Alienware Alpha (Steam OS) - Flashing yellow lights

Hi, 

Is the led on the AC adapter lit?

Try doing a power drain. To perform a power drain, follow the steps below.

• Turn the system off and disconnect the AC adapter/power cord. 
• Disconnect all external devices (mouse, keyboard, monitors, etc.)
• Press and hold the power button for 1 minute.
• Connect everything again and turn on the system.

In order to get to the service tag I completely disconnected the Alpha and removed it from the entertainment cabinet. Probably had it disconnected from the power source for about a half an hour while I registered it and searched online for an answer.

After reconnecting the Alpha it powered up normally and everything is working fine. IMO, it didn't power up properly the first time as the wired ethernet wasn't working even though I could see activity on the switch. 

Everything seems to be working now but I still would love to know what the flashing yellow lights mean.

Thanks for answering my inquiry.

Hi, 

Thank you for confirming this, I’m glad it’s working properly now. The Alienware Alpha features power button LED codes that can be used as diagnostic indicators (for example, 1=Motherboard, 2=memory, 3=chipset, etc.). 

Hello,

I've done the steps you mentioned earlier and I'm still getting the yellow light. Please help as I been resetting my system for an hour now trying random methods to see what works. 

Thank you

Having the same problem  with alienware steam machine .i powerd it down tured it on and it  worked .then I want back later and boom same problem so I'm going to send it back to early for problems just got it 5days ago

Hello,

I have had this system for around 2 months and this is the first time this is happening. I already tried the power draining a couple of times and still the same result (yellow light still blinks when i turn it on). I don´t know what else to do, so if there is another way please let me know as soon as possible.

Thank you

Several people have posted here yet Alienware hasn't responded.. This is really making me rethink my purchase.. The lack of support is a joke quite frankly.. I'm having the same issue.. Sometimes it boots up other times I get a flashing yellow light.. It's extremely frustrating to say the least.. Is it my outlet or is it dells power brick or is it something else? I read somewhere that connecting my device to  a UPS would help.. I feel that if I keep forcing my device to turn off I could damage it.. Help would be appreciated, if not I'll never purchase anything from Alienware again..

I'm having the exact same issue. I recently just got my Alienware back from an RMA issue where it completely stopped working after having it for 4 months. Once Dell sent it back it worked for maybe 3 days and then started flashing yellow all of a sudden. If I don't use it for 2 or 3 days straight it'll start working fine again. So overall 75% of the time that I turn it on, it flashes yellow now. My fear is that I send it back to Dell, and that it works fine. And even though I tell them its intermittently working they'll still send it back saying nothing is wrong with it. Overall, yeah the customer service has been a disappointment so far though.

Same issue.  Won't turn on, yellow light blinking.  Tried the power drain.  Worked the first time but not later.

I'm the OP and so far I've only had the flashing yellow light issue once. I don't use my Steam box every day so that may be why I haven't have it happen again.

Yo man, I had the same problem

Here's how I fixed it.

It seems the normal sockets for power are the issue, not the machine itself..

You have 2 kinds of sockets, one with some sort of iron pin and one without. If your machine js not in one with iron pins, the machine will get too much electricity and can't put it anywhere so basically it crashes

Suggestions:

Try using a different kind of power socket

If you don't have the newer ones because your home is old af, try removing the power completely after playing, then it will not fail you.

Kind regards

I  am having the same issue with 5 yellow flash sequence but now when I unplug it from the wall socket and plug it back in, it turns the alpha on automatically. ***!! I tried using a power strip but nothing is working. when I unplug fro the wall and the back of the alpha it works fine!!!

Hello! I've been having problems with my steam machine is having the blinking yellow light problem and power drain works sometimes but for the most it doesn't affect the machine at all and continues to blink yellow. Is my power brick or cord bad? Because I haven't had the steam machine for barely a month. Is there any permanent solution to this particular problem. Thanks! It's very appreciated!!! :)

Hello,

I have had mine for about 1 month now as well and the blinking alien head started about two weeks after owning it.

I was not receiving any replies either so this is what I did and so far it works.

I performed the power drain as stated above, but this time instead of going direct into the wall outlet I used a power strip. So now when I shut off the Alpha I also shut down the power strip. This has been working for the past couple of days.

It is not a permanent fix but I don't feel like shipping it back and waiting 3-4 weeks to get it back. I think the problem is in the power brick as you stated.

I want to have fun with it for awhile before being without it.....Dell needs to fix this and tell us what it is.....

Okay so I have the same issue with a yellow blinking light on my power alien head, but I don't know how it started. I have only had the thing for a week now, but last night I was playing a more high graphic game and it was lagging and glitching and I don't think could keep up with it. When I was powering down, the computer started flashing yellow and I thought it was on sleep and so I left it like that. Now I have tried your tip to power drain twice already and it goes to the powering up color for a second then back to yellow flashing right after I plug in my power cord again. Please help, I have no idea what this is meaning and I can't find any other support things for it.