Replacing an Alienware Motherboard

ChemicalBrother · Feb 24, 2013

Hello,
I purchased a dead Alienware Aurora ALX with the intention of using the case and all its fancy extras (lighting, active venting, ect) in my own build.

What I didnt realize is that there is what appears to be two boards in the typical Alienware Aurora ALX setup. One is obviously the Micro ATX motherboard and the other is a smaller board that appears to be used for all the extras.

Does anyone have any experience upgrading a system like this? I have the following motherboard for the new build.

ASUS Maximus V Gene LGA 1155 Intel Z77 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

I am concerned that this other (smaller board) wont work with my new Asus motherboard and therefor non of the extras will either.

I would be greatful for any help. Also I am far from an expert on computers so pretend like your talking to a noob.

theonedub · Feb 24, 2013

Some pictures of this 'daughter' board would be helpful.

Jetster · Feb 24, 2013

Maybe you can tell from this thread

ChemicalBrother · Feb 24, 2013

Daughter Board

Pictures as requested. My new ASUS board is the one on the left. Not sure this helps any.

MxPhenom 216 · Feb 24, 2013

Jetster said:
Maybe you can tell from this thread
http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180581

why did you link him to the same thread????

Jetster · Feb 24, 2013

MxPhenom 216 said:
why did you link him to the same thread????

My bad

This is what I was talking about what did he do? (im at work I cant see pics)

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174559&highlight=Alienware+Aurora+ALX

natr0n · Feb 24, 2013

ChemicalBrother said:
Pictures as requested. My new ASUS board is the one on the left. Not sure this helps any.

I don't think it will work, it's custom made for the alien ware/dell motherboard. It could use custom software or custom bios to control everything.

Unless someone knows better;I don't think it will function on your new motherboard.

Jetster · Feb 24, 2013

natr0n said:
I don't think it will work, it's custom made for the alien ware/dell motherboard. It could use custom software or custom bios to control everything.

Unless someone knows better;I don't think it will function on your new motherboard.

There is always a way

Aquinus · Feb 24, 2013

Are you sure that is doesn't connect to the motherboard by just using a USB header? I would imagine that would be the easiest and cheapest way. Which wires connect the extra board to the motherboard? I can't tell from the pictures.

newtekie1 · Feb 24, 2013

Aquinus said:
Are you sure that is doesn't connect to the motherboard by just using a USB header? I would imagine that would be the easiest and cheapest way. Which wires connect the extra board to the motherboard? I can't tell from the pictures.

That is what I was thinking, then again this is Dell we're talking about here, so they'll go out of their way to make things proprietary just to screw over the end user.

Animalpak · Feb 24, 2013

There are many threads about it on the official website DELL/alienware.

It is possible to make everything work, but the instructions posted on the threads are not very precise.

Connecting the new motherboard to the MIO board is not difficult to do requires some changes because the buttons of the front panel as the power pass before MIO board that acts as a bridge controls leds venting and speed of fan according to temperatures.

I know exactly that the MIO board that controls the LEDs and also all the fans of the case, there is an updated version that allows you to not have problems when you install the software (thermal alienware command center) once you are done swapping the motherboard.

If you have the old MIO card the system will not allow you to install the software to the new installation and the new motherboard.

Someone has done it without any problems to run the power button, hardware acrivity light and the whole LED's running, installing the software, but not the active venting system.

This is not a problem with the Alienware Aurora R3 because comes without.

Try to read here : http://www.alienwarearena.com/forum...ora-mobo-swap-how-to-connect-your-mio-board-/

And here :

http://en.community.dell.com/owners-club/alienware/f/3746/p/19375183/19861325.aspx

JrDraongXt · Jun 22, 2016

Yes , i have good news , i have replaced my alienware motherboard and it works no problem.

my motherboard is a Gigabyte 78LMT-USB3 and it works

Toothless · Jun 22, 2016

JrDraongXt said:
Yes , i have good news , i have replaced my alienware motherboard and it works no problem. my motherboard is a Gigabyte 78LMT-USB3 and it works

Good for you now stop bringing dead threads back.

