Alienware X51 User manual

Alienware X51
Service Manual
Computer Model: Alienware X51 R3
Regulatory Model: D05S
Regulatory Type: D05S003

Notes, cautions, and warnings
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use
of your computer.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to
hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage,
personal injury, or death.
Copyright © 2015 Dell Inc. All rights reserved. This product is protected by U.S. and
international copyright and intellectual property laws. Dell™ and the Dell logo are trademarks of
Dell Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. All other marks and names mentioned
herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
2015 - 10
Rev. A00

Contents
Before working inside your computer..........................6
Before you begin .................................................................................................6
Safety instructions..............................................................................................6
Recommended tools............................................................................................7
After working inside your computer............................. 9
Technical overview.............................................................. 10
Inside View Of Your Computer...........................................................................10
Removing the side panel....................................................11
Procedure............................................................................................................11
Replacing the side panel................................................... 13
Procedure...........................................................................................................13
Removing the processor cooling-assembly............14
Prerequisites......................................................................................................14
Procedure...........................................................................................................14
Replacing the processor cooling assembly............. 18
Procedure...........................................................................................................18
Post-requisites.................................................................................................. 18
Removing the wireless card............................................ 19
Prerequisites......................................................................................................19
Procedure...........................................................................................................19
Replacing the wireless card............................................. 21
Procedure...........................................................................................................21
Post-requisites..................................................................................................23
3

Removing the memory module.................................... 24
Prerequisites.....................................................................................................24
Procedure..........................................................................................................24
Replacing the memory module.....................................26
Procedure..........................................................................................................26
Post-requisites.................................................................................................. 27
Removing the hard drive..................................................28
Prerequisites.....................................................................................................28
Procedure..........................................................................................................28
Replacing the hard drive.................................................. 33
Procedure..........................................................................................................33
Post-requisites..................................................................................................33
Removing the graphics card.......................................... 34
Prerequisites.....................................................................................................34
Procedure..........................................................................................................34
Replacing the graphics card...........................................39
Procedure..........................................................................................................39
Post-requisites..................................................................................................39
Removing the solid-state drive.................................... 40
Prerequisites.....................................................................................................40
Procedure..........................................................................................................40
Replacing the solid-state drive.....................................43
Procedure..........................................................................................................43
Post-requisites..................................................................................................44
4

BIOS setup program............................................................45
Overview............................................................................................................45
Entering System Setup ....................................................................................45
System Setup Options......................................................................................45
Boot sequence................................................................................................... 51
Changing boot sequence for the current boot............................................51
Changing boot sequence for future boots..................................................52
Flashing the BIOS................................................................. 53
Getting help and contacting Alienware....................54
Self-help resources........................................................................................... 54
Contacting Alienware....................................................................................... 55
5

Before working inside your
computer
NOTE: The images in this document may differ from your computer
depending on the configuration you ordered.
Before you begin
1 Save and close all open files and exit all open applications.
2 Shut down your computer.
– Windows 10: Click or tap Start → Power → Shut down.
– Windows 8.1: On the Start screen, click or tap the power icon →
Shut down.
NOTE: If you are using a different operating system, see the
documentation of your operating system for shut-down instructions.
3 Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical
outlets.
4 Disconnect all cables such as telephone cables, network cables and so on,
from your computer.
5 Disconnect all attached devices and peripherals, such as keyboard, mouse,
monitor, and so on, from your computer.
6 Remove any media card and optical disc from your computer, if applicable.
7 After the computer is unplugged, press and hold the power button for 5
seconds to ground the system board.
Safety instructions
Use the following safety guidelines to protect your computer from potential
damage and ensure your personal safety.
WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the
safety information that shipped with your computer. For
more safety best practices, see the Regulatory Compliance
home page at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
6

WARNING: Disconnect all power sources before opening the
computer cover or panels. After you finish working inside
the computer, replace all covers, panels, and screws before
connecting to the power source.
CAUTION: To avoid damaging the computer, ensure that the
work surface is flat and clean.
CAUTION: To avoid damaging the components and cards,
handle them by their edges and avoid touching pins and
contacts.
CAUTION: You should only perform troubleshooting and
repairs as authorized or directed by the Dell technical
assistance team. Damage due to servicing that is not
authorized by Dell is not covered by your warranty. See the
safety instructions that shipped with the product or at
www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
CAUTION: Before touching anything inside your computer,
ground yourself by touching an unpainted metal surface,
such as the metal at the back of the computer. While you
work, periodically touch an unpainted metal surface to
dissipate static electricity, which could harm internal
components.
CAUTION: When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector
or on its pull tab, not on the cable itself. Some cables have
connectors with locking tabs or thumb-screws that you
must disengage before disconnecting the cable. When
disconnecting cables, keep them evenly aligned to avoid
bending any connector pins. When connecting cables,
ensure that the ports and connectors are correctly oriented
and aligned.
CAUTION: Press and eject any installed card from the media-
card reader.
Recommended tools
The procedures in this document may require the following tools:
• Philips screwdriver
• Flat-head screwdriver
7

