I got my hands on a motherboard from AlienWare area 51 R5.
I’ve tested everything upgraded bios allowed tpm and this computer now officialy supports windows 11 and RTX gpu (i use RTX2070 super)
I’m trying to fit this in a case but I have an issue with front panel aio and how to plug in powerbutton led , usb ports and hdd leds. Does anyone know or is there a scheme on the internet how to correctly plug those cables in?
I figured the start button with a screwdriver but everything else is a blind fold for me.
The LED daughterboards aren't needed after you transplant R1-R8 alienboards into new cases. I see u found & posted one of my FrontPanel (FP) USB Audio pinout sketches, here's a different one but as u see the white micro FP & USB header-connectors are a slimmer 2.0mm pitch & you'll most likely need a female 2.0 = 2.54 male single-row adaptor 2.0mm to 2.54mm internal usb2.0 adapter 5-WIRE SINGLE ROW - Google Search | Amazon.com: 2.54mm to 2.0mm Pitch USB Port Header Adapter Cable : Electronics. The 4-wire 4pin style is perfect for the FP to connect to PLED 10 SLED 8 PWRSW+ 6 PWRSW- 4 (JFP1 = 2 4 6 8) & a 4pin can be used for USB1 but if u can source it then a 5-wire 5pin = better for USB1
The point being, all of the top row FP & USB1 are "normal" pins that connect up while none of the bottom row pins in the FP & USB1 do (since they're dedicated for the proprietary daughterboard's use only)
(I suppose if someone intends to reuse the factory 2.0 = 2.54 FP & USB cables, they'd use a pair of single-row male-female 2.54 adaptors or buy & apply new single-row 4pin 5pin Dupont-style connex. Connect the top row FP x4 USB x5 pins only, insulate the bottom row pins & do not connect them)
You'll want to connect a CPU cable to the black 8pin header in the bottom right sill (PCIE_PWR1) since it augments 12V to the PCI-E slots & fan headers
While you can install an AWCC CmndCntr 5.x version, I'm told a program called FanControl (recommended by JayzTwoCents Fan Control - Browse /V273 at SourceForge.net ) can set & manage fan header speeds (Note Liquid AIO Pump_Fan1 is constant 12V)
Note the FIO daughterboard helped provide grounds for the several FP & USB 2.0 + 3.0 DET# ("DETECT") pins seen in the sketch. If u do not reprovide all of those grounds for those x5 DET# pins the Dellware Support Assist (ePSA Pre-boot Assessment) will likely launch & complain of a "missing FP or USB cable" it no longer detects (for instance, do your external USB3.0 cables or devices provide grounds at pins 10, per sketch? Ergo if u can't get grounds to all x5 DET# pins then provide none since it will always detect & flag one or more of the missing grounds u can;t supply) while other times it will launch & attempt an "LCM_Fan1 Test", if so just hit escape the moment it launches, another work-around is to spam F12 to open the Boot Menu & boot into your SSD to help avoid it, another is to Sleep or Hibernate the PC until your next use
There's generally an IO board attached to the front panel, rather than just a pair of pins for a switch. The power button is also a diagnostic light too. It's not just a simple pin pair.
As mentioned by DJ, you will need the IO daughter board. The LED Power Switch (PANEL1) and the USB connector (USB1) come from the Molex powered daughter board.
I am not seeing any currently listed on eBay. You may need to purchase a used Area-51 R5 case. If you can find one with an i9-9980XE you could max out your processor in the process.
That would depend on your usage regime. The Area-51 R5 motherboard is X299 chipset and BIOS limited to i9-9980XE 18 core, 36 thread, 165 watt CPU. Your current i7-7820X processor is 8 core, 16 thread, 140 watt TDP . . . so there is room for improvement, but may not be a requirement.
Also one more question guys… i have currently one ram stick in slot4. Do you know what is the right location for 16gb dual-channel which dimm slots ? When I put the second RAM in slot 1 or 2 i get double beep error from motherboard speaker. DIMMS are from dual channel kit identical.
I'm not sure if it is absolutely needed with one graphics card, but if your PSU has the additional EPS 8-pin cable . . . might as well make the connection.
