Alienware 17 R5 Service Manual Computer Model: Alienware 17 R5 Regulatory Model: P31E Regulatory Type: P31E002
Notes, cautions, and warnings NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product. CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death. © 2018 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries.
Contents Before working inside your computer........................ 10 Before you begin ........................................................................... 10 Safety instructions...........................................................................10 Recommended tools........................................................................ 11 Screw list........................................................................................ 12 After working inside your computer.................
Replacing the wireless card.........................................29 Procedure...................................................................................... 29 Post-requisites................................................................................30 Removing the solid-state drive....................................31 Prerequisites................................................................................... 31 Procedure.................................................................
Replacing the computer base......................................47 Procedure...................................................................................... 47 Post-requisites................................................................................49 Removing the coin-cell battery...................................50 Prerequisites.................................................................................. 50 Procedure......................................................................
Replacing the subwoofer............................................ 65 Procedure......................................................................................65 Post-requisites................................................................................66 Removing the system board........................................67 Prerequisites...................................................................................67 Procedure....................................................................
Replacing the power-button board............................ 90 Procedure......................................................................................90 Post-requisites................................................................................ 91 Removing the display assembly.................................. 92 Prerequisites.................................................................................. 92 Procedure...........................................................................
Replacing the keyboard............................................. 113 Procedure..................................................................................... 113 Post-requisites...............................................................................115 Removing the macro keys.......................................... 117 Prerequisites..................................................................................117 Procedure................................................................
System setup.............................................................. 133 Boot Sequence............................................................................. 133 Navigation keys............................................................................ 133 BIOS overview..............................................................................134 Entering BIOS setup program........................................................134 Enabling or disabling the USB in BIOS setup program.........
Before working inside your computer NOTE: The images in this document may differ from your computer depending on the configuration you ordered. Before you begin 1 Save and close all open files and exit all open applications. 2 Shut down your computer. Click Start → Power → Shut down. NOTE: If you are using a different operating system, see the documentation of your operating system for shut-down instructions. 3 Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets.
CAUTION: To avoid damaging the components and cards, handle them by their edges, and avoid touching pins and contacts. CAUTION: You should only perform troubleshooting and repairs as authorized or directed by the Dell technical assistance team. Damage due to servicing that is not authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. See the safety instructions that shipped with the product or at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Screw list Table 1. Screw list Component Secured to Screw type Quantity Base cover Palm-rest assembly M2.5x13 6 Battery Palm-rest assembly M2.5x5 4 Computer base Palm-rest assembly M2.5x8 14 Display assembly Palm-rest assembly M2.5x5 6 Hard-drive assembly Computer base M2.5x5 4 Hard-drive bracket Hard-drive assembly M3x3 4 Heat-sink assembly System board M2x3 7 I/O board Palm-rest assembly M2.
Component Secured to Screw type Quantity Rear-I/O cover Computer base M2.5x7 2 Solid-state drive Computer base M2x3 1 Subwoofer Palm-rest assembly M2x2 2 System-board assembly Palm-rest assembly M2.5x5 7 Touchpad bracket Palm-rest assembly M2x3 5 Tron-light holder Palm-rest assembly M2.
After working inside your computer CAUTION: Leaving stray or loose screws inside your computer may severely damage your computer. 1 Replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside your computer. 2 Connect any external devices, peripherals, or cables you removed before working on your computer. 3 Replace any media cards, discs, or any other parts that you removed before working on your computer. 4 Connect your computer and all attached devices to their electrical outlets.
Removing the base cover WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure 1 Remove the six screws (M2.5x13) that secure the base cover to the computer base.
3 Using a plastic scribe, gently pry the base cover from the gap around the captive screw to release the clips on the base cover from the computer base. 4 Lift the base cover off the computer base.
5 Disconnect the battery cable from the system board. 6 Press and hold the power button for five seconds to ground the system board.
Replacing the base cover WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure 1 18 Connect the battery cable to the system board.
2 Slide the base cover into the slots on the computer base. 3 Snap the base cover into place. 4 Tighten the captive screw that secures the base cover to the computer base.
