I accidentally found a very odd workaround for now?! 
Right clicking the little Alienware symbol on the very right of the taskbar, then selecting "Alienware AlienFX Editor" will open the program I've BEEN TRYING to open via the "command center" button from the picture in  the OP... then from there I can simply click "thermal controls" to switch over to what I've been trying to access... I'm kind of dumbfounded here lmao

Great, and not even a day later my workaround doesn't work, and it acts the same way as I've described in the OP. Yaaay..

So to recap, I'm on an old Alienware Aurora R7, I have been trying to use "command center" as it is compatible with R7s, I am not talking about "Alienware command center" which is a different program and doesn't have compatible thermal controls with my R7.

I've uninstalled, and reinstalled several times, I just now tried all of the steps listed from the Reddit automoderator response (basically completely uninstall EVERYTHING using revo, then reinstall), which unfortunately did not work either. I don't know what to do, seeing as if I want to play more graphics intensive games, I'm kind of out of luck, as I have literally no way of controlling the internal fans in my PC which is absolutely ridiculous to me.

I'm considering dishing out the money for "dell support" to get in touch with a technician, but I have a huge hunch that they're not going to be able to fix it, which will put me out of probably over $100. (The support site claims "no fix no fee, but I kind of doubt that, and the site also mentions possibly being asked to completely reinstall a fresh Windows which.... I really do not want to and shouldn't have to do over an issue like this.)

I apologize for being so crazy and posting so much, like I said, I'm just extremely dismayed that the machine I bought specifically to play games is being held back by janky, proprietary software. Playing recent games my GPU is getting up to and past it's heat limit, and there's nothing I can do about it because with Alienware we seem to only have one option for fan controls, and it isn't working for me!

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@LuluMae13 wrote:

So to recap, I'm on an old Alienware Aurora R7,

I have been trying to use "command center" as it is compatible with R7s, I am not talking about "Alienware command center" which is a different program and doesn't have compatible thermal controls with my R7.

 

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You lost me.

Historically, Alienware Command Center is the set of drivers and programs that control the fans, cooling, LED-lights, etc.

On my Auroira-R6 (now running Windows-11), I use Alienware Command Center v.4.8.23 . Among other things, it includes AlienFX Editor (for LED-lights), and the Thermal-Controller (for cooling).

This is the one I've always used, just recently stopped working and am trying to fix.
This is the program it usually opens:

This is a completely separate and different program, than "Command Center". I believe it's the newer version of "command center" but doesn't have compatibility with my system in terms of thermals.

"I'm kind of out of luck, as I have literally no way of controlling the internal fans in my PC which is absolutely ridiculous to me"

"I'm just extremely dismayed that the machine I bought specifically to play games is being held back by janky, proprietary software."

This software by no means should be limiting or holding you back from playing games. I don't follow.

Just curious what video card came with your R7...

I have an R7 that I bought with the 1080Ti and I never messed with AWCC. I use it for the case lights. I felt no need to mess with the default settings. I never had one single issue running games. I sold the 1080 and put a EVGA - GeForce RTX 2080 Ti XC Ultra Gaming 11GB card in it and left it all default. No issues with heat ever. The GPU's have fans on them they will kick on when it gets warmer when playing games. Why mess with fan control? is it really going to make that big of a difference..?

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@LuluMae13 wrote:

1. So to recap, I'm on an old Alienware Aurora R7, I have been trying to use "command center" as it is compatible with R7s, I am not talking about "Alienware command center" which is a different program and doesn't have compatible thermal controls with my R7.

2. I'm just extremely dismayed that the machine I bought specifically to play games is being held back by janky, proprietary software.

3. Playing recent games my GPU is getting up to and past it's heat limit, and there's nothing I can do about it because with Alienware we seem to only have one option for fan controls, and it isn't working for me!

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1. The only "Command Center" I'm aware of is "Alienware Command Center". There is Alienware Command Center for Desktops, and Alienware Command Center for Laptops. Among other things, they include AlienFX Editor (for LED-lights), and the Thermal-Controller (for cooling).

2. Since 2010, I've been running various older (Dell provided) versions of AW-CC .on my Aurora-R1. First working on Windows-7, then Windows-8, and now finally I use Alienware Command Center v2.8.11.0 on Windows-10 Pro (64 bit) v.21H2 . 

On my Aurora-R6, I use Alienware Command Center v.4.8.23 . It has worked on Windows-10 for many years, and now even works on Windows-11 Pro (64 bit) 

3. You already posted you are using AfterBurner for the GPU (fans). Then, you just use Thermal Controller to set the Front Fan to Manual, with a nice little up-hill curve.

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@22GREEN wrote:

 

I have an R7 that I bought with the 1080Ti and I never messed with AWCC. I use it for the case lights. I felt no need to mess with the default settings. I never had one single issue running games. 

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If you don't mind, could you please post the version of Alienware Command Center and Windows that you are running on your Aurora-R7 ?

I'll use that info (along with what Dell Support file area says is latest Validated version for the Aurora-R7) ... to make a recommendation to this user.

I think if they can uninstall all the other versions, and then clean-install the proper AW-CC version ... it should work.

4.8.20.0

Windows 10 latest build

** I couldn't edit my last post. I guess I was half asleep last night I didn't see where he mentioned he controls his GPU fans with MSI. He's using AWCC to control fans in the R7 my mistake.

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@LuluMae13 wrote:

This is the one I've always used, just recently stopped working and am trying to fix.

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Uninstall all existing Command Centers and Alienware Command Centers.

I would suggest also uninstalling MSI AfterBurner for now (you can re-install it later if you still need it).

Reboot your Aurora-R7.

Clean-Install this version of Alienware Command Center (4.8.20.0) :

https://www.dell.com/support/home/en-us/drivers/driversdetails?driverid=f8p3v&oscode=wt64a&productcode=alienware-aurora-r7-desktop