Aurora R4 temp sensors at 0 degrees; actual temps go over 100C when running Diagnostics

well, you can check the master i/o board with the 32-bit ePSA media you create on a cd:

• Alienware 32-Bit Diagnostics (GUI for Alienware projects), v.A1382A0/A0494, A1382A0
• http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/Drivers/DriversDetails?
• found on dell.com Aurora R2 drivers page, read install instructions to create cd - bootable usb
• I haven't run the test in 18 months, basically boot into the media you create & do master i/o tests. If m i/o does not show up in initial screen, it may indicate a problem w/mio. Try what you can & report back ... related ePSA test info in link below / F12 Diagnostics etc
• driverId=R267117&fileId=2731113571&osCode=W764&productCode=alienware-aurora-r2&languageCode=EN&categoryId=DI

Overheating cpu may indicate liquid cooler failure

• Make sure your mio board is in fact plugged in w/the 4-wire molex-peripheral connector, & all connections on your top light strip connected - like pump & sys/rad fan
• worst case scenario: Aurora R4 overheating problem SOLVED!!!
• http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/p/19516339/20440773#20440773

Edit: If you need a new cooler, check the part# off of your radiator, run it through eBay-google/bing; R4 coolers of a certain 'batch' clog-up, may try a new part#, lol, lest problem recur. Contact Dell, may offer a replacement (?) per above article.

• How to Replace the Liquid Cooling System in the Alienware Aurora  
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7j5qQ524vo

Typical cooler part#'s: Purchase a new Alienware stock CPU liquid cooler?

• http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19586428
• O1YGW is newer Asetek Premium cooler for Aurora R4: 38mm rad & copper cold-plate, approx. $205 from Dell ... try to talk them down to $150 - $175, lol ... excellent cooler, muy bien

1. I've had my R4 for about a year and a half. It runs Windows 8.1. I've had some issues before with fan running at max, slow start-up, and malfunctioning lights; reinstalling Command Center fixed that. This time, it did not work. Command Center shows all sensors at 0 degrees,    2. HWMonitor shows it idling at 80C with fans at 3.5k - 4.5k rpm.   3. I tried to run Dell Diagnostics, but the temperatures reached 102C, so I shut it down. I have tried doing the shut down, hold power, start up method.

http://imgur.com/a/oGCeO

The mio board looks plugged in. I haven't touched it. The connections on the light strip look correct to me. I actually saw the thread about liquid cooler failure yesterday and looked up how to flush the radiator. The liquid that came out was murky and had crud in it that looked like rice crispy treat crumbs. I couldn't figure out how to access the component that is shown in the photos of that thread. I put distilled water in it for now and will have to go to the store for thermal paste tomorrow. My adventures in liquid cooling didn't change the fact that Command Center isn't sensing the temperature, so i will use tomorrow to decipher your recommendation of diagnosing without frying the cpu.

For history:

Here's the video I watched about cleaning the liquid cooling: www.youtube.com/watch

I didn't do the part with the battery and syringe, but I used a pipette to add some more water.

Here's the video series I watched to identify the components such as the mio board:

www.youtube.com/watch

I couldn't figure out how to access the component that is shown in the photos of that thread.

Then how did you open the closed-loop liquid chamber system to add liquid?

I followed the directions of the video I mentioned to detach the hoses from the back of the pump and flush the radiator through the hoses. I reconnected it today with new thermal paste. It sounds noisy because of the air bubbles, but the idling temperatures have gone down to 45C - 55C. I was able to then run the ePSA. It said all tests passed, but I didn't see it say MIO Board anywhere. Command Center says my temps are at 29C, which doesn't match HWMonitor. Here is an album with images of my thermal paste, temperatures, and ePSA results.

Http://imgur.com/a/EUrli

Your 29c temps in CC are prob ambient air temps in the case, something which might not match HWMon. Anywho, you posted a photo of your flex-bay (media card reader) connector. See my pic, open your plastic shroud, remove your battery shroud & pci-e fan to check your mio & power connections @ the mio, then of course over on the left to check your mio's motherboard usb connector is plugged in also. May require vid-card removal to see the usb connector. Be careful when plugging your pci-fan connector back into mio.

well, I just ran ePSA on mine for the 1st time, did not see an mio parameter like I would for the Area-51 ePSA. Your Command Center + mio tandem should be 'working' if you can change your alien fx colors, manually control pci-e fan speed, read temps, note cpu pump is 'running'. That would indicate the power is plugged in, & usb cable is making contact @ both ends. No need to disassemble system as I just mentioned. If others browse this thread later, they may find the photo above useful, even if you didn't.

