UNSOLVED
Aurora-R1, motherboard install issues
Long story shortened. My Dell Alienware Aurora R1 had its CPU liquid cooler fail this past year or so. Bought a new one. Had trouble installing it. Contacted Dell; no luck there as it was so old, from like 2011.
Ultimately had to remove the motherboard and attach a different back plate. That seemed to go alright.
Alas, I ran into trouble when I went to reconnect the motherboard. Despite my taking photos and making notes, the PC will now not even boot. I am getting it to POST - where I have one short beep. I obviously did not reconnect everything to the motherboard right. I thought I have everything made note of or photographed but I seem to have missed something.
Motherboard Connections:
Green connection is 1394.
Black 6-pin is SPDIF
'Ver' is USB3
White 4 pin near ram MB CPU FAN
Soundcard - yellow 9-pin
HDD SATA2 - from SATA 2 - top right
HDD SATA4 from SATA 4 top middle
Serial ATA MB E3157 from SATA 6 top left
HDD SATA1 from SATA 1 bottom right
Marked HDD from bottom middle
MB no number from SATA 5 bottom left
I am left with a few USB cables to connect. They missed getting noted or photographed well. One of the USB cables is marked USB; it is currently plugged into USB1. USB3 is connected to my Master IO cable. USB2 is empty. The FRONT PANEL connection is connected to a blue-tipped 9-pin cable.
I could use some help and assistance figuring this out. I may end up taking it in to a local shop for service and repair.
Thanks
3562
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Posted August 21st, 2018 19:00
Download AW1382A0.exe and make bootable media (CD/DVD or maybe USB) .
Boot the Aurora-R1 with it.
Dell Rockstar
Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS Developer (Retired)
- Like many of you, I can appreciate a good game-engine.
- I answer questions here, but I'm not a Dell employee.
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0
Posted August 21st, 2018 19:00
Thank you for the prompt reply.
I am confused. Not all of the connections you have mentioned match up with my motherboard layout. Part of that is likely due to the builds being a bit different, or the Revision being off. I am sure that my crappy, spotty note-taking doesn't help.
Right now, my brain is just overloaded and stressed. I will look again come morning.
3550
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Posted August 21st, 2018 19:00
It very well could be a different Revision. Not sure what came before R1. Revision listed in the PC's manual as "a00 - August 2009."
It is an Intel core i7 920 - LGA1366.
I will try to reattach my liquid cooler in the morning. That could be part of why it will not fully boot.
3565
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Posted August 21st, 2018 19:00
I have one right here. An oldie but a goodie :Cool:
MotherBoard Connections:
MB USB1 - MIO-Board (one USB channel for MIO, one for FlexBay ports)
MB USB2 - Front-Top Panel (2 x USB 2.0 Ports)
Front_Panel - Front-Top Panel (Power Switch, Power Light, HDD Light)
Front_Panel - BLINK header on MIO-Board (wires in parallel with others ... 2 wires on each pin)
Firewire - Front-Top Panel (1 Firewire port)
Audio - Front-Top Panel (analog heaphone and mic)
Chipset Fan
MB_CPU_Fan - 3-pins of the 26-pin cable that goes to the MIO-Board (MB_MIO)
MIO-Board Connections:
Power supply - Molex 4 pin (5v/12v)
MotherBoard USB (MB_USB)
MotherBoard Front_Panel (BLINK)
MotherBoard MB_CPU_Fan (3-pins of the 26-pin cable that goes to MB_MIO)
Top Lighting Board 26-pin (MB_MIO)
FlexBay (USB Card reader)
BlueTooth Module
All exterior lights
Large case fans"Top Lighting Board" Connections:
CPU_Pump (Asetek Cooler) pump
Sys_Fan (Asetek Cooler) radiator or main system fan
CPU_Fan - No connection
Mem_Fan (small case fan in top for memory)
Arrow - "Rear of case" external white lighting with switch (to help view external connections)Dell Rockstar
Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS Developer (Retired)
- Like many of you, I can appreciate a good game-engine.
- I answer questions here, but I'm not a Dell employee.
- Consider giving posts you like a "thumbs-up"
- Posting models-numbers and software versions speeds trouble-shooting.
- Click "Mark as Accepted Answer" on any post that answers your question best.3537
0
Posted August 21st, 2018 21:00
@aXa wrote:
1. It is an Intel core i7 920 - LGA1366.
2. I will try to reattach my liquid cooler in the morning. That could be part of why it will not fully boot.
1. Yeah, that's an Aurora-R1 alright. Intel x58-chipset. Just called "Aurora" on release back then.
2. Right ... must have some kind of functioning cooler. Let's see if this old page still works?
https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-General/5-Anti-MIO-Cooling-Project/m-p/5591343#M92938
Yep, but try to hook-it-up the proper/normal way ... unless you expect your MIO-Board is fried.
Dell Rockstar
Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS Developer (Retired)
- Like many of you, I can appreciate a good game-engine.
- I answer questions here, but I'm not a Dell employee.
- Consider giving posts you like a "thumbs-up"
- Posting models-numbers and software versions speeds trouble-shooting.
- Click "Mark as Accepted Answer" on any post that answers your question best.3505
0
Posted August 22nd, 2018 08:00
After much work, I got the AiO liquid cooler reattached. Now to try booting again.
One further inspection, I found that the strange blue-tipped 9-pin cable is marked as the LED + SWITCH - on a spare, replacement Front I/O Cover Assembly. That is currently connected to FRONT PANEL on the motherboard. It seems to only fit on that connector.
