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1 Rookie
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2 Posts
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15
September 13th, 2025 08:53
m15 R1, not booting, not entering post or bios recovery
Hi Everyone
I have an Alienware m15 (r1 i believe but is not specified on the dell website) from 2019. The one with the red or grey display backing.
I have experienced extremely high temeratures. Around 100° in light to medium loads. So I decided to give it a repaste.
After sticking a bit i managed to get the cooler off and repaste.
After I put everything back together, it would not turn on again. Just a black screen, keyboard lights and the alien head light. I tried some troubleshooting steps and entered the SupportAssist mode.
I received the Error Code 200-0511, CPU fan failed to respond correctly.
I rebooted, got into Windows, checked de AWCC, indeed, 0% and tried to set a manual fan curve to 100%. Still nothing. The temps were pretty good, 50° with no fans, I had that before with fans on full blast.
Power off and tried reseating the CPU fan plug. After doing that, it is not booting up at all. Not even BIOS or the Alienware/Dell logo.
No "Press f2 for Bios" or something like that.
The Alien Head keeps cycling color as normal when plugged in, even when turning on. The Keyboard first cycles through some colors but then settles on the configured state.
I tried RTC Resets, unplugging the CMOS Battery, Hard resets with holding down the power button, tried getting into BIOS recovery with Ctrl + esc to no avail.
Completely unplugging the fans (in case they shorted out or something) also does not help.
When just booting the display also stays black, the keyboard lights cycle and settle on the color. After some time it turns off. Maybe this is because of the temperature but I'm not sure.
I also tried completely removing the memory to force some errorcode on boot but still just a black screen.
I am kind of lost right now. Since it booted into Windows I am quite sure (and hopeful?) it is some software that is hindering my boot sequence. The Keyboard light tells me that there is some kind of power flowing. Interesingly it still remembers the specified color for the keyboard even through the RTC and hard-resets.
Has anyone gotten some kind of trick or already experienced the same issues?
anne_droid
3 Apprentice
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840 Posts
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September 13th, 2025 10:00
Hi
Remove the storage, also anything else that is plugged in/connected. Much like this...
Disconnect power adapter and battery. With all power removed, press and hold the power button for 30–60 seconds to drain any residual charge and reset the embedded controller.
Reconnect power (battery and adapter), then power on.
If still no display, try reseating or replacing RAM sticks one by one; a bad RAM stick can prevent POST.
Try disconnecting storage drives, the wireless card, and any other internal modules; then power on again to rule out peripheral-induced POST failures.
Most of the above you have probably already covered.
AlienGreentea
1 Rookie
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2 Posts
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September 13th, 2025 13:19
Hi @anne_droid
Thanks for your reply
After trying your steps it briefly booted into diagnostics mode.
Both the CPU and the GPU fan are not responsive. It seems weird that they both give out at the same time.
After some reboots, I got the same problem of not booting.
The underlying cause seems to be the fans though. Do you have any Idea if there is a hidden fan diagnostics in the BIOS?
I don't want to order new fans from overseas and find out, that some BIOS option is the problem.
Unfortunately I can't find any contact options for Dell in my account because the warranty and "premium support" ended.
Best Regards
anne_droid
3 Apprentice
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840 Posts
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September 15th, 2025 10:25
Hi
Unfortunately I don't, Sorry.