• Plastic scribe
8

After working inside your
computer
CAUTION: Leaving stray or loose screws inside your
computer may severely damage your computer.
1 Replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside your
computer.
2 Connect any external devices, peripherals, and cables you removed before
working on your computer.
3 Replace any media cards, discs, and any other parts that you removed
before working on your computer.
4 Connect your computer and all attached devices to their electrical outlets.
5 Turn on your computer.
9

Technical overview
WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the
safety information that shipped with your computer and
follow the steps in Before working inside your computer.
After working inside your computer, follow the instructions
in After working inside your computer. For more safety best
practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at
www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Inside View Of Your Computer
1 processor cooling assembly 2 memory modules
3 riser cage
10

Removing the side panel
WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the
safety information that shipped with your computer and
follow the steps in Before working inside your computer.
After working inside your computer, follow the instructions
in After working inside your computer. For more safety best
practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at
www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Procedure
1 Place the computer on its side with the left panel facing up.
2 Remove the screw that secures the left panel to the chassis.
3 Release the left panel by sliding it towards the front of the computer.
1 left panel 2 screw
3 chassis
4 Turn the left panel over and disconnect the lighting cable as shown.
11

5 Lift the left panel off the chassis.
1 left panel 2 lighting cable
3 chassis
12

Replacing the side panel
WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the
safety information that shipped with your computer and
follow the steps in Before working inside your computer.
After working inside your computer, follow the instructions
in After working inside your computer. For more safety best
practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at
www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Procedure
1 Connect the lighting cable to the left panel.
2 Align the tabs on the left panel with the slots on the chassis and slide it
toward the back of the computer.
3 Replace the screw that secures the left panel to the chassis.
13

Removing the processor
cooling-assembly
WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the
safety information that shipped with your computer and
follow the steps in Before working inside your computer.
After working inside your computer, follow the instructions
in After working inside your computer. For more safety best
practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at
www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Prerequisites
NOTE: You will hear a low bubbling sound when the computer is turned
on. The sound is standard for all computers with liquid cooling units and
stops after a few minutes of computer use. The bubbling sound is due to
the air that resides in the liquid cooling assembly. When the temperature
of the liquid rises, it expands and the air bubbles in the tube are
dislodged. Alienware X51 being a compact desktop computer, initially the
sound may be more audible as compared to the liquid cooling units in
other larger desktops. The liquid cooling unit dissipates these sounds
after few minutes of use.
Remove the side panel.
Procedure
1 Remove the fan cable and processor-cooler cable from the routing guide
on the chassis.
2 Disconnect the fan cable and processor-cooler cable from the system
board.
3 Remove the screws that secure fan to the processor cooling assembly.
14

4 Lift the fan off the processor cooling assembly.
NOTE: Note the orientation of the fan so that you can replace it
correctly.
1 fan 2 system board
3 fan cable 4 processor-cooler cable
5 routing guides 6 screws (2)
5 Remove the memory modules.
6 Remove the screws that secure the radiator to the chassis.
15

7 Slide the radiator towards the front of the computer and release it from the
chassis.
1 screws (2) 2 radiator
3 chassis
8 Lift the radiator and hold it as shown in the image below to remove the
thumbscrews that secure the processor cooler to the system board.
16

9 Lift the processor cooling assembly along with the cables off the chassis.
1 thumbscrews (4) 2 radiator
3 processor cooler 4 chassis
17

Replacing the processor
cooling assembly
WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the
safety information that shipped with your computer and
follow the steps in Before working inside your computer.
After working inside your computer, follow the instructions
in After working inside your computer. For more safety best
practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at
www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Procedure
1 Place the processor cooler over the processor on the system board.
2 Align the screw holes on the processor cooler with the screw holes on the
system board.
3 Replace the thumbscrews that secure the processor cooler to the system
board.
4 Align and place the radiator on the processor cooler and slide towards the
back of the computer.
5 Replace the screws that secure the radiator to the chassis..
6 Replace the memory modules.
7 Align and place the fan on the processor cooling assembly.
8 Route the fan cable and processor-cooler cable through the routing guide
on the chassis.
9 Connect the fan cable and processor-cooler cable to the system board.
Post-requisites
Replace the side panel.
18

Removing the wireless card
WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the
safety information that shipped with your computer and
follow the steps in Before working inside your computer.
After working inside your computer, follow the instructions
in After working inside your computer. For more safety best
practices, see the Regulatory Compliance home page at
www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
Prerequisites
1 Remove the side panel.
2 Remove the processor cooling-assembly.
Procedure
1 Disconnect the antenna cables from the wireless card.
2 Remove the screw that secures the wireless card to the system board.
19

3 Slide the wireless card out of the wireless-card slot.
1 wireless-card slot 2 wireless card
3 system board 4 screw
5 antenna cables (2)
20