Dell Alienware M14x R2 (Early 2012) User Manual

Alienware M14xR2 Owner’s Manual Regulatory model: P18G Regulatory type: P18G002

Safety Instructions Use the following safety guidelines to protect your computer from potential damage

Wireless Network Allows you to enable or disable the internal wireless device. DMC Allows you to enable or disable the internal DMC device

Boot Sequence This feature allows you to change the boot sequence for devices. Boot Options • Hard Drive — The computer attempts to boot

Changing Boot Sequence for Future Boots 1 Enter system setup. See "Entering System Setup" on page 97. 2 Use the arrow keys to highlight t

25 Flashing the BIOS The BIOS may require flashing when an update is available or when replacing the system board. To flash t

9 Navigate to the folder where you downloaded the BIOS update file. The file icon appears in the folder and is titled the same as the downloaded BIO

2 After Working Inside Your Computer After you complete the replacement procedures, ensure the following: • Replace all screws and en

After Working Inside Your Computer 14

3 Base Cover WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps i

Replacing the Base Cover Procedure 1 Align the tabs on the base cover with the slots on the computer base and slide the base cover until it snaps int

4 Battery WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps in &

3 Using the pull-tab, lift the battery off the computer base. 1 2 3 4 1 3 battery captive screws (2) 2 4 pull-tab battery cable Replacing the Batte

5 Optical Drive WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the step

2 Loosen the four captive screws that secure the optical drive to the computer base. 3 Using the pull-tab, lift the optical drive off the computer

6 Gently peel the optical-drive cable from the optical-drive bracket. 1 2 3 1 screws (2) 2 optical-drive cable connector 3 optical-drive cable Op

____________________ Notes, Cautions, and Warnings NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps yo

7 Remove the screws that secure the optical-drive bracket to the optical drive. 8 Using the pull-tab, lift the optical-drive bracket off the optical

4 Replace the screws that secure the optical-drive cable connector to the optical drive. 5 Adhere the optical-drive cable to the optical-drive b

24 Optical Drive

6 Hard Drive WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow th

3 Lift the hard-drive assembly off the computer base. 1 234 1 hard-drive interposer 2 captive screws (3) 3 pull-tab 4 hard-drive assembly Hard D

4 Remove the four screws that secure the hard-drive bracket to the hard drive. 5 Lift the hard-drive bracket off the hard drive. 1 3 2 1

Postrequisites 1 Follow the instructions from step 6 to step 8 in "Replacing the Optical Drive" on page 22. 2 Replace the battery. See &q

7 Memory Module(s) WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the s

Procedure 1 Loosen the captive screws that secure the memory-module cover to the computer base. 2 Lift and slide the tabs on the memory-module cove

4 Slide the memory module out of the memory-module connector. 3 1 1 memory-module connector 2 securing clips (2) 3 memory module Replacing t

Contents 1 Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Turn Off Your Computer and Connected Devices . . . . 11 Safet

2 Slide the memory module firmly into the connector at a 45-degree angle, and then press the memory module down until it clicks into place. If y

8 Center-Control Cover WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow th

1 Procedure Remove the screws that secure the center-control cover to the computer base. 1 screws (3) 2 Turn the computer over and open the display

4 Lift the center-control cover off the palm-rest assembly. 1 1 center-control cover Replacing the Center-Control Cover Procedure 1 Align the tabs

Postrequisites 1 Replace the battery pack. See "Replacing the Battery" on page 18. 2 Replace the base cover. See "Replacing the Base Co

9 Keyboard WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the s

2 Carefully pry the keyboard up and slide it towards the display till the tabs on the keyboard are released from the palm-rest assembly. 3 Turn t

4 Lift the release latches on the connectors on the system board and disconnect the keyboard cable and keyboard-backlight cable. 5 Lift the ke

Postrequisites 1 Replace the center-control cover. See "Replacing the Center-Control Cover" on page 35. 2 Replace the battery. See "Re

10 Palm-Rest Assembly WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the

6 Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Removing the Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Repl

1 Procedure Remove the screws that secure the palm-rest assembly to the computer base. 2 Turn the computer over and open the display as far as poss

7 Remove the two screws that secure the palm-rest assembly to the computer base. CAUTION: Carefully separate the palm-rest assembly from the co

Replacing the Palm-Rest Assembly Procedure 1 Align the palm-rest assembly on the computer base and gently snap the palm-rest assembly into p

11 Wireless Mini-Card(s)/WirelessHD Card (Optional) WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipp

Procedure 1 Disconnect the antenna cables from the connectors on the mini-card. 2 Remove the screw that secures the mini-card to the system board. 2 1

3 Slide and remove the mini-card out of the connector on the system board. Replacing the Mini-Card(s) Procedure 1 Remove the new Mini-Card from i

4 Connect the mini-card cables to the connectors on the mini-card. The following table provides the antenna cable color scheme for each mini-card su

12 Power-Button Board WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follo

3 Carefully lift the power-button board and release its cable from the slot on the palm-rest assembly. 1 2 1 power-button board 2 screws (2) 3

Postrequisites 1 Replace the palm-rest assembly. See "Replacing the Palm-Rest Assembly" on page 44. 2 Replace the keyboard. See "Repl

11 Wireless Mini-Card(s)/WirelessHD Card (Optional) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Removing the Mini-Card(s) .

