Area-51 m15x, Windows 7, RGB keyboard not wokring

Question

Hello I have an Alienware Area-51 m15x from 2008. I recently upgraded the OS to Windows 7 and wanted to get control of the the RGB. I went ahead and downloaded an older version of the AWCC and it turned off the RGB lighting in my keyboard.  I have uninstalled AWCC, did a fresh install of windows and the lights on the keyboard are still off. I even re-downloaded AWCC and my keyboard isn't being recognized to have the lights turned on or edited. With that being said can someone give me any guidance so I can have the RGB back on my keyboard?

mattyb3 · Accepted Answer

Yeah I got that part. That's the same issue that I saw other people getting with this system when they tried going to Win7 and installing the AWCC. Here are some links from the NBR archive but I would imagine that most of the download links are dead now. It may be a matter of installing all the drivers in the correct order.

https://www.nbrchive.net/xfa/alienware-area-51-aurora-and-legacy-systems.1081/

https://www.nbrchive.net/xfa/alienware-area-51-aurora-and-legacy-systems.1081/Alienware%20M15x%20BEFORE%20DELL%20AlienFX%20Problem/

https://www.nbrchive.net/xfa/alienware-area-51-aurora-and-legacy-systems.1081/m15x%20mini-MyHive/

mattyb3 · Answer

Hi @bxnynerd, is this the Pre-Dell Area-51 m15x? This is sometimes referred to as being the M15x R1 but it's proper name is the Area-51 m15x. The model after this was the first Dell release in 2009 and was just named the M15x. It is a little confusing.

From memory, this model did not like Windows 7 and many people had issues with the keyboard lighting going dark after upgrading the OS. You may have to go back to Vista. Try this first just to see if the lighting comes back.

What version of AWCC did you try to install? Where did you get it from?

I have the old drivers for this machine buried on one my my old Dropbox accounts if you need them.

bxnynerd · Answer

Good-evening! Thank you so much for getting back to me so for some reason the keyboard RGB went dark after downloading an older version of the AWCC. I got the AWCC from a post on the Internet archive after that the RGB went out on the keyboard.Where could I find a fresh install of windows vista with all of the drivers necessary for this model? The model is ALIENWARE CORP AREA - 51 m15x and the model number on the back is m15x - R1 it's all silver and smooth top cover.

bxnynerd · Answer

@mattyb3 just responded !

bxnynerd · Answer

@mattyb3​Also the little picture that you added to your post is the exact computer that i have!

DELL-ChrisM2 · Answer

I am confused as to what you actually installed?None of the Dell AWCC are compatible with the pre-Dell computers like the Area-51 m15x.

bxnynerd · Answer

@DELL-ChrisM2​ Hi! I was under the impression this system needed the AWCC to change the lights ? Doing so knocked off the RGB in the keyboard would there be any Ideas for this fix !

DELL-ChrisM2 · Answer

We at Dell have no idea what software a pre-Dell Alienware used. All we know is that our AWCC was never meant for the pre-Dell Alienware. No, we would not know how to fix this.

mattyb3 · Answer

The Alienware naming system has been very confusing over the years.

If you went through one of the old archive sites like NotebookReview then you probably have the right CC version. I do remember a few people having similar issues to you so you probably have the same problem that they were having. It was all a long time ago now though so it's hard to remember exactly.

I believe you could order this laptop with or without an luminated keyboard so this could be part of the problem.

If you have access to the old NBR archive then you may have to search through there to find the answer.

Here are the drivers that I have on file, these are apparently tested as working for Win7 but I have never personally tested them. You may already have these. I will try to see if I can find out how people go the keyboard lights to work.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1pz6ga8ia1mllfstahx8q/Alienware-M15X-Win7-Working-Drivers-1.zip?rlkey=1z04sihk8g5q7s6conlwzusit&st=wnidxkgb&dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ph19immpmuel7uhvwqewc/Alienware-M15X-Win7-Working-Drivers-2.zip?rlkey=8kncydng7s7qnuewpbu659xnc&st=lwyff6am&dl=0

bxnynerd · Answer

@mattyb3​ Hi! Thank you for getting back to me, so before having installed that old AWCC my RGB lights in the keyboard were on and working fine right when it got done installing is when they got kicked off.

bxnynerd · Answer

@mattyb3​ Thank you so much for the help, regards to following them in the correct order would I first downgrade the system to vista and if so where can I find that os file to download? Also when downloading the drivers in order would I go from how they are organized within the drop box? I also saw that if I'm experiencing any problems I should flash the bios, would you recommend that and if so where would I find the BIOS iso for this system?

bxnynerd · Answer

@mattyb3​ You have helped resolve this issue thank you so much!!!!!!

mattyb3 · Answer

@bxnynerd So you got it sorted out? That's great news if you did, nicely done!

bxnynerd · Answer

@mattyb3​ Yes everything worked as I installed the drivers in order. Thank you so much for the assistance !!!!! :)

mattyb3 · Answer

My pleasure, I'm glad it worked out for you. It's always great to see people still interested in the old AW systems.

Driver install order was always a little bit of an issue with older machines and AWCC. I have way more experience with the Dell/Alienware Windows 7 systems from 2009 onwards and they also had a specific driver install order or you would have some weird problems.

Alienware

Area-51 m15x, Windows 7, RGB keyboard not wokring

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