Alienware 18 no POST - How to reset UEFI BIOS when no POST?

Hello Kh90123!

Because of the entire trouble shoot that you have done we can consider that the processor or the motherboard might be damage.

In order to test the motherboard you can remove all the memories and if it gives you beeping  codes it means that the motherboard is fine and is the processor the one that could be damage so I will recommend you to reset it, and if it still doesn't work you might need to replace it. 

The only way to reset the BIOS to its default settings will be if you remove the cmos batter and hold the power button for 30 seconds.

If that doesn't work that means that something on the hardware might be damaged. 

Hi Milena,

Thanks for your reply, but my question wasn't really answered. 

I asked for the way to reset the BIOS to its default settings on the Alienware 18. On older M18x, it could be done easily just holding down END while plugging in the ac adapter, and inserting a USB drive which contains the BIOS.

I have done what you suggested a week ago. Removing the RAM will result in 2 beep, which according to the beep code here (http://www.dell.com/support/troubleshooting/us/en/19/KCS/KcsArticles/ArticleView?docid=496582), it means no RAM detected. But that doesn't mean the mainboard is fine. The BIOS that's kept on the NVRAM on the mainboard has erroneous settings, and the mainboard will continue to try to boot off it. That's why we need to know, how to reset the BIOS on the Alienware 18.

The CPU is fine, no way it could be damaged because if it had been damaged, I wouldn't be able to boot the system this afternoon. The non POST is due to erroneous BIOS settings, which cannot be reset on the Alienware 18. Dell needs to fix it. If a necessary feature is taken away in the AW 18 compared to the M18x R2, the users will consider it as a downgrade.

The mainboard that was replaced today was also beeping 2 beeps if I don't have the RAM inserted, but it wouldn't boot until the replacement was in. My point is, mainboard beeping correctly doesn't mean the mainboard is fine. The BIOS in the NVRAM could be corrupted, and that causes non POST.

What I need, again, is a clear method on how to reset the BIOS to its default settings on the Alienware 18, in a non POST situation? 

Unfortunately that doesn't work on the Alienware 18. It worked on previous Alienware M18x, BUT not on the Alienware 18. I have confirmation from quite a few other Alienware 18 users that removing the CMOS battery and holding down the power button does not reset the BIOS settings, and that's probably due to the unnecessary Secure Flash that was introduced to the Alienware 18. There are users who removed their CMOS battery for weeks, and no the BIOS settings were not reset.

The only way that one user has found out, is to take out the 4900MQ/4930MX CPU, and put in 4700MQ. Sadly not everyone can afford having a 4700MQ CPU around, so Dell please fix this problem.

If this situation continues, each time an user has any BIOS error, or when they modify any BIOS settings and if it causes non POST, we are forced to get a new mainboard. And if this is not fixed, unfortunately I will have to request for a replacement mainboard each time I run into the same issue again.

This could be fixed by just a simple BIOS update, please escalate this to your BIOS team and have it fixed ASAP.

The only way to reset the BIOS to its default settings will be if you remove the cmos batter and hold the power button for 30 seconds. If that doesn't work that means that something on the hardware might be damaged.

Unfortunately, this famous old stand-by remedy that has worked perfectly for years does not work on any of the new Haswell-powered Alienware systems. It does nothing because the BIOS settings are stored in NVRAM and disconnecting the CMOS battery and holding down the power button does not clear the corrupted settings in NVRAM.

Dell/Alienware needs to include some sort of easily accessibly (easy as in "with bottom cover removed") button or jumper on the motherboard to clear the NVRAM data because there are too many new systems that are failing to POST. As far as I know, there is no way to remedy the problem like there used to be since the BIOS settings are no longer volatile.

Milena M if you can find out whether or not there is a new way of doing this, please post the answer here as I know it will be extremely helpful to many new Alienware owners.

Can we get any form of resolution to this issue? I have had two mainboard replacement and as soon as I change something in Intel XTU, I ran into no POST again after trying to restart the system.

At this point I am extremely frustrated with Alienware and Dell. When even Apple provides their customers with a reliable way to the reset the BIOS, there's just no excuse for Dell here. The new Alienware 18, in many ways unfortunately, is a step back compared to the previous Alienware M18x R2.

Try this maybe it will help.

1) Connect AC adapter in your AW 18

2.) Plug in a USB flash drive containing the BIOS file

3.) Press the POWER button for 3 seconds.

Good luck 

Thanks, since the last no POST I figured out how to reset the BIOS to last known good configuration. To do that, I have to remove the CPU and the CMOS battery, and boot up the system. It will start beeping since there's no CPU inside. After about 30s or so, it will restart and try to boot again. I then put the CPU and CMOS battery back, and it booted up again.

Another known method involves swapping to a 4700MQ temporarily.

Unfortunately this has to come from users and Dell is unwilling to tell us any proper way of resetting it.

Good thing that you have solve the problem.

