Windows Update Was UGLY!

It sure was. - not quite as bad as yours, but when restarting and doing configuration updates it seemed sto stall at 32 %. Alienhead light fluctuated in differnt colours and eventually all lights went off and system rebooted again by itself - After it restarted a few messages regarding devices had been updated and were ready to use- too fast to note which ones. After a further restart all seem to be o.k.  There is still KB 2533552 listed but was not automatically  ticked by Win Update - have not yet installed.  Same as the listed IE9 I had installed Apr 29 but then I was unable to download anything, although Win updates still worked as did Norton. so I went back to IE8.

AW Area 51 ALX / Bios-A10 / CC-2.6.1.0 A01 / Processor-I980 3.33 Not OC on this replacement PC (original one was)  / RAM-12GB 1600 DDR3 / Video Card-Dual ATI 5970-Video Driver-8.762.0.0 / On-board sound - Realtek High Def. Audio via Coaxial S/PDIF to 5.1 Cambridge Soundworks / Dual 2x256GB SDD in Raid 0 plus 2 x 600GB WD 10K RPM in Raid 0 / Optical Drive-DVD DH-24/Blu-Ray + BH-30N /Monitor-Dell 3008WFP(DP) / Logitech webcam Orbit-Sphere AF / Keyboard-AW TactX / Mouse-AW TactX / OS-Win 7 Ultimate 64bit / AW TactX Headset / WinTV-HVR 2250 / 19-in-1 media card reader / (AW-DT USB3 card missing from this replacement unit and still not delivered) / Netgear  Dual Band  N Router with  2TB USB Drive attached /

There were two downloads that most should not have downloaded.

Before downloading updates, checked or not, visit the MSFT knowledge base to see if you need or should download it. Two specifically said not to download if specific events did not apply to you or it could cause problems.

MSFT should give better descriptions of the download before you install or have to search the knowledge base.

Further to the above, while CC seamed to work, the testsoftware didn't - but did after a further re-boot (so I finally found out how to check the MIO Firmware version.  Was not sure if the just updated MIO board had the correct version applicable to the CC software version.

I assume you mean the Acronis True Image Home 2011 software which I gather is much better than Win7 Image software, although that has work great a few times on my "original" AW (Sep/10) - factory O/C's to 4 GH  and once on my replacement unit (Nov/10).  - not OC.  - If that is was you mean I'll get it, as my backup setup for my data (which I used on my last 4 PC's even under Win 98) works great. This time not only to a separate physical drive but also additionally to an external drive accessable also by my wife's PC.

That replacement one also run into problems in Feb/11 with the MIO board  - couldn't control the system fan which was running at over 4,000 RPM.  It also has from the outset a little noice (not very loud) with a fan (sound like it constantly goes slower and faster and it appears to be one of the ATI GPU fans.  I guess I should check each one separately as they had me do with my original AW where I never had that noice.  Still have to learn about those cards (awfully close to each other so I don't know if those fans in the bottom card do any good due to the only 1 1/2 mm space between them. - too bad there are no two version, one with fans on top and one with fans on the bottom LOL) Also still don't understand a few issues with those cards and hopefully get some feedback on it.

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19376851.aspx

Oh, did you install KB2533552 re future updates?  I found the info for this KB (not removable) confusing. While the problem listed refers to installing SP1 and not rebooting but installing other updates first and then rebooting - it later states is is applicable to systems with SP! already installed.  That latter applies to me. Anyway I have not yet installed it.  So will future updates not work?

Thanks for the reply. I'll buy it.

After the update, do you guys have problems like:-

1. Windows not shutting down, it just hangs.

2. Windows Shuts down, but the Fins are still open.

3. Windows shut down but the lights Fx is still on (sometimes fins open sometime fins sometimes not).

This is my second day with my Alienware Area 51 ALX and this unit was a replacement for the first unit. The first unit was even worse.

After the update, do you guys have problems like:-   1. Windows not shutting down, it just hangs.   2. Windows Shuts down, but the Fins are still open.   3. Windows shut down but the lights Fx is still on (sometimes fins open sometime fins sometimes not).   This is my second day with my Alienware Area 51 ALX and this unit was a replacement for the first unit. The first unit was even worse.

Command Center is causing number 2 and 3.  When they first released it the vents stayed open and the fron lights stayed on. They fixed it but with the latest ACC version they broke it again.

When it does this pull the power cord and hold down the power button for 10sec. This will get it working again but after a few boots it will revert back and you will need to pull the power cord again.

Another option is going back a version or two but then you will only see two temp sensors instead of three. ACC has been broken since it was released well over a year ago. Don't expect anything other then learning to live with it.

Number 1 is caused by the really bad BIOS versions. Try booting the system and then shutting it down with nothing but the mouse and KB plugged in. If it's still slow as snot ( it will be, trust me) then it's the POS BIOS.  It seems they are made by the same people that make the ACC.

Since the last Windows update I too have had issues. The update seemed to stall for me too (probably 32% like the rest of you, but can't remember specifically), but eventually completed. Since then I have had Windows warning me of a USB device problem each time I boot Windows up, and after unplugging all other devices came to the conclusion that it could well be something to do with the MIO board. I tried a system restore to several days previous, but the USB error persisted, so I undid the restore.

Oddly, even though Windows cries over this new USB device issue things related to MIO / Command Centre (seemingly) remain working fine. It'd be nice to not see the error each time I boot up though. Anyone know how I can fix this? Will a re-install of Command Centre be of any help?

Co-incidentally, I have also recently had issues with the fins not always closing or lights staying on after shutting Windows down, but this I think is a slightly older issue and might well be down to having installed the very latest CC a couple of weeks ago.

One other issue that seemed to occur immediately following the latest Windows updates (could be that I've only noticed it since though...) is that on power up or re-boot the BIOS progress bar sticks about an inch in for ages before moving on. Anyone have any ideas on that one? Loathe to install A10 because my machine is otherwise OK (issues above aside) and I have read so many 'bricked' motherboard comments due to A10.

Just to verify ... everything is ok now? Now, you have SP1, CC, and Norton all back on and eveyrthing is work fine, right?

Like I said before regarding this issue, I uninstalled Comand Center and Norton AV 2011 then installed the updates...then reinstalled those programs. It seems like the MS update needs complete control over the USB devices without a program that is constantly "monitoring" or accessing that device like Command Center running....I also noticed later that I had to unplug my Dell SP2309W monitor hub cable to get the dual USB ports on the monitor to be "found" again....

Just to verify ... everything is ok now? Now, you have SP1, CC, and Norton all back on and everything is working fine, right?

I think I might do it like this:

Acronis Image C: drive
Uninstall CC and reboot
Disable MS-Security Essentials "Real-Time Scanning"
Remove all USB device except for mouse, keyboard.
Install SP1 and then reboot
Reinstall latest CC, reboot and re-config
Re-connect USB devices.

That's for my main boot. For my 2nd dual-boot copy I was thinking of just running SP1 and see what happens.