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Alienware Command Center issue

cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067

This morning my Alienware command center just went kaput. It refused to start at all. I uninstalled did the required registry deletes and stuff and still it would not load. The device manager shows it as unknown device which I cannot update the driver no matter what version I try. I reformatted and it installed but does not work and the device manager still shows it as an unknown device.

 

image

 My computer usually sounds like a mini jet engine but it is so silent its creepy now. Everything is controlled by that damn command center so now that nothing is working I suppose my computer is slowly overheating. Does anyone know how to replace it I read up but all it seems to suggest is to reinstall the software. I do not even know what this command center looks like inside to see if it may have come lose or something.

 

My computer is an Alienware Aurora from 2010. It has 9 gig RAM, Windows 7 64 bit ,i7 930 @ 2.8ghz

 

Does anyone have any idea how much this command center might cost if it is too expensive I think I will change the computer.

 

I always thought the command center is a software but it shows up as hardware on the universal serial bus controllers.

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Comments

  • GruntyGrunty Member EpicPosts: 8,657

    The Command Center is software. Software controls hardware. If the software is not installed correctly for the hardware it interacts with then the hardware listed in the Device Manager will be unknown. 

    Go to Dells's support site, enter your systems Service Tag in when you can and do a thorough search through the the drivers listed for your system.  The default list of drivers they initially display is not a complete list. You'll have to do some digging. Find the Command Center software and download it. UNINSTALL your current Command Center software then install the one you downloaded.

    If you do have a hardware failure this won't fix it though. The Aurora has a separate I/O board called a MIO board. It any cable connections are loose then anything on the MIO board may not work correctly. Check all cable connections.

    "I used to think the worst thing in life was to be all alone.  It's not.  The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone."  Robin Williams
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    I went to Dell and entered service tag and then downloaded the correct versions and it has been working fine all this time.  Also did a full diagnostic at Dell it came all passes.I too thought that it was software but the device driver is for a specific bus on the universal serial bus controller okay I will check all the connections thanks.
    Chamber of Chains
  • GruntyGrunty Member EpicPosts: 8,657
    Originally posted by cheyane
    I went to Dell and entered service tag and then downloaded the correct versions and it has been working fine all this time.  Also did a full diagnostic at Dell it came all passes.I too thought that it was software but the device driver is for a specific bus on the universal serial bus controller okay I will check all the connections thanks.

    Get the USB drivers too. Install them from the hard drive and NOT from a USB device.

    "I used to think the worst thing in life was to be all alone.  It's not.  The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone."  Robin Williams
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    Will do that thanks.
    Chamber of Chains
  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383

    I would be surprised if the computer kills itself.

    I'm not familiar with this software in particular, but most software similar to it will let you set customized settings or manual control of your fans.

    The fans themselves, in absence of the software, are usually run by the BIOS, and the BIOS is capable of ramping them up and down to protect the computer. You may even be able to look at the settings in the BIOS, I"m not sure how Alienware does their BIOS setups.

    If I were to bet - I would say the software loads some very aggressive cooling settings (hence it sounding like a turbine at takeoff), and that the BIOS just has some default modest cooling settings and only ramps up as/if needed.

    That being said - it's either a driver issue or failed hardware on the part of the Command Center deal. I would be surprised if it's required to actually operate the computer, and odds are it will continue to work fine without it. That would be a good question for Dell's technical support, and I'd be interested in what response you get back from them.

  • Loke666Loke666 Member EpicPosts: 21,441

    You must have missed some drivers, it is a very common misstake and Dells homepage can be a bit confusing.

    I myself gave up on the fingerprint identicator on a Vaio because I just couldn't find the right driver (and didn't think it was that important anyways).

    The best thing is if you can find either the original install CD they hopefully gave you, or an image of it instead of trying to download it part by part. Or you could ask Dells support which driver you need for it.

  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067

    I did try to install the original drivers from the resource CD but message is the same windows stopped the device as it was reporting problems then when it reboots I keep getting "one of the usb devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and windows does not recognize it" so then the command center malfunctions with zeo values for everything. 

     

    I have contacted Dell and they put me together with the out of warranty guy. Terribly unassuring to hear that don't you agree well anyway hopefully they can solve it. I have MSI afterburner that controls the fan speeds on my graphic card but the other stuff is what worries me. I hope you're right and the computer can function without the Command Center untll I get it fixed .I have been using it all day.image

    Chamber of Chains
  • Loke666Loke666 Member EpicPosts: 21,441
    Originally posted by cheyane

    I did try to install the original drivers from the resource CD but message is the same windows stopped the device as it was reporting problems then when it reboots I keep getting "one of the usb devices attached to this computer has malfunctioned and windows does not recognize it" so then the command center malfunctions with zeo values for everything. 

    I have contacted Dell and they put me together with the out of warranty guy. Terribly unassuring to hear that don't you agree well anyway hopefully they can solve it. I have MSI afterburner that controls the fan speeds on my graphic card but the other stuff is what worries me. I hope you're right and the computer can function without the Command Center untll I get it fixed .I have been using it all day.image

    Ouch, that isn't good at all.

    Tried this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOGBMxtyet8

  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383

    You can use this program or one of many similar to it to monitor your temps if you are worried about them overheating:

    http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html

  • strangepowersstrangepowers Member UncommonPosts: 630

    I uninstalled Command Center years ago when I was given this machine, my fans sill work perfect automatically, don't know whats up with yours.

  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067

    The cpuid shows all the temperatures as good. 

     

    I usually do a complete reformat every now and then sometimes 3 times a year when I was having issues with my old graphic card.  I just did one today and I have installed every driver each time with no problems but if I can use the computer without this command center I will cheer hooray. It really can you mean, it will work fine without me having to control the fan and push up the speeds when it is summer. I don't care about the fancy lights and stuff and I was only worried about the fan speed which without the command center I cannot control. I also open the  top gill vents with the command center.

     

    So I can play ESO without the command center it won't fry my computer ?

    Chamber of Chains
  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383


    Originally posted by cheyane
    The cpuid shows all the temperatures as good. 
     So I can play ESO without the command center it won't fry my computer ?

    Leave CPUID running in the background the first time or two just to make sure, but yeah - I would say you absolutely can.

  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067
    Thank you thank you now I can go to bed happy.
    Chamber of Chains
  • cheyanecheyane Member LegendaryPosts: 9,067

    The out of warranty chap had nothing constructive to contribute aside from asking me to update all my chipset and stuff which i would do every time I reformat. So I did update all my drivers when I reformatted and still the thing is a dud. All of a sudden the fan worked at its speed the one set by the Command Center yesterday but I disabled the device that will not update properly and removed Command Center. 

     

    Played some ESO I watched CPUID like a hawk while I played so far 'keeping fingers crossed' I know not a very technical method of solving issues but it seems 'touch wood' okay.

     I notice that although it went back to Silent Steve mode today when I was playing the fan picked up. So something else is controlling and keeping the core temp monitored and pushing up fan speeds. The water cooled system is also probably all controlled outside of the Command Center and in all probability the CC was only giving me a means to push up fan speeds but without it the computer would still be monitored and maintained.

    Thank you for all your help.

    Chamber of Chains
  • RidelynnRidelynn Member EpicPosts: 7,383

    Glad to hear it's still functional

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