System Name	Erakith \|\| AsRock NUCS
Processor	AMD ThreadRipper 2990WX ES (32c/64t 3.5ghz@1.02v) \|\| Intel i7 1360P Raptor Lake-P
Motherboard	MSI X399 MEG Creation \|\| AsRock OE
Cooling	EK Supremacy TR4 Full Nickel, D5 w/ EK Top, 2X EK-CoolStream XTX 360 & Photon 270 Res \|\| OE
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Software	Windows 10 Pro x64 \|\| WIndows 11 Pro x64
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System Name	Juliette // HTPC
Processor	Intel i7 9700K // AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
Motherboard	ASUS Prime Z390X-A // ASRock B550 ITX-AC
Cooling	Noctua NH-U12 Black // Stock
Memory	Corsair DDR4 3600 32gb //G.SKILL Trident Z Royal Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3600
Video Card(s)	ASUS RTX4070 OC// GTX 1650
Storage	Samsung 970 EVO NVMe 1Tb, Intel 665p Series M.2 2280 1TB // Samsung 1Tb SSD
Display(s)	ASUS VP348QGL 34" Quad HD 3440 x 1440 // 55" LG 4K SK8000 Series
Case	Seasonic SYNCRO Q7// Silverstone Granada GD05
Audio Device(s)	Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 // HDMI to Samsung HW-R650 sound bar
Power Supply	Seasonic SYNCRO 750 W // CORSAIR Vengeance 650M
Mouse	Cooler Master MM710 53G
Keyboard	Logitech 920-009300 G512 SE
Software	Windows 10 Pro // Windows 10 Pro

System Name	Ryzen Reflection
Processor	AMD Ryzen 9 5900x
Motherboard	Gigabyte X570S Aorus Master
Cooling	2x EK PE360 \| TechN AM4 AMD Block Black \| EK Quantum Vector Trinity GPU Nickel + Plexi
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Storage	WD SN850 500GB (OS) \| Samsung 980 Pro 1TB (Games_1) \| Samsung 970 Evo 1TB (Games_2)
Display(s)	Asus XG27AQM 240Hz G-Sync Fast-IPS \| Gigabyte M27Q-P 165Hz 1440P IPS \| Asus 24" IPS (portrait mode)
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Power Supply	Seasonic Prime Ultra Platinum 850
Mouse	Razer Viper v2 Pro
Keyboard	Razer Huntsman Tournament Edition
Software	Windows 11 Pro 64-Bit

System Name	Juliette // HTPC
Processor	Intel i7 9700K // AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
Motherboard	ASUS Prime Z390X-A // ASRock B550 ITX-AC
Cooling	Noctua NH-U12 Black // Stock
Memory	Corsair DDR4 3600 32gb //G.SKILL Trident Z Royal Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3600
Video Card(s)	ASUS RTX4070 OC// GTX 1650
Storage	Samsung 970 EVO NVMe 1Tb, Intel 665p Series M.2 2280 1TB // Samsung 1Tb SSD
Display(s)	ASUS VP348QGL 34" Quad HD 3440 x 1440 // 55" LG 4K SK8000 Series
Case	Seasonic SYNCRO Q7// Silverstone Granada GD05
Audio Device(s)	Focusrite Scarlett 4i4 // HDMI to Samsung HW-R650 sound bar
Power Supply	Seasonic SYNCRO 750 W // CORSAIR Vengeance 650M
Mouse	Cooler Master MM710 53G
Keyboard	Logitech 920-009300 G512 SE
Software	Windows 10 Pro // Windows 10 Pro

System Name	natr0n-PC
Processor	Ryzen 5950x/5600x
Motherboard	B450 AORUS M
Cooling	EK AIO 360 - 6 fan action
Memory	Patriot - Viper Steel DDR4 (B-Die)(4x8GB)
Video Card(s)	EVGA 3070ti FTW
Storage	Various
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Replacing an Alienware Motherboard

ChemicalBrother

New Member

theonedub

habe fidem

Jetster

ChemicalBrother

New Member

Attachments

MxPhenom 216

ASIC Engineer

Jetster

natr0n

Jetster

Aquinus

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newtekie1

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Animalpak

JrDraongXt

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Toothless

Tech, Games, and TPU!

System Name	Apollo
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Software	MacOS 12.1

Processor	Intel Core i7 10850K@5.2GHz
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Memory	32GB DDR4-3600
Video Card(s)	RTX 2070 Super
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Motherboard	Asus Maximus XI Hero Z390
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Storage	M.2 Samsung NVMe 970 Evo Plus 250 GB + 1TB 970 Evo Plus
Display(s)	Asus PG279 IPS 1440p 165Hz G-sync
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Keyboard	Rapoo
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Motherboard	MSI MEG x570 Ace
Cooling	Corsair H150i RGB Elite
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