52 Power-Button Board

13 Status-Lights Board WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow

3 1 Turn the palm-rest assembly over. 1 status-light board cable Status-Lights Board 54

4 Remove the screw that secures the status-light board to the palm-rest assembly. 5 Carefully lift the status-light board and release its cable fr

Postrequisites 6 Replace the palm-rest assembly. See "Replacing the Palm-Rest Assembly" on page 44. 7 Replace the keyboard. See "Repl

14 Speakers WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps

3 Remove the four screws that secure the speakers to the palm-rest assembly. 4 Lift the speakers along with the cable away from the palm-rest assemb

Postrequisites 1 Replace the palm-rest assembly. See "Replacing the Palm-Rest Assembly" on page 44. 2 Replace the keyboard. See "Repl

60 Speakers

15 Subwoofer WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps i

16 Internal Card with Bluetooth Wireless Technology 65 Removing the Bluetooth Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Replacing th

3 Lift the subwoofer along with the cable off the computer base. 1 2 1 subwoofer cable 2 subwoofer Replacing the Subwoofer Procedure 1 Align the s

4 Replace the battery. See "Replacing the Battery" on page 18. 5 Replace the base cover. See "Replacing the Base Cover" on page 1

64 Subwoofer

16 Internal Card with Bluetooth Wireless Technology WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped

1 2 3 1 Bluetooth-card cable connector 2 Bluetooth card 3 screw Replacing the Bluetooth Card Procedure 1 Align the screw hole on the Bluetooth c

4 Replace the battery. See "Replacing the Battery" on page 18. 5 Replace the base cover. See "Replacing the Base Cover" on page 1

Internal Card with Bluetooth Wireless Technology 68

17 Coin-Cell Battery WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow

Procedure 1 Disconnect the coin-cell battery cable from the connector on the system board. 2 Gently pry out the coin-cell battery from the slot on

Postrequisites 1 Replace the palm-rest assembly. See "Replacing the Palm-Rest Assembly" on page 44). 2 Replace the keyboard. See "Rep

21 Thermal Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Removing the Thermal Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Replacing

72 Coin-Cell Battery

18 Display Assembly WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the s

4 Note the routing of the WirelessHD card (optional) and mini-card antenna cables and remove them from the routing guides on the computer base. N

Procedure 1 Using the pull-tab, disconnect the display cable from the connector on the system board. 2 Disconnect the logo-board cable from th

Replacing the Display Assembly Procedure 1 Slide the WirelessHD (optional) and mini-card antenna cables through the slot on the com

19 Mini-Card Board WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the

Procedure 1 Remove the screws that secure the mini-card board to the computer base. 2 Lift the mini-card board to disconnect the connector on the mi

Postrequisites 3 Replace the palm-rest assembly. See "Lift the palm-rest assembly off the computer base." on page 43. 4 Replace the key

80 Mini-Card Board

20 System Board WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the

Contents 8

Procedure 1 Using the pull-tab, disconnect the display cable and the hard-drive cable from the connectors on the system board. 2 Disconnect the lo

4 Lift and ease the connectors on the system board out of the slots on the computer base. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 system board 2 screws (5) 3 subwoofe

Replacing the System Board Procedure 1 Replace the processor module. See "Replacing the Processor Module" on page 95. 2 Replace the

17 Replace the base cover. See "Replacing the Base Cover" on page 16) 18 Replace any cards or blank that you removed from the 9-in-1

86 System Board

21 Thermal Fan WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and follow the steps

3 Lift the thermal fan and gently peel the tape that secures the thermal fan to the thermal cooling assembly. 1 2 3 4 1 screws (3) 2 thermal fa

22 Thermal Cooling Assembly WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer

2 Carefully lift thermal cooling assembly away from the system board. 2 1 1 thermal cooling assembly 2 captive screws (7) NOTE: The appea

Postrequisites 1 Follow the instructions from step 3 to step 18 in "Replacing the System Board" on page 84. 2 Follow the instructions in &q

1 Before You Begin Turn Off Your Computer and Connected Devices CAUTION: To avoid losing data, save and close all open files an

Thermal Cooling Assembly 92

23 Processor Module WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer and fo

1 2 3 4 1 ZIF socket 2 processor module 3 pin-1 corner 4 ZIF-socket cam screw CAUTION: To ensure maximum cooling for the processor module,

Replacing the Processor Module NOTE: If a new processor module is installed, you will receive a new thermal cooling assembly, which wil

96 Processor Module

24 System Setup Overview Use the system setup to: • Get information about the hardware installed in your computer, such as the

Setup Item — This field appears on Help Screen — This field appears on the the left side of the system setup right side of t

L2 Cache Displays the processor L2 cache size. L3 Cache Displays the processor L3 cache size. Integrated Graphics Discrete Graphics 1 Fixed HD

USB Emulation Allows you to enable or disable the USB emulation feature. This feature defines how the BIOS, in the absenc

Adapter Warnings Allows you to choose if the computer should display warning messages when you use certain power adapters. The com