Aurora-R4, 8.1 update, Fan Issues

Ever since I upgraded to Windows 8.1 I have been having this issue. Every couple of days the HDD and PCI fans blow at 100% which means I have to perform a repair on the AlienFX app every time just to band aid the problem for a few days. This is getting very annoying. I didnt pay $2K just to baby sit fans. Its not my problem that Alienware has this issue. I am going to call Dell today to see what they can do. If they cannot do anything I will be setting up a dispute with my bank to get this resolved and use the money to build my own computer which I have been doing for over a decade now.

To disable Fast Startup, hold the Windows key and press "X".  Choose Power Options.  Click on choose what the Power button does on the left.  If you do not see Fast Startup as an option under Shutdown settings, or if it is greyed so you can't deselect it, click on Change Settings that are currently unavailable.  You should then be able to uncheck select Fast Startup.

Fast Startup is enabled by default in Windows 8.  There is a hibernation file it requires, which can also be deleted if desired.  At an Administrator CMD prompt, type in:

POWERCFG /H OFF

To re-enable Fast Startup in future, you would have to recreate this file by typing POWERCFG /H ON.  This will make Fast Startup an available option in Power Options again.

The fan speed stuck at 100% pre Windows boot a few times lately again for me.  I noticed the computer is having trouble interpreting the Shutdown command from Windows 8.1 and seems to try to go into Sleep mode instead.  When this happens, it always triggers the 100% fan issue.

I looked in my Event log and found a daily error that "The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first" which has been happening all along, ever since I upgraded to Windows 8.1 from the Windows Store.  I also found the error "Windows failed fast startup with error status 0xC000007B" was happening each day.  I have a small Solid State drive for my boot drive and Windows.  After a lot of attempts to get it to work without the shutdown issue and having to reinstall Command Center each time the fans failed, I finally disabled Fast Startup and haven't had the issue since.  With the solid state drive it doesn't take very long to boot anyway.  Fast Startup was a lot quicker, but the Shutdown command wasn't working right and that seemed to contribute to the fan speed issue.

I was also having the system hang during the Shutdown command since upgrading to A10 BIOS.  The computer would only partially shut down and disable the mouse,keyboard and video, but the CPU would stay running forever.  After forcing a shutdown with the power button, the fans speed would always pin to 100% immediately at power-on and I would have to reinstall Command Center to fix the fan speed.

I wonder if the fans issue is related to Fast Startup under Windows 8.1 for everyone or not?

I finally disabled Fast Startup and haven't had the issue since.

I suggested that about a month ago in one of the threads. Good to hear it worked as a work-around.

Has anyone raised this with Dell and if so what has been their response?

Cheers,

Tom

Yes it was raised, and they were working on a fix.

I checked my email for the previous thread details and found out that you need to

- update your bios to the latest version (a10 i think)

- remove the command centre, including registry entries, and saved setting under your user  profile

- disabled disabled Fast Startup 

- shut down the pc 

- restart and re-install a fresh copy of the command centre

-shut down the pc and unplug from power socket

and that should do the trick

I did it and so far since I posted it is working, now for how long I do not know

Franck

Just got off the phone with an unsympathetic Alienware support rep after dealing with this issue since the 8.1 update and in so many words they said they will only help me if I have Windows 7 installed on my system. Unfortunately my system shipped with Windows 8.1 thus they will not offer me technical support. The only way I can fix this annoying issue temporary on my own is to manually edit the fan settings so that they are adjusted by temperature. This is very frustrating and tiring. I am in IT and its my job to be up to date with the latest OS technology.  my 8 year old HP DV6000 laptop is humming along with 8.1 with no issues at all. If they do not fix this issue by the end of December I will be reporting this nonsense to an agency and I will never buy another Dell product. This is just plain horrible!

Well in 2 weeks since the latest Control Center and the A10 bios I have not had any issues except the lights acting strangely at time. This morning when Windows was loading up the fans went crazy again.

Went in to program and features, repaired the control panel which resolved the issue again immediately.

You needed to talk to the manager if you had someone tell you to install an old OS that you do not even own a license for on your new computer.

There is a new release of Command Center, which reportedly seems to work.  I installed it and no problems so far.

I have a solid state drive installed on my Alienware Aurora R4 and it no longer shuts down completely if Windows Fast Startup is enabled.  I believe that may have begun with the A10 BIOS.  If I disable Fast Startup, which doesn't make a huge difference with a solid state drive, it shuts down alright.

Here is the new Command Center for Windows 8.1:  http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/driverdetails?driverid=P1K0M 

Hello,

Sorry for my English : I'm French (nobody is perfect ! )

I got the same problem with my Alien Aurora R4 using Windows 8.1 and BIOS A10
Impossible to set up fans speed by using auto mode. 2 fans running at 100% while temperature wer at a low level.

I have fixed that problem by uninstalling my 'Command Center' program, downloading the special windows 8.1 'Command Center' here :
http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/04/DriverDetails?driverId=P1K0M available since December 2nd, 2013

I downloaded the file called App_NT_AWCC305010_W8_W81_W7_Setup_P1K0M_ZPE.exe

and I restarted my PC after installing the new Command Center program.

Now, all is OK : Fans are runing with a low speed by using the auto mode.
I hope it will help you.

I have installed the new command centre.

All is now working with the auto setting. Fans and lights back to where they should be before 8.1 was installed. DELL seem to have fixed it.

@Don_Canada I also have a solid state drive and Fast Startup is enabled with no problems (so far) with BIOS A9.

Interesting.  Have you checked your Event Log?  I was getting this error since installing Windows 8.1, but until I looked at the Event log I noticed nothing wrong:

"The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first. This error could be caused if the system stopped responding, crashed, or lost power unexpectedly."

Also this one:

"Windows failed fast startup with error status 0xC000007B."

Since the A10 BIOS I think is when it quit shutting down noticeably.  The mouse and keyboard lights and functions quit and the video turns off, but the CPU box keeps running forever until I hit the power button if Fast Startup is enabled.

If I disable Fast Startup it has no errors.  The time difference is not huge without Fast Startup with a solid state drive, but it ought to work.

Just checked my event log. No errors for fast startup

Will try the new command center :)