Alienware M15x - NO LIGHTS HELP!!!

[onetel_comms]

Hi All, I recently bought a Dell Alienware M15x laptop. I thought it would be a good idea to do a full re-install of the OS as the laptop was previously used. After the re-install the lights on my laptop stopped working.

After a bit of research I found this is a common problem with the Alienware laptops and its not an easy or quick fix. I tried what the DELL website says to do by downloading the latest drivers and doing the re-install again but no joy! I then contacted DELL support who advised due to the wrong firmware being applied, my motherboard was now corrupted and will need replacing for which they wanted close to £400.

My issue is I used the resource CD that comes with the laptop from DELL to do the re-install. The CD's only purpose is for that very reason, to provide all the drivers needed after a re-install. If this is a known problem, why is DELL providing these CD's with the laptops? surely there's a legal case to made somewhere in this??

I can't afford to spend another £400 on a new motherboard so I am hoping someone on these forums has come accross this issue before and managed to resolve it. If so I would be immensely grateful if you could post how it was fixed. If I cant fix this issue I will have to sell the laptop as spares or repairs and only get back a fraction of what I paid. I will also NEVER buy from DELL again!!!

Looking forward to any response!!!!

PLEASE HELP!!!!!

Please see the error messages I am getting below:

Error reads:

See the end of this message for details on invoking

just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.

************** Exception Text **************

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.LightsZoneController.SupportChangeBrightness()

at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.configureTrayIconContextMenu()

at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.initializeTrayIcon()

at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.controllerMainFormLoad(Object sender, EventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnCreateControl()

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)

at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)

at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

************** Loaded Assemblies **************

mscorlib

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5472 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll

----------------------------------------

AlienwareAlienFXController

Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0

Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/Program%20Files/Alienware/Command%20Center/AlienwareAlienFXController.exe

----------------------------------------

AlienwareAlienFXTools

Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0

Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienwareAlienFXTools/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienwareAlienFXTools.dll

----------------------------------------

Alienlabs.CommandCenter.Tools

Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0

Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Alienlabs.CommandCenter.Tools/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/Alienlabs.CommandCenter.Tools.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Windows.Forms

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5468 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll

----------------------------------------

System

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5467 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Drawing

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5467 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll

----------------------------------------

AlienLabsTools

Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0

Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienLabsTools/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienLabsTools.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Configuration

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5473 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Xml

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5473 (Win7SP1GDR.050727-5400)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll

----------------------------------------

WindowsBase

Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.5453 built by: Win7SP1GDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/WindowsBase/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/WindowsBase.dll

----------------------------------------

PresentationFramework

Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.5453 built by: Win7SP1GDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/PresentationFramework/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/PresentationFramework.dll

----------------------------------------

PresentationCore

Assembly Version: 3.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 3.0.6920.5453 built by: Win7SP1GDR

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_32/PresentationCore/3.0.0.0__31bf3856ad364e35/PresentationCore.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Management

Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0

Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.5420 (Win7SP1.050727-5400)

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Management/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Management.dll

----------------------------------------

AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery

Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0

Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienFX.DeviceDiscovery.dll

----------------------------------------

AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.Core

Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0

Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.Core/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.Core.dll

----------------------------------------

AlienFX.Communication

Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0

Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienFX.Communication/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienFX.Communication.dll

----------------------------------------

AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication

Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0

Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/AlienLabs.MasterIOBoard.Communication.dll

----------------------------------------

System.Core

Assembly Version: 3.5.0.0

Win32 Version: 3.5.30729.5420 built by: Win7SP1

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/3.5.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll

----------------------------------------

LightFX

Assembly Version: 1.0.92.0

Win32 Version: 1.0.92.0

CodeBase: file:///C:/Windows/assembly/GAC_MSIL/LightFX/1.0.92.0__bebb3c8816410241/LightFX.dll

----------------------------------------

************** JIT Debugging **************

To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this

application or computer (machine.config) must have the

jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.

The application must also be compiled with debugging

enabled.

For example:

<configuration>

<system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />

</configuration>

When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception

will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer

rather than be handled by this dialog box.

Error 2:

Error reads:

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.closingApplication()

at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.ControllerMainForm.controllerMainFormFormClosing(Object sender, FormClosingEventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnFormClosing(FormClosingEventArgs e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Form.RaiseFormClosingOnAppExit()

at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ExitInternal()

at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.OnThreadException(Exception t)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProcException(Exception e)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnThreadException(Exception e)

at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

at System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.SendMessage(HandleRef hWnd, Int32 msg, Int32 wParam, Int32 lParam)

at System.Windows.Forms.Form.SetVisibleCore(Boolean value)

at System.Windows.Forms.Control.set_Visible(Boolean value)

at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)

at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)

at System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run(Form mainForm)

at AlienLabs.AlienFX.Controller.Program.Main(String[] args)

AlienFX Test:

PLEASE HELP!!!!!

[sitedude]

Hi my name is Jeremy I have been fixing the AlienFX issue for the past year. I have fixed around 25 of them (m15x and m17x) all flawlessly with no issues.

I built a custom programmer because the USB debugger was frying motherboards on people. (well shorting out resistors)

If you are interested I can fix it for you if you are in the US

Take a look at

Alienware Laptop Light Repair Service M11x M15X M17x M18x | eBay

[svl7]

Hahaha, for the price you're asking you can buy a new motherboard...

@onetel_comms: Check ebay or similar, you can find cheap boards there. Or if you feel up to it you can buy a programmer and reflash the firmware of the FX controller yourself, that would be the cheapest option.

[xxipacmanixx]

Hey, I've flashed a bunch in the Seattle area. I followed this guide: AlienFX repair.....WORKING LEDS at last!! - Alienware Forum - Alienware Club - Dell Community

I bought this flasher from eBay: U EC6 C8051F Family Emulator C2 Debugger C8051F Debugge | eBay

I'm sure you can use any C8051F flasher from ebay or build yourself one, but I would either use the one I did or any of the ones suggested from the guide. It's pretty simple to do.