5 20 Replace the six screws (M2.5x13) that secure the base cover to the computer base.
Removing the hard drive WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: Hard drives are fragile. Exercise care when handling the hard drive.
4 Lift the hard-drive assembly along with its cable off the computer base. 5 Remove the four screws (M3x3) that secure the hard-drive bracket to the hard-drive assembly. 6 Lift the hard-drive bracket off the hard-drive assembly.
7 Disconnect the interposer from the hard drive.
Replacing the hard drive WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: Hard drives are fragile. Exercise care when handling the hard drive.
3 Replace the four screws (M3x3) that secure the hard-drive bracket to the hard-drive assembly. 4 Align the screw holes on the hard-drive assembly with the screw holes on the computer base. 5 Replace the four screws (M2.5x5) that secure the hard-drive assembly to the computer base. 6 Route the hard-drive cable through the routing guides on the computer base.
7 Connect the hard-drive cable to the system board. Post-requisites Replace the base cover.
Removing the wireless card WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites Remove the base cover.
2 Remove the screw (M2x3) that secures the wireless-card bracket to the computer base. 3 Lift the wireless-card bracket off the wireless card. 4 Lift and slide the wireless card out of the wireless-card slot. 5 Disconnect the antenna cables from the wireless card.
Replacing the wireless card WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure CAUTION: To avoid damaging the wireless card, do not place any cables under it.
4 Press the other end of the wireless card and replace the screw (M2x3) that secures the wireless-card bracket to the computer base. Post-requisites Replace the base cover.
Removing the solid-state drive WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: Solid-state drives are fragile. Exercise care when handling the solid-state drive.
3 32 Slide and remove the solid-state drive from the solid-state drive slot.
Replacing the solid-state drive WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: Solid-state drives are fragile. Exercise care when handling the solid-state drive.
5 Replace the screw (M2x3) that secures the solid-state drive to the computer base. Post-requisites Replace the base cover.
Removing the memory modules WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites Remove the base cover.
2 36 Slide and remove the memory module from the memory-module slot.
Replacing the memory modules WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Post-requisites Replace the base cover.
Removing the rear-I/O cover WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites Remove the base cover. Procedure 1 Remove the two screws (M2.
3 40 Pull the rear-I/O cover from the computer base.
Replacing the rear-I/O cover WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Post-requisites Replace the base cover.
Removing the computer base WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
2 Disconnect the left and right tron-light cables from the system board. 3 Remove the two screws (M2.5x5) that secure the tron-light holder to the palm-rest assembly.
4 Remove the 14 screws (M2.5x8) that secure the computer base to the palmrest assembly. 5 Starting from left corner, pry the computer base off the palm-rest assembly.
6 46 Lift the computer base off the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the computer base WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure NOTE: Ensure that the antenna cables are not covered by the computer base.
4 Replace the two screws (M2.5x5) that secure the tron-light holder to the palm-rest assembly. 5 Connect the left and right tron-light cables to the system board.
6 Route the antenna cables through the routing guides on the computer base. Post-requisites 1 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 2 Replace the solid-state drive. 3 Replace the wireless card. 4 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”. 5 Replace the base cover.
Removing the coin-cell battery WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: Removing the coin-cell battery resets the BIOS setup program’s settings to default.
5 Gently peel the coin-cell battery along with its cable off the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the coin-cell battery WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure 1 Adhere the coin-cell battery to the palm-rest assembly.
5 Connect the coin-cell battery cable to the system board. Post-requisites 1 Replace the computer base. 2 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 3 Replace the solid-state drive. 4 Replace the wireless card. 5 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”. 6 Replace the base cover.
Removing the speakers WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
3 Lift the speakers along with its cable off the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the speakers WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure 1 Using the alignment posts, place the speakers on the palm-rest assembly.
3 Connect the speaker cable to the system board. Post-requisites 1 Replace the computer base. 2 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 3 Replace the solid-state drive. 4 Replace the wireless card. 5 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”. 6 Replace the base cover.
