Aurora R9, stuck Alienware preparing automatic repair

Question

I have an r9 that is about a 1 1/2 years old. It has been working fine.

Then this morning I sit down and its stuck on the Alienware screen.

I give it 15 minutes and no changes, so I hold the power down until it shuts off. I let is sit for a minute and then power on.

The alienware preparing automatic repair screen comes up. I let that sit for 30 mins with no change....and no real sounds from the hardware.

I hold the power down again, wait 15 seconds after shutoff and boot into the diagnostics. Tests run all successfully, but I would like to note that during the fan test, only the top fan and front fan actually spun. The PSU fan DID not.

I unplugged everything and tried to boot with just the KB and mouse. No change.

With everything unplugged, I pulled the power cord and pressed the power for 30 seconds to discharge. No change.

I tried the CMOS fix. No change.

Can someone with an R9 confirm that the PSU fans spins during testing?

Another tips?

Thanks

Marc

Tesla1856 · Answer

@crowmaniac wrote:

I have an [Aurora} r9

The alienware preparing automatic repair screen comes up.

Sounds like hardware failure. Good chance it's your bootable C-drive (HDD or SSD).

It's bad to see that message and action since the drive should have never failed in the first place.

If you have important things on this computer, hopefully you have a recent backup.

Did you Shut-Down properly last night, or was it just Sleeping ?

crowmaniac · Answer

It was just sleeping.

I try not to keep anything important on HD's, but it a bummer that its only been this long.

Any thoughts on if the drive is still under warranty.

Also, will Dell be able to get me my Windows 10 key for the reinstall?

I have not worked with the new 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD before.

Tesla1856 · Answer

@crowmaniac wrote:

1. It was just sleeping.

2. I try not to keep anything important on HD's,

3. Any thoughts on if the drive is still under warranty. I have not worked with the new 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD before.

4. Also, will Dell be able to get me my Windows 10 key for the reinstall?

1. Not a good idea to let desktop computer Sleep, unless plugged-into a good UPS (like APC w/ AVR and good run-time).

2. Whatever you say. If it passes ePSA Diagnostics (F12 on boot), you might just need to reformat it and clean-install Windows from scratch. After you get it working in Windows, run something like Crystal Disk-Info or Passmark's free program ... to check it's SMART (health) status.

3. It carries the same warranty (or extended contract) as the whole computer. Luckily, Name-Brand NVMe SSDs are affordable now-days.

4. The key is burnt-into the BIOS. If they have to replace the motherboard, be sure Windows Activates before you approve the final repair. Next time, I suggest you read it for future emergency.

crowmaniac · Answer

Thanks for all the info. I will work on boot up.

PCRead · Answer

Also, I noticed that my PSU fan doesn't always spin up when you turn on the machine. It's probably on a thermostat or something.
Have you tried booting from a USB drive? I always keep a couple handy, one Windows, one (Zorin) Linux for exactly this kind of problem. When my R10 was broken by the BIOS upgrade, the fact that it wouldn't boot from USB proved it wasn't a boot drive or installed Windows issue.

Tesla1856 · Answer

I read you are still having trouble.

Try following these steps (methodically).

https://www.dell.com/community/Alienware-Desktops/Aurora-R8-BIOS-update-now-not-turning-on/m-p/8144761/highlight/true#M56253

crowmaniac · Answer

So I took a break from this for a while and now I am back.
I am going to do the cmos stuff and let sit for a day, but I wanted to mention the following:
I pulled all the NVMe and there are no Hd's connected.
So when I power up, i get a message Critical Message Error in red:
Boot Failure on Device.
Then I power down and plug in my windows recovery usb.
Power on and press f12 to get the bios menu. Choose my usb drive and hit enter. Then it goes right to the alienware screen and just hangs there.

Tesla1856 · Answer

@crowmaniac wrote:

1. I pulled all the NVMe and there are no Hd's connected.
So when I power up, i get a message Critical Message Error in red:
Boot Failure on Device.

2. Then I power down and plug in my windows recovery usb.
Power on and press f12 to get the bios menu. Choose my usb drive and hit enter.

3. Then it goes right to the alienware screen and just hangs there.

1. That is normal in that situation (no drives connected).

2. Well hopefully, you reconnected a drive first.

3. If drive connected, sounds like a bad drive . Maybe also a improperly made USB-drive. Are You pressing F12 on boot (to access One-Time-Boot-Menu) ?

Have you tried running ePSA Diagnostics on it recently?

crowmaniac · Answer

1. I just did that to try to figure out if the mobo was bad.

2. Well hopefully, you reconnected a drive first.

Sorry, yes I have a working SSD connected, that I had previously installed windows on to verify it worked and booted fine in its original pc. I do not have another NVMe to test with.

3. If drive connected, sounds like a bad drive . Maybe also a improperly made USB-drive. Are You pressing F12 on boot (to access One-Time-Boot-Menu) ?

Yes to f12 and it shows me the sandisk usb drive. I click on that and go directly to the alienware splash screen.

I have run the onboard diagnostics and find no problems.

I will use the usb drive on another computer to make sure it works.

I do not see a way to get the list of drives attached to the pc from the bios. I am just realizing that.

crowmaniac · Answer

Per an earlier post - When my R10 was broken by the BIOS upgrade, the fact that it wouldn't boot from USB proved it wasn't a boot drive or installed Windows issue.

I think that is my issue. The boot usb works fine when I plug it into another pc.
I think it's time to get the warranty reactivate for 75 bucks and have them replace the mobo.

crowmaniac · Answer

Per an earlier post - When my R10 was broken by the BIOS upgrade, the fact that it wouldn't boot from USB proved it wasn't a boot drive or installed Windows issue.

I think that is my issue. The boot usb works fine when I plug it into another pc.
I think it's time to get the warranty reactivate for 75 bucks and have them replace the mobo.

Tesla1856 · Answer

@crowmaniac wrote:

1. I have run the onboard diagnostics and find no problems.

2. I will use the usb drive on another computer to make sure it works.

3. I do not see a way to get the list of drives attached to the pc from the bios. I am just realizing that.

1. Good

2. Good idea

3. When re-installing Windows like this, usually better to have only the future C-Drive connected. That is the only drive you will see (other than maybe the USB-Windows-Installer ... if you have that inserted).

crowmaniac · Answer

Yeah this is perplexing. It seem like the mobo can talk to the USB and HD controllers, but can't process anything after the initial handshake.

I am hopeful that support will not make me jump through all the testing hoops, once they see that and just send the onsite repair.

Tesla1856 · Answer

@crowmaniac wrote:

1. The boot usb works fine when I plug it into another pc.

2. When my R10 was broken by the BIOS upgrade, the fact that it wouldn't boot from USB proved it wasn't a boot drive or installed Windows issue.

1. Good

2. While possible, it would be rare for a failed BIOS firmware to have damaged the motherboard ... and yet the motherboard is still able to Post (initialize), and show you the BIOS options.

crowmaniac · Answer

Well, I reupped my warranty and they send a tech with a new mobo. Problems solved. Thanks for all the help. Marc

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Aurora R9, stuck Alienware preparing automatic repair

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