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2 Posts
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2668
September 3rd, 2021 16:00
Aurora R12, motherboard replaced, BIOS update failed
I have a r12 11700K 3070 16gb it was running fine then it told me updates were available so I let it install them thinking they were just drivers. Turned out to be a bios update so it was doing it thing and an hour later it was still going. It kept looping between EC SPI Flash and Verifying being a 3 month old machine my son said to call Dell support. Ok fine talked to the AW tech explained what was going on he told me shouldn't be doing that and to cycle the power. After that it was completely dead! So they setup a service all to change out the motherboard .
Fast forward to yesterday the tech showed up replaced the motherboard powered up Windows came up and every thing appeared to be good. Moved it back to the gaming desk hooked it all back in and when it booted it said Windows wasn't activated. Tried several things to get it activated no go so my son said give AW tech support a call today. They remoted into the pc checked some things then started a bios update remotely. Well after looping for 20 min or so the AW engineer said something is wrong and to cycle the power. Guess what, I have nice desk ornament again but at least it lights up this time! Tech will be here next week and I see what happens. Why don't the put a recovery bios in these expensive machines?
Tesla1856
8 Wizard
8 Wizard
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17K Posts
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September 3rd, 2021 17:00
They do have it. Not sure why they are not helping you try it.
Obviously, they are UEFI-based and fully-capable of Dell BIOS Recovery 2/3
How to Recover the BIOS on a Dell Computer or Tablet
Vanadiel
6 Professor
6 Professor
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6.8K Posts
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September 3rd, 2021 18:00
The Windows activation means the board was not prepped with the OEM tool and the OEM registration information was not embedded in the new board.
Another user recently reported the same issue with their new board.
I am not sure why they would have you flash a new bios when windows does not activate, because the OEM key is embedded in a part of the BIOS that does never get flashed. It's also unique for each motherboard. I cannot be fixed without the OEM preparation tool.
As for BIOS recovery, the other reply explains it.
r72019
6 Professor
6 Professor
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5.3K Posts
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September 4th, 2021 07:00
It can be manually entered by the user, which per Dell is the proper procedure in this scenario if troubleshooting fails (replacement mobo fails to activate). It was probably part of their trouble shooting procedure.
If it happens again you can give the agent this link:
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000177704/activating-windows-after-the-motherboard-has-been-replaced
r72019
6 Professor
6 Professor
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5.3K Posts
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September 4th, 2021 08:00
r72019
6 Professor
6 Professor
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5.3K Posts
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September 4th, 2021 08:00
You can also try clearing CMOS. There is a battery on the mobo, so if you power drain you also need to remove the battery.
rtexpress
2 Posts
0
September 4th, 2021 10:00
Thanks guys for the suggestions I had already cleared the CMOS after I did that it would start up as soon as I plugged it in. The led's would come on red then orange then blue like they are set to, the 3070 fans would come on at full speed but the monitor was dead as was the keyboard.
I tried the bios recovery with a USB stick for level 3 but I don't think the pc is even looking at the USB ports it appears that it's not getting far enough in to the POST routine for that. Keyboard as far as we can tell is dead so the Cntrl-Esc key combo has no effect.
So I looks like it going to be a desk ornament until next week when the tech gets here to replace the motherboard again. I don't understand why this bios update is doing this it's really strange. This first time it ran for an hour before the power was cycled this time it was 20 minutes before the AW engineer said to do it. Happened on 2 MB's buggy update software? Processor issue? Just weird.
Thanks again for you help...John
Jeffri500
1 Message
0
December 9th, 2022 10:00
I was very happy until this happened to me last week. I going back to build my own computer like before. Cant deal with this 1 year and 2 weeks and my alien is dead Can’t be expending 3k every year.