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October 4th, 2025 14:30

m16 R1, unable to access UEFI, F12 Boot Menu, and Diagnostic Screens

Hello,

I recently have been having trouble with my Alienware M16 R1 laptop (Intel CPU Variant).

Before I get into the issues at hand, here are the system specs that I remember it having last I checked them:

CPU: Intel Core i7-13700HX with UHD Graphics

GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 (Laptop Variant)

RAM: 64 GB DDR5 (2x32 GB modules). Not sure of exact clock speed at the moment.

Non-Volatile Storage: WD Green 1TB Nvme SSD, and 512 GB Nvme SSD (don't remember the exact brand, but the 512gb ssd was the one that originally came pre-installed, I think the brand is something along the lines of "Koaxia" or something similar).

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And the (arguably) most important part:

Operating System: Arch Linux with the KDE Plasma Desktop Environment and Proprietary Nvidia drivers.

Now for the issues:

The OS (Arch Linux) boots and functions perfectly, however there are a couple non-OS related issues:

1) When trying to access the UEFI or Boot Menus by pressing F2 or F12 respectively, the keyboard backlights function, however, there is a completely black display. When using the "systemctl reboot --firmware-steup" command in the Arch terminal (within the OS), the same issue occurs (backlight functions, but no screen visible). There is an Admin password set for the UEFI, and as such, I have tried performing an RTC reset, but it did not work. The power button flashes the 2 red, 7 blue error code, which indicates a UEFI setting change to the Optimus settings (that makes sense, though, as I have disabled Intel Optimus within the UEFI). I have tried removing a RAM stick and re-seating it, which did not solve the issue. I have also tried flashing the BIOS by removing both SSDs, holding CTRL+ESC and plugging in the AC adapter with a FAT32 USB with the latest UEFI .exe install plugged in, but the screen still didn't turn on. When I hold D and turn on the display, it performs the color test (i.e. shows red, white, green, blue, etc) without any issues (no missing pixels, flickering, or distortion at all), which leads me to believe it is an issue with the UEFI settings related to the Graphics card. I have tried to attach an external monitor via HDMI, and pressing CTRL+P and Fn+F8 to try to view the UEFI on the external monitor, but no luck there, either. When booting and accessing the installed OS (Arch Linux), there are no errors in connectivity, both on the laptop's native display and the external monitor. I have had a similar issue before, and it was resolved by performing an RTC reset, but as stated earlier, that didn't work due to having an Admin password set in the UEFI. Any advice would be greatly apppreciated.

P.S. I do have Alienware Elite Care active, and am currently on my way to work, so I will not be able to see or respond to updates here until around 7:00 PM Eastern Time today. I also will be unable to test any suggestions until the same time frame due to being away from my laptop until then.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

From,

CJ

3 Apprentice

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1.2K Posts

October 5th, 2025 11:49

Hi

Cold Comfort (you probably already tried)   ............

Password Known Remove/change password in BIOS settings
Password Forgotten Contact Dell support Proof of ownership required
BIOS hash shown Try bios-pw.org + Ctrl+Enter May work for some Dell models
CMOS battery removal Ineffective for modern Alienware laptops

1 Rookie

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2 Posts

October 5th, 2025 13:42

@anne_droid​  First, I like your username. It's clever. :) Second, I've tried all of the above, and none of them worked. :/ The first three require me to be able to view my laptop screen in some way, which I cannot do. And the last option didn't work. Yesterday, I called Dell Tech Support, and I ended up starting a mail-in repair, which should be complete in 5-7 days. It's the third time I've had to do this. :/ I am so glad I paid for the highest level of support, cuz with the amount of money I'm making from my job rn, I wouldn't be able to fix it otherwise. Note to self: Don't set an Admin/System password in the UEFI, and FOR THE LOVE OF LINUS TORVALDS, KEEP OPTIMUS ON. Even if it means I'll get worse game performance, I'll keep it on if it means my laptop stays working for longer. Fingers crossed Dell is able to get the display working at the very least, cuz if that works, I'll be able to try out the steps you've listed. For now, it's a waiting game. I'll keep ya posted. 😄

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