G7 7790, AlienFX not detected

It sounds like the AWCC 'handshake' with your hardware has been lost. Because the G7 7790 is an older model, version 5.x is indeed the correct one, but it requires a very specific setup to 'see' the AlienFX controller again.

Try these steps in order:

Perform a 'Power Drain': Sometimes the lighting controller gets stuck in a static state. *Shut down your laptop, unplug the power cable, and hold the power button down for 30 seconds.* This clears the flea power and resets the hardware controllers.

The 'Clean' Reinstall: Standard uninstalls often leave behind registry keys that block the FX detection. Use a tool like Revo Uninstaller or manually delete the Folder: %ProgramData%\Alienware\CommandCenter after uninstalling.

Check the 'HID' Drivers: Open Device Manager and look under Human Interface Devices. *If you see any 'Unknown Device' or an 'Alienware' entry with a yellow exclamation mark, right-click it and select 'Uninstall Device.'* Then, click 'Scan for hardware changes' at the top to force Windows to re-identify the keyboard controller.

Install 'Alienware OC Controls' separately: Even if AWCC installs, the FX chip often won't 'wake up' without the separate OC Controls component. Download the specific Alienware OC Controls listed for the G7 7790 on the Dell Support site and install it after AWCC.

BIOS Check: *Ensure your BIOS is up to date.* Sometimes a BIOS update is required to bridge the communication between Windows 11 and the older AlienFX hardware.

If the tab still says 'No AlienFX detected' after this, try running the AWCC installer again and selecting 'Repair' instead of 'Install.'

I have tried all that, still doesn't work.

When I open the AWCC it still shows no AlienFX detected. It then asks to install something which I allow it to, but it doesn't actually install anything. AWCC just keeps spinning around. You can see it displays Home, Library, FX and Fusion but when I close and restart it only Library and Fusion come up.

@MichaelMcHugh​ Since the standard reinstall didn't work and the app is 'spinning,' it means the AWCC Service is failing to initialize the FX master controller. Let’s try to force those services to wake up:

Check Background Services: Press Windows Key + R, type services.msc, and hit Enter. Find 'AWCCService'. *Right-click it, select Properties, and ensure 'Startup type' is set to Automatic.* If it’s stopped, click Start. ⚙️

Fix the Installation Loop: The 'spinning' usually means the background installer is blocked. *Temporarily disable your Antivirus and Windows 'Memory Integrity' (found in Windows Security > Device Security > Core Isolation).* Windows 11 often blocks the older G7 drivers from loading for 'security' reasons. 🛡️🚫

The 'Component' Workaround: When it asks to install additional components and fails, do it manually:

Go to the Dell Support site.

Download the 'Alienware OC Controls' and 'Alienware Command Center Application' installers separately.

*Right-click each installer and select 'Run as Administrator'.* Install the main app first, reboot, and then install the OC Controls. 🖱️👑

Check 'HID' in Device Manager: *Open Device Manager, go to 'Human Interface Devices', and look for 'USB Input Device'.* Right-click and check 'Properties' -> 'Details' -> 'Hardware IDs'. If you see 'VID_187C' (Alienware's ID), that's your lighting controller. If it has a yellow triangle, the driver is corrupted. ⚠️

MSI Wrapper Cleanup: If AWCC still won't load, the Windows Registry might be 'locked.' Some users have luck using the Microsoft Program Install and Uninstall Troubleshooter to completely wipe any trace of 'Alienware' before trying one last fresh install. 🧹

If you see the 'FX' tab disappear after a restart, it’s almost certain that Windows 11 Core Isolation is killing the driver as soon as it tries to boot.

Is your issue resolved?

I will confirm over weekend when I have time to do what you posted.

I have taken a look today.

I have checked the Windows Memory Integrity, that is already turned off due to having two drivers that are incompatible (PSKTBUS.sys and ssudbus.sys).

The AWCCService was set to Automatic (delayed start) so I changed it to automatic.

I do not have VID_187C in the HID.

Issue still occurring. I thought I was getting somewhere because I opened AWCC it started an install and when I restarted the PC and went back i to AWCC is started to just spinning again.

Folks, I'm going to chime in here. I own the new Alienware Area-51 AAT2250. It's been plagued with issues concerning the AlienFX control. I discovered a workaround solution for the AAT2250, but it might be worth reading my post inside another thread titled "Area-51 AAT2250, AlienFX not working AGAIN!"

I mention taking a look at the system registry and locating your device., etc. The solution works, but ya need to export the registry key for your specific device  device when the AWCC is working properly.

TC