Now that your cpu pump appears to be running, & you have 29c temps in CC ... does your CmndCntr 'work' as you expect it to, are your problems solved for now? Or do you have other issues in need of a solution?

http://imgur.com/5xp4bTh

After I posted the previous reply, I switched back from Manual thermal control to Automatic; this seems to have made the Command Center numbers change again. Now it's showing 28C temperatures again, the fan speeds went down, the liquid cooling disappeared from the display, and it's much quieter. HWMonitor seems to be showing the same speeds as before, though. I'm still concerned about the unreliability.

http://imgur.com/a/mYMoi

I got a look at the connections you'd circled without removing the fan, only the cover. I'd reinstalled Command Center one more time before I received your latest advice. It's once again showing 0C temps, PCI Fan at 22988rpm, System Fan at 0rpm, and other such weird things. Sometimes now, when I shut the system down, the monitors turn off but the fans and lights keep running. When I start the system up, it takes longer than it used to after I enter the picture password. I still have the ability to change the lights. I can change to Manual in the thermal controls, but it didn't change the RPM numbers at all, even though on my Manual settings they should all be at 50%.

Link above is the connections, which look sturdy; the link below is the latest Command Center and HWMonitor info. I really appreciate your involvement with my issue.

http://imgur.com/zSmnjCk

I've been holding down the power pretty much every time I shut down my computer now, just in case. When I started it up within the past hour, everything seems to be working well (for now). It started up quickly (BIOS A11), the AlienFXTester (4.02.00) all worked, and the fans in Command Center (3.5) responded to Manual settings. I did run CCleaner as suggested in one of the threads you linked. I bookmarked both threads in case it acts up again.

I guess now my future is to decide whether I want to correct my liquid cooling system to have actual coolant and no bubbles in it or instead to install a fan. I've been recommended this fan:

www.newegg.com/.../Product.aspx

Do you suppose it will fit in place of the liquid cooling system? Will Command Center be able to handle the change? I'd rather learn to take out the motherboard than mess with syringes and coolant, especially since I never even located the component that is shown in the gooey-coolant thread.

Personally I'd make these guys an offer for their R1/2/3 cooler, brand new, after confirming it is in fact part# HRGD5 they're selling. A reliable Aurora pump that isn't a 'suspect' R4 type:

• http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Dell-Alienware-Aurora-ALX-Liquid-Cooling-System-/181490280351?pt=US_Water_Cooling&hash=item2a41a9e79f

This is the gen one type, w/rigid tubing, still a viable alternative:

• http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-OEM-Dell-Alienware-Area-51-ALX-Aurora-Processor-Liquid-Cooling-XF23D-PP749-/400806202064?pt=US_Water_Cooling&hash=item5d51e94ad0

Per that solved!!! article, Dell might send you a replacement, which can get you by til you figure out what you wanna do, I'd check into that. Sooner or later your pump there should stop making noise, less you wanna top it off, crack it open again, clean it out better etc.

I think your best bet's another (new) Aurora liquid joint. ^ A conventional cooler from newegg, your bios will indicate a cpu fan failure (it won't sense the pump over the black 7pin) which I suppose you disable in the bios. But yeah, I've seen guys run those types outta frustration w/the R4 cooler. So long as it's a socket 2011 cooler, and you handle your case carefully (the metal heatsink will be 'heavy' & want to pull at the socket 2011 retainer due to gravity --> F x M = A etc, mustn't jostle case, lest heatsink 'break away', something plenty of people learned in the past w/heavy heatsinks). Ok?

Honestly, try for HRGD5 w/a $70-shipped offer - or play the waiting game on eBay for a cheaper new one. When you reel something in, then go back & try to 'fix' your old pump as a good spare. Good luck my man, I hope we got somethings working in there at least.

What would be the most effective way of asking Dell about the replacement since I am out of the one-year warranty?

assumed you had warranty. Agh. The fine print says you're sool, like 9 out of 10 R4 owners who got the free one year plan. On to Plan B: buy new Aurora cooler (liquid or air-cooled) or 'fix' the one there. Plan C: Call Dell, try for the freebie: if they say no, talk them down as low as they'll go on 01YGW (their best cooler) or HRGD5 if in stock (stay away from R4 cooler if it ain't 'free'). It's a money issue, so decide what's best for you. In the solved!!!! post, you also saw other's have moved on to Corsair h80i type coolers @ a decent price. If you go the Corsair h80i route, browse the link below & contact me, I can probably whip out an adapter for the 7pin:

• http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19585441

I spent half the year's savings last year to buy the desktop, so a top-of the-line cooler is not in the cards for me.

The Newegg fan is still appealing because of the low price, and I don't think I could jostle the case if I wanted to since I can't even lift it alone. The downsides are the installation and integration.

The eBay choice is also pretty nice since it seems it'll integrate seamlessly with Command Center, but I do have a hard time trusting Alienware now.

The h80i is cheaper than the eBay cooler and is available in completely new condition, but I have some questions about the adapter. Is the adapter set-up as easy as plugging it in? Will you need parts from my old cooler? Will it take you a while to make? Will it end up costing the same as the eBay cooler total? If you can't discuss price on forums, I have my email on my profile.