3500
1
Posted August 22nd, 2018 09:00
The new backplate if it does not have insulating material may have shorted out and Fried the board.\
has quite a lot on these.
https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-General/Alienware-Aurora-R1-motherboard-search/td-p/5622490
Aurora R1 motherboard MS7591 4VWF2 92JYY
Aurora R1 motherboard MS7591 H869MMIO Part numbers MS4194 MS4195
P0GVP = Aurora-R1, Aurora-R2
2JXP2 = Aurora-R1 ALX, Aurora-R4 ALXBefore opening the case cover, try this to fix your MIO board issues =
* Turn the system off
* Disconnect the power cord from the rear of the PC
* Press and hold in the power button for one minute (yes, it is a long time)
* Reconnect the power cord to the PC
* Turn the system onDiagnostics
* Restart the PC
* Press F12 at the BIOS screen
* Cursor down to the Utility Partition [press Enter]
* Run the diagnostics on the MIO board. This will test it and sometimes reset it so that it will work the next time the Command Center is loaded fresh. Post the resultsMIO Diagnostics from within windows
* Do a search for AlienwareAlienFXTester.exe and run it. Post the resultsJumper Reset
* Shutdown the PC
* Open the case cover and find the MIO board
* Locate the green plastic jumper on the MIO board
* The jumper is on pins 1/2
* Remove the jumper
* Turn the system on. Once into Windows, do a proper shutdown (turn power off)
* Place the jumper on pins 2/3
* Turn the system on. Once into Windows, do a proper shutdown (turn power off)
* Return the jumper to pins 1/2
* Turn the system on1. If you are inside the warranty period and were told by Dell Technical Support to load the MIO board driver from the CD or the Dell File Library, and the installation renders the MIO board corrupt, Dell will replace the MIO board via an onsite technician.
2. If you are inside the warranty period and loaded the MIO board driver from the CD or the Dell File Library WITHOUT any direction from Dell Technical Support, and the installation renders the MIO board corrupt, Dell will ship you the MIO board. You will need to do the installation.
3. The policy is firm and we cannot go around it. If you are outside the purchased warranty period, regardless of whether you used the CD or the Dell File Library, and the installation renders the MIO board corrupt, you must purchase the MIO board and replace it yourself.
Pictures in this order = R1/R2
Always confirm from your seller that they do in fact have an Intel x58 socket 1366 motherboard capable of running an I7 9xx cpu, since some of these used/eBay items appear to be going by the R2 designation (which means P55 skt 1156 motherboard i7 8xx etc). Find your part#, but the 1st two boards are for the R1, either will work. Test your CMOS coin-cell battery for 2.5v - 3v, try one memory stick at a time, follow the troubleshooting guide.
10/25/2013 1:23 AM 6459362
alienware-aurora_service manual_en-us.pdfR1 Motherboards by Part #
4VWF2 (part# circled)
H869M
3487
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Posted August 22nd, 2018 11:00
Thank you, and thanks for including the link to the Service Manual. It was most helpful. Based on the pictures and my notes etc. it looks like my motherboard is most like the H869M. It is the three 9-pin UBS like connections that are giving me the most trouble. One or two of them escaped my photos and notes. They are labeled USB1, USB2, and USB3. Currently the MASTER IO cable is plugged into USB3. USB2 is empty. And I have my USB labeled cable plugged into USB1. The blue-tipped LED + SWITCH cable is connected to the one marked FRONT PANEL.
The backplate looked to have insulating material on it when I installed it. However, you do raise an important point about shorting out the motherboard.
I am familiar with some of the work and posts by Cass-Ole. I looked at quite a number of his posts and topics. In fact, the CPU PUMP adapter is one he made for me. Too bad he is no longer with us as part of the Dell community.
1485
1
Posted August 22nd, 2018 12:00
I read over this post yesterday, was interested (lurking) to see what develops; when a working PC is taken apart and doesn't work when put back together, it can be tough to know what step(s) was skipped. Tesla has an R1 like u do, in a better position than me to help out. AlienTube has a 4 part series on disassembly, looks like an R2 they used, but you might browse them in order to get your PC hooked back up (never remove CPU if you don't need to): Aurora Disassembly (see Vids 1 2 3 4)
If CPU 8pin, ATX 24pin, mem/cooler/GPU/Keyboard/Monitor/Mouse/front panel/MIO have power & are hooked up ok, coin-cell battery ok, PC should work
- F2 enters Bios (to verify mthrbrd/GRFX/hardware is ok)
- if HDD data/power is also plugged in, system should boot
- 1 beep is good sign mthrbrd is ok
- PSU black bulk connector should be fully seated into PSU chassis, now is a good time to reseat all PSU hardware ends of cables
- reseat GPU &/or try a new PCI-E slot > you'll get no where if u can not see the initial Bios Logo
- disconnecting power to your monitor then reconnecting power can sometimes solve the black screen (where monitor is the issue / not the PC)
Tesla1856
10 Wizard
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17979 Posts
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71576 Points
3556
1
Posted August 21st, 2018 19:00
Yeah, take a break.
It should be right (I wrote it myself). Maybe you don't really have an Aurora-R1? What Intel processor is installed?
Also, most of that could be unplugged and motherboard would still BIOS-Post and display BIOS options. Liquid-Cooler (or some cooler) must be attached and working. Intel CPU will only run for 60 seconds or so without a proper cooler.
Dell Rockstar
Microsoft Windows and Apple iOS Developer (Retired)
- Like many of you, I can appreciate a good game-engine.
- I answer questions here, but I'm not a Dell employee.
- Consider giving posts you like a "thumbs-up"
- Posting models-numbers and software versions speeds trouble-shooting.
- Click "Mark as Accepted Answer" on any post that answers your question best.