R4 Master I/O Board question

Question

hey guys how are you, i'm typing this because i don't know what else to do with my PC. I have an Alienware aurora R4, Last week i turned it on and the fans where 100%. I turn it off unplug the power cable and press the power button and left it there for about 5 min, i plug it back and fans where still 100%.I did the steps again and this time uninstalling command center and all the frameworks that has to do with it, in other words a complete wipe and install. i also updated my bios to A11. I unplug and plug back every connector on I/O Board and the top board.

OK NOW HERE IS THE THING. ON command center everything says "0" and CPU PUMP "FAIL" AND on ALIEN FX my pc does not show to change the colors of the case, My mouse and keyboard does appear which im using the tactx mouse and keyboard but my case does not.

is my Master I/O BOARD broken? how can i know before buying another one? the model is 02JXP2 MS-4194

Miggy123 · Answer

ohh and forgot to mention, active vents does not show anymore in command center. Thanks in advanced

Tesla1856 · Answer

IIRC, what you tried is the way to trouble-shoot and possibly fix MIO-Board on Aurora-R4.

Unfortunately, it seems the rom-based ePSA (outside of Windows) low-level hardware diags on the Aurora-R4 does not actually check the MIO-Board ... I think it only checks the main-fan signal.

The Aurora-R1, Aurora-R2, and Area51-R1 basically use the same 2 versions (non-ALX and ALX) of the Aurora-R4 MIO-Board. However, their PSA/Hardware Diags is disk-based and includes the extra sub-routines to check the MIO-Board, Lights, Fans, etc.

This makes troubleshooting the MIO-Board on the Aurora-R4 much harder than on the older machines. It likely just needs to be master-reset, or diags tested ... but there is no way to do this on this machine. It also sounds like it has been non-responsive to having its boot-loader reprogrammed (usually happens with a Command Center clean-install) ... so it's effectively bricked.

I suppose it could still possibly be a Windows problem (seen it reported before) but that takes a full/clean Windows install (and proper build-up from scratch with drivers) to find out. Drop in a spare HDD and try it.

The forum is filled with info if you search. These are only a couple of hundreds.

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19648599?pi21932=2

and

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/t/19493265

What version of Windows are you running, and what version of Command Center are you trying to install?

Miggy123 · Answer

My only choice left is a clean windows install with spare HDD, there is no way to reset the master board?no jumper or switch or software? I tried switching the jumper on the I/O board but nothing.

Tesla1856 · Answer

No, not really.  I asked a question above.

Miggy123 · Answer

Okay so i got home, i put an old HDD, I install windows with the cd that was given with my pc and install all drivers. on command center same story, All sensor and system fan show "0" CPU PUMP "FAIL" no way to control Active vents it does not even show. and on alienfx only show my mouse and keyboard, i install an old command center and same thing. but i noticed something.. when you go to the file location of the command center there an exe called "AlienwareAlienFXTester" and it saind "NO BOARD DETECTED"

so yes i think the board just magically broke :(

Miggy123 · Answer

hey guys i ordered the board, what are the steps to install it, im refering to software. i install command center A00? or i could just install the latest command center? Thanks in advanced

Tesla1856 · Answer

hey guys i ordered the board, what are the steps to install it, im refering to software. i install command center A00? or i could just install the latest command center?

Thanks in advanced

You never answered the question:

What version of Windows are you running, and what version of Command Center are you trying to install?

I can't really help you or provide accurate steps until you do.

Tesla1856 · Answer

I have Windows 7 home premium and trying to install command center 3.6.5.0 which is the latest on dell website using computer service tag.

Now. i bought the Master I/O Board, what are the steps for installing? can i just install the latest command center 3.6.5.0? or there are steps to install is my question.

Thank you.

Even though it's an Aurora-R4 (and supposedly supports higher versions of AW-CC ... like 3.x), since you are still running Windows-7 (64bit) I suggest you install AW-CC v2.8.9.0. It works fine on Windows-7.

Uninstall current AW-CC and reboot.

Shut-down Windows, unplug AC-cord, Power-Dissipate (press power button a few times).

Take a picture of currently installed MIO-Board and wires.
Carefully swap MIO-Boards.

Boot back to Windows.

Install AW-CC v2.8.9.0 and reboot.

Test operation.

Miggy123 · Answer

I have Windows 7 home premium and trying to install command center 3.6.5.0 which is the latest on dell website using computer service tag.

Now. i bought the Master I/O Board, what are the steps for installing? can i just install the latest command center 3.6.5.0? or there are steps to install is my question.

Thank you.

Miggy123 · Answer

hey guys good news, the Master Board arrived i swap it using the steps Tesla gave me and it works perfect! all fans all lights temperature vents works. Thank you&#xa0;

Tesla1856 · Answer

Looks like an Aurora-R4 ALX ... so good you bought the ALX version of MIO-Board. Good work.

Miggy123 · Answer

yes, you need to look carefully, 'MS-4194' is the model number of both aurora and AURORA ALX, but the ALX ADDS Number,  it has a primary identifier and a secondary identifier. Primary identifier: 02JXP2 *  ALX Version Secondary identifier: MS-4194  so the complete model number is 02JXP2 MS-4194 for an ALX case

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R4 Master I/O Board question

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