Removing the I/O board WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
4 Turn the I/O board over. 5 Disconnect the subwoofer cable.
6 60 Lift the I/O board off the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the I/O board WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure 1 Connect the subwoofer cable to the I/O board. 2 Turn the I/O board over.
3 Using the alignment posts, place the I/O board on the palm-rest assembly and align the screw holes on the I/O board with the screw holes on the palmrest assembly. 4 Replace the two screws (M2.5x5) that secure the I/O board to the palm-rest assembly. 5 Slide the I/O-board cable into the connector on the I/O board and close the latch to secure the cable. 6 Adhere the tape that secures the I/O-board cable to the I/O board. Post-requisites 1 Replace the computer base. 2 Replace the rear-I/O cover.
Removing the subwoofer WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
2 64 Lift the subwoofer along with its cable off the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the subwoofer WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure 1 Align the screw holes on the subwoofer with the screw holes on the palm-rest assembly.
Post-requisites 1 Replace the I/O board. 2 Replace the computer base. 3 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 4 Replace the solid-state drive. 5 Replace the wireless card. 6 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”. 7 Replace the base cover.
Removing the system board WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. NOTE: Your computer’s Service Tag is stored in the system board.
4 Disconnect the tobii eye-tracker board cable (optional) from the system board. 5 Open the latch and disconnect the power-button board cable from the system board. 6 Disconnect the logo-board cable from the system board. 7 Turn the computer over. 8 Open the latch and disconnect the macro-keys backlight cable (optional) from the system board. 9 Open the latch and disconnect the macro-keys cable (optional) from the system board.
11 Open the latch and disconnect the keyboard cable (optional) from the system board. 12 Peel the tape to access the I/O-board cable to the I/O board. 13 Open the latch and disconnect the I/O-board cable from the I/O board. 14 Open the latch and disconnect the touchpad cable from the system board. 15 Open the latch and disconnect the RGB per key keyboard cable (optional) from the system board. 16 Disconnect the speaker cable from the system board.
19 Peel the tape that secures the coin-cell battery cable to the system board. 20 Remove the screw (M2.5x5) that secures the USB Type-C port bracket to the system board and lift the USB Type-C port bracket off the system board. 21 Remove the seven screws (M2.5x5) that secure the system-board assembly to the palm-rest assembly.
22 Lift the system-board assembly off the palm-rest assembly. 23 Remove the heat-sink assembly. 24 Disconnect the I/O-board cable from the back of the system board.
25 After performing all the above steps, you are left with the system board.
Replacing the system board WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. NOTE: Your computer’s Service Tag is stored in the system board.
6 Replace the screw (M2.5x5) that secures the USB Type-C port bracket to the system board. 7 Slide the I/O-board cable into the connector on the I/O-board and close the latch to secure the cable. 8 Adhere the tape that secures the I/O-board cable to the I/O board. 9 Slide the touchpad cable into the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable. 10 Insert the RGB per key keyboard cable (optional) into the connector and press down the latch to secure the cable.
14 Connect the coin-cell battery cable to the system board. 15 Slide the keyboard cable (optional) into the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable. 16 Slide the keyboard-backlight cable (optional) into the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable. 17 Slide the macro-keys cable (optional) into the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable.
18 Slide the macro-keys backlight cable (optional) into the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable. 19 Turn the computer over. 20 Connect the logo-board cable to the system board. 21 Slide the power-button board cable into the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable. 22 Connect the tobii eye-tracker board cable to the system board. 23 Slide the display cable into the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable.
24 Adhere the tape that secures the display cable to the system board. Post-requisites 1 Replace the memory modules. 2 Replace the computer base. 3 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 4 Replace the solid-state drive. 5 Replace the wireless card. 6 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”. 7 Replace the base cover.
Removing the heat-sink assembly WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. WARNING: The heat sink may become hot during normal operation.
5 Peel off the tape that secures the fan cable to the fan. NOTE: For computers shipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics controller, remove the fans after disconnecting the fan cables from the system board. 6 Turn the system-board assembly over. 7 Remove the seven screws (M2x3) that secure the heat-sink assembly to the system board.
