Area 51 alx command center issues

Wow! Awesome! That certainly gives me a few more things to try.  Let me answer some of your questions:

I have  a stock mother board.  The first time the MIO board was replaced was an accident, a miscommunication between me and the tech as to what was wrong.   After the first replacement was when the troubles started.  Maybe after each replacement, I followed the wrong steps and subsequently bricked each MIO board.  But the fact that this one passes all of the diagnostic tests makes me think there's still hope?

Here are pictures of the error message (this is what popped up when I clicked on the tower) I'm no longer using the tactx mouse.

This is what I get through the AlienwareAlienFXTester (I"m not sure how to "go dark" and "go light" though.

I'll first try doing a few clean installs as per the guide you linked and see if I get anywhere.  If that doesn't work, I'll try the jumper reset, and from there uninstalling the .Net framework.  

Cass-Ole speaks the truth. I suggest you follow his posts closely. Here are my thoughts...

If MIO-Board tests good in Dell Diags (outside of Windows) there is a 99% or even 100% chance that the MIO-Board is good.

AWCC v2.8.9.0 on Windows-7(64bit) is correct. Never upgrade it (turn that ability off). Always uninstall, reboot, clean-install new version, reboot.

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19454040

AWCC v2.8.9.0 will not install unless proper version of Dot-Net is installed. IIRC, it's v3.0.x or 3.5.x.

Yes, over the years there have been reports that only a clean install of Windows and then drivers (in proper order) will yield a 100% working system. What appeared to be a hardware problem was actually just a software problem. I suspect this is due to the way drivers get installed on this strange Micro-Controller that is the MIO-Board (alien tech tends to be weird). [:)]

It only takes an hour or so to install a spare drive and clean install Windows.

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19376654

At any time, you can reconnect your real drive and everything is back as it was. However, capturing a perfect Acronis or Macrium Reflect Backup Image is always a good idea before you go messing around with things.

It's been my experience that the following fixes "99% working" boards:
- Power Dissipation ... so it fully resets next power-up
- Just running Dell Diags on them will often reset them.
- Installing proper AW-CC for your version of Windows. Not only does this check the MIO-Board's firmware version (and upgrade as needed), it has also been known to re-write some normally off-limits boot-load params.

Whew.  This will take me a while to get through.  You've provided me with an incredible amount of information so hopefully my fix is in there.  If I come across anything else I feel is diagnostically relevant I won't hesitate to post.  It'll probably take me a few days to tackle 90% of what you've laid out here.  Thank you so much for your time and effort in getting this awesome machine working again.  

I also ran a few more diagnostic tests that I hadn't seen before and came up with two new errors.  USB 2.0 Controller two passed everything except the "over current test" with an error code of 6500 051C.  USB 1.1 controller 3 also failed the over current indicator test with error code 4E00 032f.  Could this be relevant?

I also ran a few more diagnostic tests that I hadn't seen before and came up with two new errors.  USB 2.0 Controller two passed everything except the "over current test" with an error code of 6500 051C.  USB 1.1 controller 3 also failed the over current indicator test with error code 4E00 032f.  Could this be relevant?

You should not be getting any errors. Sounds like something on USB is pulling too much power.

Try disconnecting all USB devices and re-run test. Use a simple mouse and keyboard (non-lighted).

the only time I ever heard of usb overcharge was when a guy had MB_1 USB installed into the wrong socket (flexbay / media card reader), but Windows (or the bios, I forget which) gave a warning; see my landmarks pic, make sure mio usb is in the correct connector, huh? the bottom one, not the top one. Granted, 32bit gave a clean bill of health in the mio test, so it wouldn't surprise me if in 10minutes you write back that yours is connected right. If so? It certainly might be very relevant. I'd be hard pressed to know what a fix would be, other than we pretend you buy that 604GC I linked you to: if it failed to work, goodness, mthrbrd replacement would be in the discussion, the last thing we want to discuss.

confirm yours is connected right, lol, that we should discuss

[;)]

I opened it up and found mother board usb1 connected to the green star, and the media card reader connected to the red lightning bolt.  I unplugged both of them and then put them back and restarted.  On launch it told me it was installing USB drivers and eventually that was successful.  The green jumper looked like it was on the outermost two pins, and I have not tried the jumper reset yet.  Could you clarify what you meant in the top of a previous post when you said “7 > drivers > .net4 > CmndCntr “ was that a recommended order to uninstall/reinstall drivers? And am I correct that you'd like to pull the mio usb_3 from the mother board itself after uninstalling drivers, power down, plug back into the motherboard itself, and restart?

