Installing or Updating Alienware Command Center Causes a Keyboard Malfunction Issue on Alienware Laptops

Affected Platforms:

• Alienware m16 R1
• Alienware m16 R2
• Alienware m18 R1
• Alienware m18 R2
• Alienware m16 R1 AMD
• Alienware m18 R1 AMD

Affected Products:

• Alienware Command Center

Symptoms:

• The keyboard backlight is not functioning
• Keyboard malfunction occurs after installing or upgrading AWCC

Keyboard firmware fails when AWCC is updated.

Update correct Keyboard Firmware, Steps as below:

1. Check if an external keyboard can be connected to the computer using a USB port:
   1. If yes, go to step 2.
   2. If not, use the Windows virtual keyboard and then move to step 2.
      
      
2. Download and run the keyboard firmware update utility from the Dell support website. Follow these steps:
   1. Identify your product on the Dell support website: Home > Support > Drivers & Downloads.
      
   2. Select Device Firmware from the category field and get the latest version of the keyboard firmware.
      
   3. Run the firmware update utility:
      • Scenario 1: If the keyboard is normal, update the keyboard firmware to the latest version automatically.
      • Scenario 2: If the keyboard malfunctions, a keyboard type selection menu is displayed. Select the keyboard type of your computer to recover the keyboard.
        • Keyboard type selection menu of Alienware m16 R1, Alienware m18 R1, Alienware m16 R1 AMD, Alienware m18 R1 AMD
          
        • Keyboard type selection menu of Alienware m16 R2
          
        • Keyboard type selection menu of Alienware m18 R2
          ;
      • Scenario 3: If you click the wrong selection and install the firmware that mismatches with the physical keyboard, contact the service center to correct the keyboard firmware.

How to distinguish the Per-key keyboard on Alienware m16 R1 Intel and AMD computers.

Two Per-key keyboard types:

• Type-1: One kind has a backlit spacebar and backlit secondary characters,
• Type-2: The other does not have a backlit spacebar and backlit secondary characters.

If your keyboard type is an Alienware m16 R1 Per-key keyboard, there is another keyboard type selection menu to distinguish them, so before running this firmware update utility, reference the images below to distinguish the keyboard type more precisely.

Moreover, to install the correct firmware for Alienware m16 R1 per-key keyboard Keyboard, there is an additional UI to distinguish the keyboard type more precisely, when keyboard type m16 R1 Per-key (with perk-key RGB LED AlienFX lighting) was selected.

The keyboard firmware update displays a message, If this config has a backlit spacebar (Yes / No), choose the correct option to continue.