8 80 Lift the heat-sink assembly off the system board.
Replacing the heat-sink assembly WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: Incorrect alignment of the heat sink can damage the system board and processor.
2 Replace the seven screws (M2x3) that secure the heat-sink assembly to the system board. 3 Turn the system-board assembly over. NOTE: For computers shipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics controller, place the fans on the slots on the system board. 4 82 Connect the fan cables to their respective connectors on the system board.
5 Adhere the tape that secures the fan cables to the fans. Post-requisites 1 Follow the procedure from step 2 to step 18 in “Replacing the system board”. 2 Replace the computer base. 3 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 4 Replace the memory modules. 5 Replace the solid-state drive. 6 Replace the wireless card. 7 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”. 8 Replace the base cover.
Removing the power-adapter port WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
5 Remove the cable from the routing guides on the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the power-adapter port WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure 1 Slide the power-adapter port into the slot on the palm-rest assembly.
5 Replace the screw (M2x3) that secures the power-adapter port bracket to the palm-rest assembly. Post-requisites 1 Follow the procedure from step 2 to step 18 in “Replacing the system board”. 2 Replace the computer base. 3 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 4 Replace the memory modules. 5 Replace the solid-state drive. 6 Replace the wireless card. 7 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”. 8 Replace the base cover.
Removing the power-button board WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
2 Lift the power-button board along with its cable off the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the power-button board WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Post-requisites 1 Follow the procedure from step 2 to step 18 in “Replacing the system board”. 2 Replace the computer base. 3 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 4 Replace the memory modules. 5 Replace the solid-state drive. 6 Replace the wireless card. 7 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”. 8 Replace the base cover.
Removing the display assembly WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
Procedure 1 Remove the six screws (M2.5x5) that secure the display assembly to the palmrest assembly. 2 Turn the computer over. 3 Peel the tape to remove the antenna cables from the palm-rest assembly. 4 Remove the logo board cable from the routing guides on the palm-rest assembly.
5 Remove the tobii eye-tracker cable and the display cable from the routing guides on the palm-rest assembly. 6 Push the antenna cables, logo board cable, tobii eye-tracker cable, and the display cable through the holes on the palm-rest assembly.
7 Lift the display assembly off the computer base.
Replacing the display assembly WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure 1 Place the palm-rest assembly on the display assembly.
4 Route the antenna cables and the logo-board cable through the routing guides on the palm-rest assembly. 5 Turn the computer over.
6 Replace the six screws (M2.5x5) that secure the display assembly to the palmrest assembly. Post-requisites 1 Replace the power-adapter port. 2 Follow the procedure from step 2 to step 18 in “Replacing the system board”. 3 Replace the computer base. 4 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 5 Replace the memory modules. 6 Replace the solid-state drive. 7 Replace the wireless card. 8 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”. 9 Replace the base cover.
Removing the battery WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
2 100 Lift the battery off the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the battery WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Post-requisites 1 Replace the computer base. 2 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 3 Replace the solid-state drive. 4 Replace the wireless card. 5 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”. 6 Replace the base cover.
Removing the touchpad WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
4 Lift the touchpad bracket off the palm-rest assembly. 5 Open the computer 90 degrees, and using a plastic scribe to release the touchpad from the adhesive on the palm-rest assembly.
6 Peel the touchpad off the palm-rest assembly. CAUTION: To avoid potential damage to the alignment posts on palm-rest assembly, carefully peel the touchpad off the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the touchpad WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
2 Align the screw holes on the touchpad bracket with the screw holes on the palm-rest assembly. 3 Replace the five screws (M2x3) that secure the touchpad bracket to the palm-rest assembly. 4 Slide the touchpad cable and touchpad buttons cable into their respective connectors on the touchpad and close the latches to secure the cables. 5 Slide the touchpad cable into the connector on the system board and close the latch to secure the cable. Post-requisites 1 Replace the battery.
7 108 Replace the base cover.
Removing the keyboard WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
2 Lift the keyboard bracket off the palm-rest assembly. 3 Open the latches and disconnect the macro-keys cable and macro-keys backlight cable from the keyboard.