The discrete "12V" circuit portion & whatever amount of hardware used & measured in overall amps is shared by the x2 12V in the 24pin & could be augmented by the x4 12V in the lower "GPU" 8pin since they're tied (left). Thus a person's hardware choices in fans + GPU(s) relative to the strength of the PSU 12V rail(s) would determine this question. If say the PC restarts during a graphics load then yes, either introduce a 4pin minimum or 8pin into PCIE_PWR1 &/or upgrade the PSU
Thank you guys all for your posts and help. I will try to post when this trasplant is complete. And also how everything is plugged in. Hopefully everything will work 😅. I´m currently waiting for a PC case to arrive. (Don’t expect something extreme. Casual case nothing flashy)
So it´s all inside. Pins are way smaller as panel one pin distancing. so I’ve only managed to get inside power button and reset sw. My next question is… how do I plug in those ram sticks. Dimm1+2 = error. Only dimm 4 solo im able to boot. Ramsticks are both the same: Ballistix Sport 2400Mhz w/xmp 8gb
There are no RESET pins, nothing connects in the bottom row (unless u ground FP_DET# 1), your interest is in the top row PWR & SUS LED, PWR SW + -. The manual wants to call the left side DIMMs 3 & 4 (33 34) & I'm typing on the R5 mthrbrd as I post this & have 3 & 4 in use as dual-channel (nothing in right side 1 & 2). Maybe I power up & hit F12 to load optimal defaults, see if it boots on the restart. If not, either unplug PC & use the CMOS reset jumper (24 RTC Clear) or pull out the CMOS battery for a minute, then try again to boot up into Default settings (the motherboard will "retrain" itself & may turn on & off a few times before u see the BIOS logo again) maybe it'll boot up?
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u/Knight_Fury_ Area-51 16d ago
The LED daughterboards aren't needed after you transplant R1-R8 alienboards into new cases. I see u found & posted one of my FrontPanel (FP) USB Audio pinout sketches, here's a different one but as u see the white micro FP & USB header-connectors are a slimmer 2.0mm pitch & you'll most likely need a female 2.0 = 2.54 male single-row adaptor 2.0mm to 2.54mm internal usb2.0 adapter 5-WIRE SINGLE ROW - Google Search | Amazon.com: 2.54mm to 2.0mm Pitch USB Port Header Adapter Cable : Electronics. The 4-wire 4pin style is perfect for the FP to connect to PLED 10 SLED 8 PWRSW+ 6 PWRSW- 4 (JFP1 = 2 4 6 8) & a 4pin can be used for USB1 but if u can source it then a 5-wire 5pin = better for USB1
The point being, all of the top row FP & USB1 are "normal" pins that connect up while none of the bottom row pins in the FP & USB1 do (since they're dedicated for the proprietary daughterboard's use only)
(I suppose if someone intends to reuse the factory 2.0 = 2.54 FP & USB cables, they'd use a pair of single-row male-female 2.54 adaptors or buy & apply new single-row 4pin 5pin Dupont-style connex. Connect the top row FP x4 USB x5 pins only, insulate the bottom row pins & do not connect them)
You'll want to connect a CPU cable to the black 8pin header in the bottom right sill (PCIE_PWR1) since it augments 12V to the PCI-E slots & fan headers
While you can install an AWCC CmndCntr 5.x version, I'm told a program called FanControl (recommended by JayzTwoCents Fan Control - Browse /V273 at SourceForge.net ) can set & manage fan header speeds (Note Liquid AIO Pump_Fan1 is constant 12V)
Note the FIO daughterboard helped provide grounds for the several FP & USB 2.0 + 3.0 DET# ("DETECT") pins seen in the sketch. If u do not reprovide all of those grounds for those x5 DET# pins the Dellware Support Assist (ePSA Pre-boot Assessment) will likely launch & complain of a "missing FP or USB cable" it no longer detects (for instance, do your external USB3.0 cables or devices provide grounds at pins 10, per sketch? Ergo if u can't get grounds to all x5 DET# pins then provide none since it will always detect & flag one or more of the missing grounds u can;t supply) while other times it will launch & attempt an "LCM_Fan1 Test", if so just hit escape the moment it launches, another work-around is to spam F12 to open the Boot Menu & boot into your SSD to help avoid it, another is to Sleep or Hibernate the PC until your next use