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96949
Alienware Area 51 (ALX)
Hello
I have an Alienware Area 51. I think it isn't the ALX but I'm not sure. I have some questions:
1. The website of Dell doesn't recognise my service tag when i enter it in the product support, my tag is <ADMIN NOTE: Service tag removed as per privacy policy> (generated by the Dell System Detect)
2. I think my front bezel doesn't close automatic but how can i be sure? Can i see that somewhere?
3. The active venting doesn't work properly. 2 fins don't go up, they get stuck after one or 2 centimeters. They go down in a normal way. How can i fix this?
Thanks in advance
Cass-Ole
2 Intern
2 Intern
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1.8K Posts
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August 8th, 2013 18:00
Remove both side panel access doors. Remove your top black acrylic skinny finish trim panels from both sides of case so you can gain access to the fins, their hinges and their screws. When you power up, look to see what is making your 2 fins stick. If you have to, "help" them unstick. Then open Command Center, active venting, have CC open the fins and shut them a couple times. Do this to test for sticking. It usually comes down to the torque of the fin screw, or the torque of the trim panel screw. Unless of course you can see what is causing it to bind, like an obstruction.
You can try to back off the torque a little on the fin screws on the 2 fins that are sticking. Reseat their screws to a suitable torque if-when they revert back to normal. Retest w/Command Center, open/shut. If all is well, reinsert the finish trim panels, and reseat their screws, but not too tight just yet. Retest with command center to open shut fins. Usually, the finish trim screw closest to whatever fin is sticking is the culprit, so tighten or loosen it based on whether any of these tips have helped. As long as the finish trim screw is almost tight, it will keep the trim on, and not make the fin stick ...
Basically, remove your case doors, remove the top trims, power up, and go from there ...
Cass-Ole
2 Intern
2 Intern
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1.8K Posts
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August 9th, 2013 15:00
To tell if you have an ALX with a motorized front panel, look at your exterior case panels, the "paint job";. is it "shiny" or "flat"? ALX has a soft matte black finish, barely any shine; standard Area51's have semi-gloss rather shiny panels. Open your side panel doors. Look at them. Standard A51 doors have full aluminum inner plates. ALX has a full black. This is true for both sides. Compare yours to the pics. If you have aluminum inners, your front panel has no motor, your alienhead does not work, it is not an ALX. If your doors are black inside, your alienhead should open/shut the front panel. If it doesn't, there are threads to search here in the forum to help get it working again.
Need further proof? Take your door off, use a flashlight, look at your daughterboard to the right of your power supply, in the bottom right of the case floor. An ALX daughterboard has a white door motor connection (see pic), and obviously needs the door motor connector inserted in order to work. A standard Area51 has a daughterboard without this connector; it has no motor, so it needs no connection for one. The daughterboards are different; ALX needs the connection, non ALX does not need one. If you have a shiny paint job, with aluminum inners, an alienhead that doesn't work, & your daughterboard is missing that particular connector, you have the base Area-51 model ... Got it?
Look for the ALX motor connector, circled
Non-Alx daughterboards do not have the white motor connector; it is missing, like photo below
matte / satiny ALX
shiny / semi-gloss non-ALX 'standard' Area-51
DELL-Milena M
Moderator
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2.7K Posts
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August 5th, 2013 08:00
Hello Stigske!
It seems that the issue is mechanical, however you can uninstall and reinstall the command center that might help, though if the issues persist you might need to replace the front bezel and the top vents
Stigske
13 Posts
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August 5th, 2013 13:00
It can not be that it has to be replaced. If it doesn't work at all then i can understand it but now it still works but not properly...
And how is it possible that the website doesn't recognise my service tag?
DELL-Milena M
Moderator
Moderator
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2.7K Posts
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August 5th, 2013 15:00
They have being making so updates on the website maybe that is why you are having some issues.
And you can send me a pm with your service tag so we can check on a possible solution for your vents issue.
Stigske
13 Posts
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August 6th, 2013 04:00
I don't know how to pm you.
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
Community Manager
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54.9K Posts
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August 6th, 2013 15:00
Stigske,
The tag does not appear in our DellServ tool. But that could be because we are in the USA. Based on your IP address, you are in Belgium. Did you purchase this Area-51 directly from Dell?
Stigske
13 Posts
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August 8th, 2013 03:00
No i bought it second hand on the internet
DELL-Chris M
Community Manager
Community Manager
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54.9K Posts
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August 8th, 2013 12:00
Boot into the Bios by turning it off, then on, press F2. Does the service tag in the bios match what you sent us?
DELL-Milena M
Moderator
Moderator
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2.7K Posts
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August 8th, 2013 14:00
by any chance do you have the express service code?
Stigske
13 Posts
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August 8th, 2013 14:00
Yes, it is the same. The motherboard is an original Alienware mobo.
Stigske
13 Posts
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August 8th, 2013 14:00
www.dell.com/.../Expressservice
Service temporarily unavailable. Please re-try after some time
DELL-Milena M
Moderator
Moderator
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2.7K Posts
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August 8th, 2013 15:00
it will be attach to your system, right next to the service tag
Stigske
13 Posts
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August 9th, 2013 08:00
@Cass-Olé: that is a great piece of skill. It finally works again :o)
I don't understand why the people of Dell don't know that... just some screws, i was practically messed by Dell by buying an other one :o)
Stigske
13 Posts
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August 10th, 2013 02:00
Ok so i have the non-ALX. That is great to know. Maybe i will buy an other one and that will be an ALX.
Yhanks for all your support!!!