4 Peel off the macro-keys cable and macro-keys backlight cable from the keyboard.
5 112 Lift the keyboard at an angle, and remove it from the tabs on the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the keyboard WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure CAUTION: Ensure that there are no cables under the keyboard.
3 Adhere the macro-keys cable and the macro-keys backlight cable to the keyboard. 4 Align the screw holes on the keyboard bracket with the screw holes on the palm-rest assembly.
5 Replace the 17 screws (M2x3) that secure the keyboard bracket to the palmrest assembly. Post-requisites 1 Replace the battery. 2 Replace the power-adapter port. 3 Follow the procedure from step 2 to step 18 in “Replacing the system board”. 4 Replace the subwoofer. 5 Replace the I/O board. 6 Replace the coin-cell battery. 7 Replace the computer base. 8 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 9 Replace the memory modules. 10 Replace the solid-state drive. 11 Replace the wireless card.
13 Replace the base cover.
Removing the macro keys WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
Procedure Lift the macro keys at an angle, and release it from the tabs on the palm-rest assembly.
Replacing the macro keys WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure CAUTION: Ensure that there are no cables under the macro keys.
Post-requisites 1 Replace the keyboard. 2 Replace the battery. 3 Replace the power-adapter port. 4 Follow the procedure from step 2 to step 18 in “Replacing the system board”. 5 Replace the subwoofer. 6 Replace the I/O board. 7 Replace the coin-cell battery. 8 Replace the computer base. 9 Replace the rear-I/O cover. 10 Replace the memory modules. 11 Replace the solid-state drive. 12 Replace the wireless card. 13 Follow the procedure from step 4 to step 7 in “Replacing the hard drive”.
Removing the palm rest WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Prerequisites 1 Remove the base cover.
Procedure After performing all the prerequisites, we are left with the palm rest.
Replacing the palm rest WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in Before working inside your computer. After working inside your computer, follow the instructions in After working inside your computer. For more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. Procedure Place the palm rest on a flat surface. Post-requisites 1 Replace the display assembly.
19 Replace the base cover.
Downloading drivers Downloading the audio driver 1 Turn on your computer. 2 Go to www.dell.com/support. 3 Enter the Service Tag of your computer, and then click Submit. NOTE: If you do not have the Service Tag, use the autodetect feature or manually browse for your computer model. 4 Click Drivers & downloads. 5 Click the Detect Drivers button. 6 Review and agree to the Terms and Conditions for using Dell System Detect, then click Continue.
15 Double-click the audio driver file icon and follow the instructions on the screen to install the driver. Table 3. Audio controllers in Device Manager Before installation After installation Downloading the chipset driver 1 Turn on your computer. 2 Go to www.dell.com/support. 3 Enter the Service Tag of your computer, and then click Submit. NOTE: If you do not have the Service Tag, use the autodetect feature or manually browse for your computer model. 4 Click Drivers & downloads.
12 Click Chipset in the drop-down list. 13 Click Download to download the chipset driver for your computer. 14 After the download is complete, navigate to the folder where you saved the chipset driver file. 15 Double-click the chipset driver file icon and follow the instructions on the screen to install the driver. Downloading the graphics driver 1 Turn on your computer. 2 Go to www.dell.com/support. 3 Enter the Service Tag of your computer, and then click Submit.
14 After the download is complete, navigate to the folder where you saved the graphics driver file. 15 Double-click the graphics driver file icon and follow the instructions on the screen to install the driver. Table 4. Video controllers in Device Manager Before installation After installation Downloading the network driver 1 Turn on your computer. 2 Go to www.dell.com/support. 3 Enter the Service Tag of your computer, and then click Submit.
11 Click Category for manual download and installation. 12 Click Network in the drop-down list. 13 Click Download to download the network driver for your computer. 14 After the download is complete, navigate to the folder where you saved the network driver file. 15 Double-click the network driver file icon and follow the instructions on the screen to install the driver. Downloading the tobii driver 1 Turn on your computer. 2 Go to www.dell.com/support.
