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July 24th, 2025 11:01
Aurora R11, BIOS Message - ''Fan - The (CPU Fan) fan failed to respond correctly"
Hi Everyone and apologies if I have missed any associated previous posts on this subject. I have looked through the forum and can't find a fix for this boot time error and am hoping that another Dell Alienware R11 owner has come across this issue and has a fix.
It's a long story but, long story short, I own a Dell Alienware R11 and, a few months after the Dell warranty expired, my Dell Water pump failed. I sought advice from the forum and fitted a Corsair Pump and replaced all internal fans with Artic fans. I also used a double fan configuration on the exhaust side. And the system has worked perfectly for the last 2.5 years.
Everything on my Dell Alienware R11 has been going well. The Corsair pump is behaving well, ditto the fans and the PC temperatures are fine.
After many many years of staying with Dell, I have reached the point where I needed to replace the R11 and, after all of the issues that I have had with my Alienware R11 a few years ago and also reading the many negative reviews about the more recent Alienware versions, I decided to move to a new Ryzen based system.
I am transferring my Dell Alienware R11 to my wife.
My Dell Alienware R11 has three internal drives. An SSD C: drive and an SSD D: drive and a conventional mechanical E: drive.
I removed the 2 additional internal drives (D: and E:) leaving just the C: drive on which I intend to install a brand new version of Windows 11 Pro.
So far, so good...
So, I took the side cover off of the Alienware R11, removed the 2 disk drives (D: and E:), reconnected everything, rebooted the PC.
It immediately started a 'SupportAssist Preboot check' and, when it had finished, it warned me that the CPU Fan 'failed to respond correctly'
Here's the exact message that I received
First Screen
SupportAssist Pre-Boot System Performance Check
Alienware R11
System BIOS 1.0.24
Service Tag
Version Build 4400.16.UEFI Rom
Second Screen
Critical Error Message
Version Build 4400.16.UEFI ROM
Service Tag
Error Code 2000-0511
Validation Code 70052
'Fan - The (CPU Fan) fan failed to respond correctly'
Continue
Unfortunnately, every time I switch on the Dell Alienware R11, it goes in to this pre-check and reports the same error.
I have checked all connections on the motherboard and everything seems fine. The temperatures are also fine and I am now convinced that the Dell ROM check has been initiated by the ROM picking up a change in the onboard disks and initiating the test.
And the test is finding a non-standard Dell pump and fan configuration and is complaining about it !!
Can anyone help by telling me how to stop this check / error message coming up each time I start the PC ?
Any help / advice you can give would be gratefully appreciated.
Best wishes
Ed
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Ed_B13
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July 24th, 2025 11:22
The plot thickens...
I have now put the original E: and D: drive disks back in to the Dell Alienware R11 and the error check / message has stopped. When I turn on the Alienware R11 it now goes straight in to Windows 11 !
So, I now have a follow-on question.
Now that the error message has stopped, does anyone know what will happen if I replace the D: and E: drives with other drives ?
Is this likely to force the Dell Alienware R11 back in to the BIOS check mode ?
Again, any advice would be gratefully received. I'm going to stop now (it's 12.20 GMT) and have a light brunch, and have a think about this but do let me know what you think if you have experienced this issue.
All the best
Ed
ProfessorW00d
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July 24th, 2025 23:53
@Ed_B13 . . . just spitballing here, but perhaps your system is jumping into the Pre-Boot System Performance Check when your configuration does not match the BIOS settings stored on the motherboard. Remove your D: and E: drives, boot up and encounter the error. After you get to Windows, clear CMOS by holding in your alien head power button for 30 seconds. Do a restart and that should store your new configuration (sans D: & E: drives) in the motherboard BIOS settings.
Ed_B13
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July 25th, 2025 06:51
Hi Prof Wood
Thank you so much for getting back to me. And thanks for still being there helping Dell users across the world. I'm replying to you from an overcast UK at the moment and just hope that the weather is better where you are.
Yes, this is deinately worth a try.
The problem began when I removed my 2 internel drives. I needed to start a fresh install of windows and wanted to make sure that I formatted the right drive !
And, once the new installation was completed, the Dell still goes in to the pre-check routine.
I will try your suggestion and let you know how things go. Fingers crossed.
All the best
Ed
Ed_B13
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July 25th, 2025 10:22
@ProfessorW00d
ProfessorW00d
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July 27th, 2025 04:16
@Ed_B13 try holding down the ESC key when you press the power button to boot and see if that will skip the diagnostic startup test.
Ed_B13
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July 27th, 2025 08:56
Hi Prof Wood
Just picked up your messages (it's 9.45 am here in the UK and raining !)
I have just tried to boot the Alienware R11 with the escape key held down but, unfortunately, no luck. It's still the same and going in to the Pre-boot system performance check. But many thanks for the advice here.
You know, I think you could well be right. It may be the hardware after all)
It just may be that the Corsair pump has stopped working or the fan(s). I have checked and its roughly three years since I changed the failed Dell Alienware pump assembly for the Corsair solution and its worked seamlessly since then.
The BIOS itself looks fine and, once I get the system through the Pre-boot system performance check, it all appears to work well.
I'm going to read your other eply and see if I can source the new pump and fan over here in the UK.
All the best
Ed