The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    alienware m5500 alienhead LED

    Discussion in 'Alienware' started by donnell8, Mar 21, 2008.

  1. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Okay, I just bought an alienware area 51 m5500 from someone on ebay. As you may know, alienware will only support original customers which I am really disappointed about. I read on their site that the m5500 has the ability to change the color of the eyes of the alienhead depending on what power mode the computer is in. Here is the link:

    http://4help.alienware.com/cgi-bin/alienware.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=487&p_created=1069775780&p_sid=JwQJVi_i&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=4691&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MzMsMzMmcF9wcm9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPTAmcF9wdj0mcF9jdj0mcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1hbnN3ZXJzLnNlYXJjaF9mbmwmcF9zY2ZfNj0yMDUmcF9wYWdlPTEmcF9zZWFyY2hfdGV4dD1tNTUwMCBsZWQgY29sb3Jz&p_li=&p_topview=1

    I think may have a different bios version or the original and they allowed that in a different/newer version. However, the only way to update the bios is through the exclusive hive section at alienware. I contacted the person I bought the computer from but they won't respond back to me. If anyone out there can help me, maybe by sending me the bios version or instructing me on how to enable this I would really appreciate it. Thanks so much.
     
    donnell8, Mar 21, 2008
    #1
  2. Sir Travis D

    Sir Travis D Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    40
    Messages:
    1,011
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    i dont think it changes
     
    Sir Travis D, Mar 21, 2008
    #2
  3. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    The BIOS or the colors? If anyone has the honor of speaking to alienware directly or can access the hive can you please ask or d/l the bios for me???
     
    donnell8, Mar 21, 2008
    #3
  4. Charles P. Jefferies

    Charles P. Jefferies Lead Moderator Super Moderator

    Reputations:
    22,339
    Messages:
    36,639
    Likes Received:
    5,091
    Trophy Points:
    931
    I've never heard of the m5500 being able to change the alien head colors . . . the m15x is the only Alienware I have ever tested that has been able to do that.
     
    Charles P. Jefferies, Mar 22, 2008
    #4
  5. MICHAELSD01

    MICHAELSD01 Apple/Alienware Master

    Reputations:
    429
    Messages:
    2,934
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    So Chaz, how's that m15x review coming along? I'm really anxious to read it :) .
     
    MICHAELSD01, Mar 22, 2008
    #5
  6. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    why does alienware list the m5500 then?
     
    donnell8, Mar 22, 2008
    #6
  7. MICHAELSD01

    MICHAELSD01 Apple/Alienware Master

    Reputations:
    429
    Messages:
    2,934
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    I've seen the light change a dark yellow in some videos on YouTube, but the lights aren't really changeable, it'll just change two different colors depending on the battery.
     
    MICHAELSD01, Mar 22, 2008
    #7
  8. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    the link i posted says that the help statement was created in 2006 and updated last on 3/8/2006. So they've seen the m5500 at the top of the list at least twice possibly even more if they updated it with new computers.
     
    donnell8, Mar 22, 2008
    #8
  9. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15

    thats what im trying to do...the eyes change with the power state. red for sleep...blue for ac....yellow for batteryt......the link i posted lists all of the combos...im not sure if i listed them correctly...but I want to know why my bios doesn't include it and if anyone can tell me the bios version i need or the procedure i need to follow. Thanks for the posts so far.
     
    donnell8, Mar 22, 2008
    #9
  10. MICHAELSD01

    MICHAELSD01 Apple/Alienware Master

    Reputations:
    429
    Messages:
    2,934
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    MICHAELSD01, Mar 22, 2008
    #10
  11. MICHAELSD01

    MICHAELSD01 Apple/Alienware Master

    Reputations:
    429
    Messages:
    2,934
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    MICHAELSD01, Mar 22, 2008
    #11
  12. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    donnell8, Mar 22, 2008
    #12
  13. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I have no idea which one to pick
     
    donnell8, Mar 22, 2008
    #13
  14. MICHAELSD01

    MICHAELSD01 Apple/Alienware Master

    Reputations:
    429
    Messages:
    2,934
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Look in "Hardware Manager" in the Windows Control Panel and see who manufactures your motherboard. No problem, glad to help.
     
    MICHAELSD01, Mar 22, 2008
    #14
  15. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    I looked it up online and it says that alienware produces the mobo....I am downloading sandra to double check as I thought you meant device manager and couldn't see the name there and couldn't find anything named sandra
     
    donnell8, Mar 22, 2008
    #15
  16. MICHAELSD01

    MICHAELSD01 Apple/Alienware Master

    Reputations:
    429
    Messages:
    2,934
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    Yeah, I meant hardware manager, that was a typo.
     
    MICHAELSD01, Mar 22, 2008
    #16
  17. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    if you go on there and look under alienware as the manu...could you pick out the right option?
     
    donnell8, Mar 22, 2008
    #17
  18. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    There is nothing there to update the mobo
     
    donnell8, Mar 22, 2008
    #18
  19. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    donnell8, Mar 22, 2008
    #19
  20. MICHAELSD01

    MICHAELSD01 Apple/Alienware Master

    Reputations:
    429
    Messages:
    2,934
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    You just need to sign up for support, which you shouldn't have a problem doing.
     
    MICHAELSD01, Mar 22, 2008
    #20
  21. donnell8

    donnell8 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    38
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    Nope. This is what I mean about alienware.....I don't understand the point of turning your back on potential buyers who own a used system. I don't think the odds of me finding this are good....i haven't gotten a response still from the seller so I don't think he has any intention...is there no other way to control LEDs that are already installed on the computer?
     
    donnell8, Mar 22, 2008
    #21
  22. kobe

    kobe Notebook Virtuoso

    Reputations:
    374
    Messages:
    2,629
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    55
    There's no other way. Hopefully someone here who owns one can help you out.
    I would help, but I don't have an m5500. sorry
     
    kobe, Mar 23, 2008
    #22
  23. Sir Travis D

    Sir Travis D Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    40
    Messages:
    1,011
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    donnell
    the alienware website says if you can't afford an alienware, it's not for you
    so this is not for you
     
    Sir Travis D, Mar 24, 2008
    #23