14 After the download is complete, navigate to the folder where you saved the tobii driver file. 15 Double-click the tobii driver file icon and follow the instructions on the screen to install the driver. Downloading the USB driver 1 Turn on your computer. 2 Go to www.dell.com/support. 3 Enter the Service Tag of your computer, and then click Submit. NOTE: If you do not have the Service Tag, use the autodetect feature or manually browse for your computer model. 4 Click Drivers & downloads.
15 Double-click the USB driver file icon and follow the instructions on the screen to install the driver. Table 5. USB controllers in Device Manager Before installation After installation Downloading the wireless driver 1 Turn on your computer. 2 Go to www.dell.com/support. 3 Enter the Service Tag of your computer, and then click Submit. NOTE: If you do not have the Service Tag, use the autodetect feature or manually browse for your computer model. 4 Click Drivers & downloads.
11 Click Category for manual download and installation. 12 Click Network in the drop-down list. 13 Click Download to download the wireless driver for your computer. 14 After the download is complete, navigate to the folder where you saved the wireless driver file. 15 Double-click the wireless driver file icon and follow the instructions on the screen to install the driver. Table 6.
System setup NOTE: Depending on the computer and its installed devices, the items listed in this section may or may not be displayed. Boot Sequence Boot Sequence allows you to bypass the System Setup–defined boot device order and boot directly to a specific device (for example: optical drive or hard drive).
Keys Navigation Up arrow Moves to the previous field. Down arrow Moves to the next field. Enter Selects a value in the selected field (if applicable) or follow the link in the field. Spacebar Expands or collapses a drop‐down list, if applicable. Tab Moves to the next focus area. NOTE: For the standard graphics browser only. Esc Moves to the previous page until you view the main screen.
2 During POST, when the DELL logo is displayed, watch for the F2 prompt to appear, and then press F2 immediately. NOTE: The F2 prompt indicates that the keyboard is initialized. This prompt can appear very quickly, so you must watch for it, and then press F2. If you press F2 before the F2 prompt, this keystroke is lost. If you wait too long and the operating system logo appears, continue to wait until you see the desktop. Then, turn off your computer and try again.
System setup options NOTE: Depending on your computer and its installed devices, the items listed in this section may or may not appear. Table 7. System setup options—Main menu Main 136 System Time Displays the current time in hh:mm:ss format. System Date Displays the current date in mm/dd/ yyyy format. BIOS Version Displays the BIOS version. Product Name Displays the model number of your computer. Service Tag Displays the service tag of your computer.
Main Second HDD Displays the type of secondary harddrive installed. Third HDD Displays the type of third hard-drive installed. M.2 PCIe SSD-1 Displays the type of primary SSD installed. M.2 PCIe SSD-2 Displays the type of secondary SSD installed. M.2 PCIe SSD-3 Displays the type of third SSD installed. AC Adapter Type Displays the AC adapter type. Table 8. System setup options—Advanced menu Advanced Intel(R) SpeedStep(TM) Enables you to enable or disable Intel Speedstep Technology.
Advanced provided by Intel Trusted Execution Technology. Default: Disabled Integrated NIC Enables you to enable or disable the on-board LAN controller. Default: Enabled USB Emulation Enables you to enable or disable the USB emulation feature. This feature defines how the BIOS, in the absence of a USB-aware operating system, handles USB devices. USB emulation is always enabled during POST.
Advanced SATA Operation Enables you to configure the operating mode of the integrated SATA hard drive controller. Default: AHCI Adapter Warnings Ebales you to choose if the computer should display warning messages when you use AC adapters that are not supported by your computer. Default: Enabled Function Key Behavior Enables you to set function key or multimedia key as the default function key behavior.
Advanced Always Perform Integrity Check Enable or disable Always Perform Integrity Check. Default: Disabled Performance Options CPU Performance Mode Enables you to select the CPU performance mode. Default: Enabled Fan Performance Mode Enables you to select the fan performance mode. Default: Balanced Mode Core Over Clocking Level Enable or disable the over-clocking setting and adjust the processor flex ratio and voltage in the Customization mode.