I think I was told years ago when I was trying to solve this that the mother board might be an issue.  After one particular MIO swap it felt like the system was being weighed down and its continued to operate that way ever since.  I reran the dell diagnostics and got the same result.  Here are pictures.  

Since I have the Area 51 ALX edition, will I need a different board from the one you linked? I was given part number "m5vf8" by tech support recently.    

One last question.  In my  haste to get at the MIO board, I did not take notice of the orientation of the power chords connecting to my graphics cards.  I have dual amd radeon 6900's soon to be replaced by dual geforce gtx 970s.  Which pins belong in which cards?  A cursory google search led me back to the forums, but the pin order seemed to be card specific.  As it stands they're plugged in and working with the chords I believe were in there but I'm not certain.

Oh, and the motorized black front bezel (part number X504R) is also broken on my machine (I know this poor thing is in bad shape) and I need to replace it.  CPUMEDICS.com has one but the problem is it is in gray.  Again, a google search turned up a few things but they all seem to have sold years ago.  Any advice?

M5VF8 is a standard A51 mio, ALX part#'s are:

• 3 part #'s for ALX: FWKNT v1.01 / CR1KN V1.01 / 604GC v2.0
• any photos of stndrd A51 mios will always show the loss of ALX ODD motor connect
• use my landmark pic to find odd motor connect, see if yours has that
• if it does, your mio has a part# tag on it - or - buy/try the 604GC

X504R from Dell > chat with them - or - bing/google, see who has one & play the waiting game on eBay

photo your grfx cables, I can't visualize your problem

"7 > drivers > .net4 > CmndCntr"

The best advice is to yank USB_3 (aka MB_1 USB), clean install W7, install all drivers, install .net4 then CmndCntr 2.8.9. Tesla & Dell have published driver install order. Go down the list.

You yank USB_3 cable so the mio doesn't 'soft-brick' during W7 install - then - after about the time you've installed usb3.0 drivers, power down, plug usb_3 mio cable in, start up, make sure W7 detects mio & installs the drivers; from there, finish your driver install routine > .net4 last then CC 2.8.9 

"pull the mio usb_3 from the mother board itself after uninstalling drivers, power down, plug back into the motherboard itself, and restart?" > I do not recollect saying to uninstall drivers, the sentence has no context here; perhaps what I said up there a minute ago jives now?

edit: no clue here why 32bit says your usb's are jacked; the mthrbrd has three usb headers, & since the top three usb2 external ports occupy two of them, I might slap a Wi-Fi or keyboard or thumbdrive up in those three ports to see if the 'usb hub' works, then I might yank the mio usb cable, insert one of the top usb cables into that header (what we know as usb header 3 where mio plugs into; we plug mio into usb header #3 so that when we speak of it we know we're referring to the mio & its usb cable); what I just said is test usb header #3 by plugging one of the top external usb2 port cables in there & run a device up there to check the mthrbrd usb headers are ok; if you did it right, you checked all three mthrbrd usb headers for operation. If they check out ok, & if your new W7 install fails to correct this issue, I might be tempted to try a new mio board as the next logical step.

I never said uninstall anything, except .netframework 4/4.6 on your initial W7 hard drive, in the event .net framework is corrupt. A reinstall may have helped, but a clean 7 install will also help.

The only time we unplug mio usb_3 is during a clean 7 install - or - in times like this, when the status of the mio is iffy & we'll want to see / verify W7 installs the mio driver because when it does we can trust the mio is behaving like a typical usb device (to not see W7 install a driver for mio is a sign that the mthrbrd can not detect it as a usb device, a typical nightmare scenario): that  'detect mio' routine is:

• power down > unplug usb_3
• power up > reach 7 desktop > power down
• reinstall usb_3 > power up
• watch for W7 mio driver install
• we'd like to see that happen in order to know things are otherwise 'ok' with mio
• it's the lack of seeing it happen we're also very interested in

let's be clear here: I posted a snip of device manager HID devices for a reason: you said you had no 'unknown devices' in device manager, but you didn't specify your MIO filter driver in HID's. The scenario exists where you want to unplug usb_3 in order for W7 to 'detect mio & install driver', especially if HID device is 'blank' (or an unknown' develops elsewhere).

