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651186
Alienware 17 AlienFX not working
2-week old Alienware 17, Windows 7 64-bit. Everything's fine, I go to eat, come back, lights are off. This is normal, they go off when it idles for a bit. But they won't come back on, at least not permanently. The only way I can get them back on is to set a new theme, or turn them on/off, at which point they stay on for two seconds before going off again. The power button never lights up at all. This also happens when starting after a shutdown. On a restart, they never light up. I disabled the inactivity timer, updated the BIOS, and reinstalled the Command Center, none of which helped. I did a Windows System Restore, which also didn't help. I hadn't installed any new software or drivers today at all. The AlienFX taskbar icon claims it is on. It's clearly not a hardware issue, because they are capable of turning on briefly, but I have no idea what other software could be at fault.
Jakub_Sisak
4 Posts
5
November 26th, 2013 08:00
Before you replace the motherboard, there is a ridiculously simple fix for this: Go to tray, right click "Dim lighting zones". This alone will bring back the lights. Do the same thing again to disable the "Dim lighting zones" and they will be crancekd up to full strength and stay on.
Unbeleivable isn't it? Check out this video i filmed my ALienware before and after the fix: [View:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWpgLx10erk:550:0]
Credit for this goes to Fleischsalat. The original post can be found here: http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19528186.aspx
�
StephenMorganx
1 Message
0
July 10th, 2014 21:00
Ok boys and girls I have figured out whats going on. Basicly if you look in your alienware fx and go to advanced settings if you look at the events to the left it shows email. Click on that and you will see its default options are to shut off every light on the computer. lol. There is no way to change the event lighting. Fix- Right click on your alienware alien fx icon in the bottom right tray on your computer. Go to alienware alien fx editor. In the editor there is an option to clear event notifications. or turn them off. All of your lighting should magically come back on as soon as you do this. So stupid lol. Dell should pay me for this
Hitaka
6 Posts
0
October 25th, 2013 20:00
Okay, I discovered a way to sort-of fix it that is rather weird. I opened the AlienFX Tester and was messing around with it. I discovered that, if I turn AlienFX off and on to get the lights on, and before they go off press one of the set color buttons, they stay on. The exception is the power button, which remains off. While this sort of fixes it in a stupid and awkward way, a real solution would be better.
adzraaiman
8 Posts
0
October 28th, 2013 04:00
I have the same problem also. Been going on for a few weeks. Not a big problem but quite annoying. Nothing seems to fix it
Hitaka
6 Posts
1
October 28th, 2013 16:00
I talked to Alienware tech support, and apparently it's a known motherboard firmware issue. They're going to put out a Command Center update within the next week that will hopefully fix it.
Brovahkiin707
2 Posts
0
November 17th, 2013 16:00
When exactly is this update going to be released? I'm still having this exact problem with the lights on my Alienware 17 and its been going on for about 2.5 weeks.
Hitaka
6 Posts
0
November 18th, 2013 14:00
No clue. I'm still waiting too. It's either wait or get the motherboard replaced.
ionius
1 Message
0
November 19th, 2013 10:00
Same issue, waiting for update 8-)
DELL-Milena M
Moderator
Moderator
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2.7K Posts
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November 19th, 2013 13:00
Hello!
While they lunch a new command center I will recommend you to follow the steps on this article one by one, they might fix the problem.
Hitaka
6 Posts
0
November 19th, 2013 15:00
Been through all that numerous times (except draining the motherboard power, as far as I can tell the battery cannot be removed without opening the computer and I'm not about to do that and probably void the warrenty in the process) and tech support on the phone said wait for the update or replace the motherboard.
In the meantime, here again is my temporary fix:
1) Run C:\Program Files\Alienware\Command Center\AlienwareAlienFXTester.exe
2) Click off of the window so it isn't active.
3) Prss FN+F12 twice to deactivate and reactivate AlienFX.
4) The lights will go on. Once they are fully on, but before they shut off again, press "Set LEDs Red" on the tester window.
Then hit yes or no, doesn't matter, and exit the tester. The lights are now all on, except the power button and the numpad (which will be dim). You have to do this every time you change the theme, and sometimes they will just go off on their own and you have to do it again, so it's kind of annoying, but it will make them mostly work in the meantime.
adzraaiman
8 Posts
0
November 20th, 2013 03:00
That seemed to work. Thanks Hitaka. Ill do this until alienware sorts it out
Brovahkiin707
2 Posts
0
November 26th, 2013 09:00
Thank you soooo much!!
Jakub_Sisak
4 Posts
0
November 26th, 2013 13:00
Amazing isn't is? All this high tech and a simple programming toggle switch error seems to be the culprit.
adzraaiman
8 Posts
0
November 26th, 2013 13:00
Thanks a lot dude. Easy fix that alienware shouldve picked up.
Hitaka
6 Posts
0
November 26th, 2013 13:00
Holy <ADMIN NOTE: Profane word removed per TOU> is that seriously all it took? Gee thanks a lot Alienware tech support. Ugh.
Thank you very much for posting that fix, it worked.