Aliensense Thermal Controller software on Alienware Aurora R2

Hmm very strange, mine does this when I first boot. Fans will go at half speed then ramp right up until bios has loaded (a few secs) and then calm right down to a hum once Windows kicks up. Do your fans calm down once Windows has loaded or are they still running quite high? Hopefully someone will be along soon who can advise you on this :)

Nope.

The fans stay running at 100% even after I've logged in to Windows. I have to go in and take them off Auto and then put them back on. I even adjusted the speeds on manual down to 10% thinking that maybe I was just getting it stuck on manual setting and the Auto setting WANTED the fans to run at 100%, but when I applied the "manual" setting and slowed the speed way down then applied Auto it kicked them up to 55%. So I know its not that.

It doesn't seem to do it just when it boots up either. If I put the system in standby and then come back it resets the fans to 100% until I change them again.

Yes, Thermal Controller is a little slow to shut-down, but it does after 1-2 seconds (without any action on my part). I don't see any errors in Event Viewer.

I never could get "Auto" fan control to work. I use Manual and Curve with no problems. If you think about it, this is how you would expect Auto to work anyway.

Thank you!

The image was a huge help. :)

i was wondering that myself!!!!

glad i could help....and i want thank tesla 1856 for explaining to me how the graphs actually work about a month or so ago!!!

No problem.

Hey, how did this thread get Suggest Answer/ Verified Answer ?

So really two problems -- thermal controller isn't running during startup like it used to and doesn't run properly when in Windows.

1. That usually means the config stored on the MIO Board is invalid or missing. You can turn it off with the front switch, but you aren't un-plugging it are you? When shut-down, the orange light on the MIO-Board must stay on for that feature to work.

2. It seems the temp. sensors are on the fans themselves. This means the temp. read is always going to be pretty normal (because hopefully ... cool air is always coming in). Don't use Auto! Make your own "Auto" with Manual-Curve. You can test the sensors with a hair-dryer.

Is there something in the BIOS that starts up the fans and opens the vents at startup ?  Something is missing on my machine.   The fans do not come on until Windows loads and the thermal controller starts up.    They also don't work when set to Auto in Windows.   If I leave them on auto, the fans stay set very low and at some point my video shuts itself off.  The machine still runs but the monitor goes blank and cannot be woken up.   I have created a profile for both fans at 50% and that works fine.  But when I enter a game the fans don't crank up and the vents don't open like they used to.   I have to manually set the fans to 100% or with very little time in a game again the video will shut off.    The temps all show 25-28C so nothing off the chart at all.  But something is deciding to shut off the video.

So really two problems -- thermal controller isn't running during startup like it used to and doesn't run properly when in Windows.

Any thoughts ?   I would truly appreciate some help.

Steve

Yes, when the video goes out my only choice is to shut it off with the power switch on the front.  After I do that, the orange light on the MIO board inside stays on.   The Alien logo on the front goes slowly on and off.

How can I replace or reset the config stored on the MIO board ?  Is there a way to get it back to what it should be ?  I've seen the suggestions of removing the power cable and holding down the power button for 20-30 seconds to reset it but that didn't change anything for mine.

Appreciate your help very much !    

Steve

I meant in general or normally, don't un-plug.

It's usually just a matter of making a change, Apply and Saving it. Give Command Center plenty of time to update the config on the MIO-Board.

If the machine is over-heating ... it might interrupt the power supply voltage to the MIO-Board (along with everything else). This would be the same as un-plugging it.

I burned a CD with the diagnostics program from the Dell website.   The fans run at such a low level that it will overheat and shut off the video if I run the full diagnostics.  So I went into the custom part.   If I run the Fan diagnostics, it sets them to high and they rev up, it sets them to low and they go back down -- so it passes them.  But when it's done, the fans go back up to full speed.    The problem is when I reboot from there to start windows they go right back down to nothing.   It feels like something gets reset briefly and then written over again.

So same situation.   Sometimes Windows takes so long to load that it will overheat before it can even get to the point that Command Center loads and my fan profile loads to set the fans at a decent level in Manual.    If I go into a game, I have to set them to 100% and even then sometimes it will overheat and the video will shut down.   ONLY the video shuts off -- not the PC.   And there's no getting it back without turning the PC off and back on.

Beyond frustrating and I really don't know what to try next.   It just doesn't act at all like it did when I first got it.  

Steve

Well, the good news is that it sounds like your MIO-Board is working (at least somewhat ... because it passed the tests).

The bad news it that there is probably something else wrong with the machine. The only thing (under Command Center control) that would cause the machine to overheat on boot is the CPU pump not running or maybe the radiator fan. Problem is, neither one of these are user control-able.

Once it's booted, everything should be fine (but it's not) which is strange. Does everything read normal in CC?

Also, the Command Center plays only a small part in cooling the video card(s). They cool themselves and are in control of their own fans.

Are you under warranty?