The trouble-tree would read: I saw 7 install mio driver & it's listed in HID devices; then we move on. If you can't verify those two things, then yes, do a 'detect my mio' routine ... huh?

I don't know what form of miscommunication happened, I hope this cleared it up

Figured out the graphics card thing through a little research so no more problems there.  I have ordered a new MIO board and it should be here soon.  Will first try to do a clean install of windows 7 before I abandon the card I have now.  Yes, I now understand what you meant with the usb_3 headers on the motherboard, and when to unplug MIO board to prevent "soft bricking".  About to embark on the clean windows 7 install, but I have to reread Tesla's post on it first.  I will report back afterward with the results after I have followed up on everything you have provided.  I will follow the instructions as listed and if we still have failure, it will tell us quite a bit I should think.  Thank you for all of your help so far and I hope to report back with good news.

Edit, just checked under the HID category in device manager and I do NOT have master I/O board driver installed.

in your old install or a new clean install? I think I know the answer: the old install.

due to the fact owners will read this thread now & later, I talk out loud for 'everyone's benefit' or chagrin.

No driver in device manager, seems a good time to employ the 'driver detect' scenario:

• power down > unplug mio usb connector (usb_3 aka MB_USB1)
• power up > reach desktop > power down
• plug mio usb back in > power up
• what did Win7 do?
• check tray icon area for signs it installed / reinstalled a driver & look for a notification
• no signs?
• enter device manager > check HID devices > no?
• Action > Scan for hardware changes in HID & USB
• no driver?
• 'repair' CmndCntr (launch CC.exe) - or - uninstall / reinstall CmndCntr

Again, in Mio Board Died we tried everything to revive it without luck (the owner used the Resource DVD to install CmndCntr & it bricked); & here a nightmare scenario Alienware Aurora R4 ALX MIO Board Issue after a clean W7 install (aka soft brick); what once was a pricey & 100% working board became a poor lil' mio which never ever saw the light of day afterwards, needed replaced. I've typed these guides before: throw everything you can at it then replace (know when to give up) when basic advice fails.

If you have any 'spare' mio's there which you thought were bricked, try one, go back to sqware one. The bear minimum connexions it needs in order to run/test were posted prior.

The first time I unplugged the usb_3 / MB_USB1, when we thought that they may have been plugged into the wrong ports on the MIO board, and I booted back up I saw a notification that drivers were being installed.  I followed the 'driver detect' blue print you laid out and after power down, unplug, power up, desk top, power down, replug, power up, nothing happened.  no driver installs, no updates, nothing.  And yes, you were correct, it was the old install.  I'm still trying to source the windows 7 AW launch CD.  I don't want to go through a clean install and end up bricking something because I had an outdated CD.  The replacement MIO board has arrived.  I'll keep exhausting all possibilities with this one before seeking advice on installing and the do's/don'ts of a fresh clean board.  If that doesn't work...mobo?

Here's my HID

Still no master I/O device.  Thoughts on how to proceed?

Edit: Just tried the jumper reset (went from pins 1 & 2 to 2 & 3) with a reboot, followed by removal of the jumper completely, followed by a reboot.  then reinstallation of jumper to pins 1 and 2 followed by dell diagnostics to try to un-soft-brick the board.  Then did a clean install of CC but still no board found.  Should I have power dissipated on each power down during the jumper reset? If so I can try again.

Let me give a for instance:

• I just shutdown, pulled mio usb, pwrup/pwrdwn, replug, pwrup, W7 does nothing
• the rationale is: let W7 not see it, then let it see it
• after it sees it again, it should reinstall driver, but it didn't
• if it did, it happened so fast I didn't get a notify
• entering device manager & seeing it listed in HID calms any suspicion

If I do this next week, chances are 7 will reinstall driver openly (tray icon + a driver notify screen).

Since I know what I'm doing, with system 'on' as I'm typing this, with device manager open, I just yanked the mio usb (with system 'live') > MIO Driver disappears from HID & one device disappears from USB Controllers; I plug it back in, driver reappears in HID + one more device added to USB Controllers & system fans give an audible 'rev'. If you're careful you can replicate this: if device manager does not respond to yanking & reinserting mio usb, let me know. I would probably shutdown & confirm operation in 32bit DIAG.

