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    AlienFX MIO dead

    Discussion in 'Alienware M15x' started by Raidriar, Apr 13, 2017.

  1. Raidriar

    Raidriar ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

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    I picked up a used m15x motherboard on ebay since my current board cut out whenever AC power was removed. Of course no returns....but the Alienfx doesn't work. Has anybody figured out a way to repair the AlienFX rom without using a hardware programmer? I feel like there would be a linux tool to do this.
     
    Raidriar, Apr 13, 2017
    #1
  2. Mobius 1

    Mobius 1 Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    Mobius 1, Apr 13, 2017
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  3. maxslo

    maxslo undefined

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    I use the reprogram tool, but i can part ways with it, i'm pretty much abandoning the pre&post ivy bridge laptops. Kosti also had the same problem just recently, recieved the motherboard with no alienfx...

    Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk
     
    maxslo, Apr 13, 2017
    #3
  4. Raidriar

    Raidriar ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

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    Is there really no way to write the proper firmware from windows or linux? Kind of silly it needs a hardware tool to write a firmware.
     
    Raidriar, Apr 13, 2017
    #4
  5. kosti

    kosti Notebook Virtuoso

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    Yup, same here. Did a bit of research and there's no way to fix it without a programmer that connects to the service port between the touchpad connector and the IR port.
     
    kosti, Apr 13, 2017
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  6. maxslo

    maxslo undefined

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    @Raidriar you are welcome to try and find a new way :) but from what i've gathered, there is no other way to write to that chip.
     
    maxslo, Apr 14, 2017
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  7. aaronne

    aaronne Notebook Evangelist

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    Had same issue in old xps m1730(during a fw update so try to search info for this model)
    and on m18x r2(no lights or blocked on one), try a very clean install of win7 and then one on win10 by installing only AW command center.
     
    aaronne, Apr 15, 2017
    #7
  8. kosti

    kosti Notebook Virtuoso

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    Won't work in this case. Problem was with the version of Command Center on the resources DVD included with the laptop. When someone installs a newer version of Command Center from Dell's site, it will flash the updated firmware for the AlienFX controller. If after that, someone was to reinstall Command Center from the DVD, it will also try a firmware flash and end up corrupting the firmware. Only way to fix is to do a flash with a hardware programmer.
     
    kosti, Apr 15, 2017
    #8
  9. aaronne

    aaronne Notebook Evangelist

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    I wrote somethig wrong? Did you read at all?

    Same issue during a firmware update (m1730 and on m18xr2), I resolved by try all AW Command Center version aviable (included the one on cd) till FW flash was successfull (in a clean win 7/10 at time XP, enviroment) no need to external reprogramming, only trick maybe was to interrupt Flash again between AWCC versions !
     
    aaronne, Apr 15, 2017
    #9
  10. Raidriar

    Raidriar ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

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    Doesn't work on the M15x because the cd version wipes the EEPROM and writes a corrupt version of the firmware, making it undetecable to any flashing utility.

    @maxslo yeah I'm gonna need a hardware programmer or a new board. It is not accessible over i2c bus so I cannot flash it outside of direct hardware flasher. Ugh.
     
    Raidriar, Apr 16, 2017
    #10
  11. maxslo

    maxslo undefined

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    Doubt you'll need a new board, but it is a possibility...
    If you want you can have mine :) PM me where you'd need it shipped :)
     
    maxslo, Apr 16, 2017
    #11