery. Also, while the battery is out, discharge flea power by holding in the power button for 30 seconds.

163 Posts

November 21st, 2020 08:00

Did you try and remove the coin cell battery & let sit a few minutes the re-insert battery then F2, access BIOS, Load optimized defaults then put the setting back as before?

If this does not work then it would seem and one might suspect that Dell did this on purpose to prevent people from using third party memory modules and have to buy the expensive dell OEM ones.

5 Practitioner

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274.2K Posts

November 21st, 2020 10:00

@ElJJ177    However, prior to BIOS 1.0.3 update it was working fine.

If you put just one new Ballistix RAM module in DIMM #1 (white), can you get a successful POST with this 16GB configuration?

3 Posts

November 21st, 2020 10:00

Hello, I just tried that, it still wont turn on if I leave the Ballistix Rams inside, it’s quite disappointing that Dell is doing this, seems like they’re forcing people to buying their products.

3 Posts

November 21st, 2020 10:00

Hello, I did this as well, seems that the only problem is when the additional memory ram is installed, that’s when it wont turn on. However, prior to BIOS 1.0.3 update it was working fine.

14 Posts

December 22nd, 2020 05:00

pffff, I have the same issue...

I had to remove my additional 3000 Mhz HyperX RAM module and use the one provided from DELL only to be able to update the BIOS, as it said it was a critical update, I could use them both before as long as I kept them in different channels, but now it only allows me to load them together once, and then when I restart or shut down and start the next day, the Alienware logo starts flashing as if there was a RAM compatibility issue... So frustrating!

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