If you happen to experience some problem again and needs to reset the bios, just follow the one i posted. 

To save the hassle in dismantling your CPU and other stuffs just to reset the bios.

You can reset the bios with that instruction even without a CPU or DRAM installed in it.

Congratz 

Thanks.

Do you have confirmation that it works on the new Alienware 18? AFAIK, that method works for Alienware M18x R1 and R2, but not on the 18.

I have plugging in USB but it seems that USB devices doesn't get recognized in the 18, until after the system has gone through POST.

You should also be able to do a blind BIOS recovery; however, the steps below apply to an M18xR1 and will most likely differ slightly with the Alienware 18, as they're slightly different with the R2.  Please verify what the proper steps are for an Alienware 18 via the Notebook Review Forum or TechInferno Forum.

Again, these steps are for an M18xR1 and are here for reference only

1. Extract the contents of BIOS version to a new folder anywhere on your desktop
2. Rename PAR10MEC.fd to PAR10X64.fd
3. Copy PAR10X64.fd to a formatted fat32 usb stick by itself.

Now, on the system that won't POST...

1. Remove battery, unplug power cord, and plug usb stick into the eSATA port
2. Hold the END key (located above the numbers key pad) and at the same time plug in the power cord only (you will hear the fans turn on to max RPM)
3. Release the end key and wait
   1. After a few seconds you will hear ~ 20 or more beeps
   2. This beeping may continue for more than 5 minutes - Do not interrupt it
      1. Interuption will most likely result in a bricked motherboard
4. After the beeps stop, the system will shutdown and reboot itself
5. Once rebooted, all should be back to normal

This was an edited version and the original can be found at: 

forum.notebookreview.com/.../blind-bios-recovery-process-for-all-m18x-r1-in-case-of-corrupt-bios.606715

I wasn't aware of that.  I happened across this thread while researching something for my M18xR1 and thought I'd throw the option out there for someone to possibly try.

Do the A17/A18 come with a mini pcie slot on the motherboard, like the M18xR1 (non-mSATa)/R2 (mSATA) did?

If it does, and the BIOS reads the PCIE port during POST, then could a workaround be buying a mini-pcie to USB 2 port card to blind flash the BIOS?

This may be a stupid question, as I don't have an understanding of the intricate steps involved in a system POSTing, however could one take a 2.5" hdd (or male SATA to male USB adapter) that's wiped, copy the BIOS recovery file to it (i.e. PAR10X64.fd), remove all drives except that one from the MB and blind flash that way?  

You should also be able to do a blind BIOS recovery; however, the steps below apply to an M18xR1 and will most likely differ slightly with the Alienware 18, as they're slightly different with the R2.  Please verify what the proper steps are for an Alienware 18 via the Notebook Review Forum or TechInferno Forum.   Again, these steps are for an M18xR1 and are here for reference only Extract the contents of BIOS version to a new folder anywhere on your desktop Rename PAR10MEC.fd to PAR10X64.fd Copy PAR10X64.fd to a formatted fat32 usb stick by itself. Now, on the system that won't POST... Remove battery, unplug power cord, and plug usb stick into the eSATA port Hold the END key (located above the numbers key pad) and at the same time plug in the power cord only (you will hear the fans turn on to max RPM) Release the end key and wait After a few seconds you will hear ~ 20 or more beeps This beeping may continue for more than 5 minutes - Do not interrupt it Interuption will most likely result in a bricked motherboard After the beeps stop, the system will shutdown and reboot itself Once rebooted, all should be back to normal This was an edited version and the original can be found at:    forum.notebookreview.com/.../blind-bios-recovery-process-for-all-m18x-r1-in-case-of-corrupt-bios.606715

Thank you for posting this suggestion. Unfortunately, this does not work on the Alienware 18 (Viking). Several of us have attempted it, without any success and it is very sad that it does not work. This ability has avoided an unnecessary motherboard replacement for many M17xR3/R4 and M18xR1/R2 owners over the years, and as such, it has been a priceless feature.

The 17 and 18 motherboards do not read from the USB 3.0 ports during the pre-POST process where you hold down the END key and connect the power cord, and the crisis recovery flash process never begins. There is no eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port on the 17 (Ranger) or 18 (Viking) or newer models.

It is possible that this ability was intentionally removed in an effort to block Alienware 17 and 18 owners from "unlocking" their BIOS like we have always done on the earlier machines with resounding success. It is also possible that it does not work simply because of functional limitations of the USB 3.0 controller.

Yes, there is a chance that might work. It is certainly worth trying. I should get a mini-PCIe USB card and test it. I have one in the M18xR2, but it is not bootable. I saw a post, either here or at NBR... cannot remember where... that another person found a specific USB card that was bootable with a different USB chipset on the mini-PCIe card. It would be great to be able to do the blind flash.

If it works, it might be possible to mod that file to unlock the BIOS menus and then force flash it, without any of the firmware signature garbage to get in the way, and bulldoze through the protected ranges.