It usually means the Command Center (AlienFX and Thermal Controller) software is unable to connect the the MIO-Board hardware.

What exact AW model do you have?

When you say "re-installed" ... what? The Command Center app or the whole OS?

I get this occasionally too.  When I reboot, it goes away.  I think (I hope) it's an infrequent glitch that occurs that somehow corrects itself on reboot.  You may have to reboot several times.

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.closingApplication()
   at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.controllerMainFormFormClosing(Object sender, FormClosingEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnFormClosing(FormClosingEventArgs e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.RaiseFormClosingOnAppExit()
   at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ExitInternal()
   at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.OnThreadException(Exception t)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProcException(Exception e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnThreadException(Exception e)
   at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
   at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.SendMessage(HandleRef hWnd, Int32 msg, Int32 wParam, Int32 lParam)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Form.SetVisibleCore(Boolean value)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Control.set_Visible(Boolean value)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
   at System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run(Form mainForm)
   at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.Program.Main(String[] args)

Hi.. I have an simular problem with the command center.

I don't know how to repair it, I have tried to format the whole system, --> doesn't work, reinstalled the software --> no luck, and am now trying to install

Microsoft.Net Framwork 4 (Standalone), since the error message replays to the framwork...

Do you have any ideas for what I'm doing work or what I'm not doing?

Regards Hellis.... (I'm sorry about my English spelling, but hope you replay anyways :) )

If you have a Alienware desktop tower, you can read my posts in this thread:

en.community.dell.com/.../19823361.aspx

What about for Laptops? I am having the same issue

I just started getting this message... any idea how to correct it?

Thanks in advance for your help

Laptop M14x

System.Management.ManagementException: Invalid class

  at System.Management.ManagementException.ThrowWithExtendedInfo(ManagementStatus errorCode)

  at System.Management.ManagementEventWatcher.Start()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery.Classes.DeviceWatcherClass.StartHidDeviceInsertedWatcher()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery.Classes.DeviceWatcherClass.Start()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery.Classes.AlienFXDeviceDiscoveryService.RegisterForDevicesEvents()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery.ObjectFactory.NewAlienFXDeviceDiscovery()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Tools.Classes.ObjectFactory.get_DiscoveryService()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Tools.Classes.ObjectFactory.NewAlienFXDeviceRepository()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Tools.Classes.ObjectFactory.get_AlienFXDeviceRepository()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.LightsZoneController..ctor()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.initializeLightController()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm..ctor()

  at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.Program.Main(String[] args)

Hey there,

I have an Alienware 15 (laptop) and I found this post by googling when I encountered this problem.

Fix: turned off my anti-virus software (I use Avast! free antivirus). I tried this because I have several games on Steam that will not launch unless I temporarily disable the shields. 

Hope that works for you guys.