Thoughts on how to proceed: yank usb_3 > clean 7 install > driver suite install > .net4 + CC 2.8.9:

• again, after USB 3.0 drivers installed (during your total driver suite install routine)
• pwr down > insert mio usb_3 > pwr up > watch for 7 to detect mio & install driver
• do this on the old mio, not the new one
• if old one does not respond, yank it out & try new 604GC
• I can not be held responsible if your mthrbrd craps-out the new mio since I have no way to prove it ***-out old mio

the point above is to proceed checking on the old one 1st, using a clean 7 install as a guide.

2.8.9 & all drivers can be found on Dell.com, there is no use for a Resource CD; the Alienware logo W7 DVD is fine for clean 7 installs of course.

an mio usb cable inspection may be warranted again:

• check for damage, loose pins, backed out pins, pinched wire(s)
• a voltmeter with continuity / ohms tester may help prove the cable is fit for use at both ends

this is what I have for advice, other than you have a lot of usb devices listed in HID: try a lean go at it, just a keuboard / mouse plugged into the rear when testing.

switching usb headers may induce 7 to 'reinstall driver'.

again you have top external usb2.0 ports that occupy those other two mthrbrd usb headers; unplug one, insert mio usb_3, power up, see if 7 detects / installs.

There used to be a time when 7 installed drivers, they list as gaming desktop & bcm3246 or similar. Since I always use 2.8.11, it may be that 2.8.9 may not list in HID devices (perhaps 2.8.9 did not include an MIO Filter Driver?). If not? Look in device manager > view > show hidden devices > it may be listed as 'gaming desktop' driver or similar. Again, try a new usb header to see if 7 detects/reinstalls ... if not ... if you're careful, gently yank mio usb_3 with system on, look at device manager (HID/USB & hidden) then look again when you carefully reinsert it 10 seconds later (with system on). a flashlight helps. do it at your own risk 

classic edit

given your prior message in its entirety, let there be no doubt that a new motherboard in combination with a new mio (cut me some slack, we're talking about introducing 'new' but 'used' parts), in a perfect world where all of your wiring is ok & you (we) exhausted all other means, a pricey ($120-200) motherboard enters the discussion as the last piece of the puzzle. In a world where the reality is true that the new mio 'functions', the clean install of 7 is 'fine', your case wiring is 'ok', then mthrbrd looks a culprit.

Let me say this while I still can. You said you verified it had drivers installed (you saw it happen): I unplugged both of them and then put them back and restarted. On launch it told me it was installing USB drivers and eventually that was successful". Is it possible u saw media card drivers install?

Haven't u tried a jumper reset yet? it's safe. You can try several times before giving up.

Last, it is odd that 32Bit says it is ok, & you say that the exterior led lights come on & I assume your system fans act normal (not max rpm fans like hair dryers). In almost all situations none of that would be true. MIO has the sure signs of life we could hope for it to have. *skratching head*

For the record, your part tag is bottom right uinder the hdd sata ports:

• J560M rev.1 has lime green/purple accents
• XDJ4C rev.2 has black accents

hopefully a clean 7 install cures this since I'm tapped out of info:

I've given you all the majik I got

Firstly, you've helped me so much I'd never "hold you responsible" for any damage to my machine.  This is as much about me learning as anything else.  

Secondly.  Tried plugging MIO board into several of the MB usb headers and it was never recognized or at least no drivers were installed.  And I believe you are correct when you suggest that the drivers I saw installing were for the media card readers.  As it stands I still cannot find the board in the devices tab.  I showed hidden devices and still couldn't find the MIO filter driver, or anything such as a gaming desktop or anything of the like.  its interesting you mention the number of HID devices listed as I only had a mouse (logitech g600 gaming mouse) and the alienware Tactx keyboard plugged into the back at the time of the snip.  

Tried gently pulling out the USB_3 cord from MIO board during operation and I watched the device manager.  No results from any USB header on the mother board (didn't change those with the power on don't worry).  

Tomorrow is the day to try to tackle the clean windows 7 install.  I'm having difficulty locating the original discs that came with the computer.  You mentioned the " Alienware logo W7 DVD"  Is that something I can burn myself or do I need dell to send it to me?  Should I pre-download all drivers I'll need on to a flash drive before doing the clean install? or will I have access to Dell's website and therefore the drivers?

System fans do act normal, and even increase speed during intense game play leading me to believe that the thermal sensors are working as well.  I'm glad to see that this is at least a little puzzling for you as well XD Its possible that during one visit, one tech pulled one wire or I did something along the way to mess up the mobo.  I've read through the MB replacement thread and it's intimidating to say the least.   Will report back after the clean install.