Table 9. System setup options—Security menu Security Unlock Setup Status Displays if the setup status is unlocked. Admin Password Status Displays if the administrator password is clear or set. Default: Not set System Password Status Displays if the system password is clear or set. Default: Not set HDD Password Status Displays if the HDD password is clear or set. Default: Not set Admin Password Enables you to set the administrator password.
Security When enabled, this setting will allow the OS to skip BIOS PPI user prompts when issuing the Clear command. Changes to this setting take effect immediately. Default: Enabled UEFI Capsule Firmware Updates Enable or disable BIOS updates through UEFI capsule update packages. Default: Enabled Table 10. System setup options—Boot menu Boot 142 Boot List Option Displays the available boot options. Default: UEFI File Browser Add Boot Option Enables you to add the boot options.
Boot Boot Option #3 Displays the available third boot option. Table 11. System setup options—Exit menu Exit Save Changes and Reset Allows you to exit system setup and save your changes. Discard Changes and Reset Allows you to exit system setup and load previous values for all system setup options. Restore Defaults Allows you to restore default values for all system setup options. Discard Changes Allows you to load previous values for all system setup options.
Troubleshooting Flashing the BIOS You may need to flash (update) the BIOS when an update is available or when you replace the system board. Follow these steps to flash the BIOS: 1 Turn on your computer. 2 Go to www.dell.com/support. 3 Click Product support, enter the Service Tag of your computer, and then click Submit. NOTE: If you do not have the Service Tag, use the auto-detect feature or manually browse for your computer model. 4 Click Drivers & downloads → Find it myself.
6 Boot to the USB drive from the One Time Boot Menu. 7 Type the BIOS setup program filename and press Enter. 8 The BIOS Update Utility appears. Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the BIOS update. Reinstall Windows using a USB recovery drive CAUTION: This process formats the hard drive and removes all data on your computer. Ensure that you back up data on your computer before beginning this task.
Enhanced Pre-Boot System Assessment (ePSA) diagnostics CAUTION: Use the ePSA diagnostics to test only your computer. Using this program with other computers may cause invalid results or error messages. The ePSA diagnostics (also known as system diagnostics) performs a complete check of your hardware. The ePSA is embedded with the BIOS and is launched by the BIOS internally.
8 If there are any issues, error codes are displayed. Note the error code and validation number and contact Dell. Diagnostics Power and battery-status light: Indicates the power and battery-charge status. Solid amber – Computer is running on battery and the battery has less than 10 percent charge. User-defined color (AC mode) – Power adapter is connected and the battery is fully charged. User-defined color (Battery mode) – Computer is running on battery and the battery has more than 10 percent charge.
Light Pattern Problem description 3,3 Recovery image not found 3,4 Recovery image found but invalid Camera status light: Indicates whether the camera is in use. • Solid white – Camera is in use. • Off – Camera is not in use. Caps Lock status light: Indicates whether Caps Lock is enabled or disabled. • Solid white – Caps Lock enabled. • Off – Caps Lock disabled. Network port light: Indicates network connectivity. • Off – No network connection. • Solid green – 10 Mbps connection.
Flea power release Flea power is the residual static electricity that remains on the computer even after it has been powered off and the battery has been removed. The following procedure provides the instructions on how to conduct flea power release: 1 Turn off your computer. 2 Remove the base cover. 3 Press and hold the power button for 15 seconds to drain the flea power. 4 Replace the base cover. 5 Turn on your computer.
Getting help and contacting Alienware Self-help resources You can get information and help on Alienware products and services using these online self-help resources: Table 13. Alienware products and online self-help resources Information about Alienware products and services www.alienware.com Dell Help & Support app Tips Contact Support In Windows search, type Contact Support, and press Enter. Online help for operating system www.dell.com/support/windows www.dell.
Contacting Alienware To contact Alienware for sales, technical support, or customer service issues, see www.alienware.com. NOTE: Availability varies by country and product, and some services may not be available in your country. NOTE: If you do not have an active internet connection, you can find contact information on your purchase invoice, packing slip, bill, or Dell product catalog.
