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Alienware® M14x Service Manual
Before You Begin Speakers
Base Cover Subwoofer
Battery Pack Internal Card With Bluetooth® Wireless Technology
Optical Drive Coin-Cell Battery
Hard Drive Display Assembly
Memory Module(s) Mini-Card Board
Center-Control Cover System Board
Keyboard Thermal Fan
Palm-Rest Assembly Thermal Cooling Assembly
Wireless Mini-Card(s) Processor Module
Power-Button Board System Setup
Status-Light Board Flashing the BIOS
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
NOTE: A NOTE
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Back to Contents Page Battery Pack Alienware® M14x Service Manual Removing the Battery Pack Replacing the Battery Pack WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an un
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Back to Contents Page Before You Begin Alienware® M14x Service Manual Recommended Tools Turning Off Your Computer Before Working Inside Your Computer Contacting Alienware This manual provides procedures for removing and installing the components in your computer. Unless otherwise noted, each procedure assumes that the following conditions exist: l You have performed the steps in Turning Off Your Computer and Before Working Inside Your Computer. l You have read th
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2. Turn off your computer (see Turning Off Your Computer). CAUTION: To disconnect a network cable, first unplug the cable from your computer and then unplug the cable from the network device. 3. Disconnect all telephone or network cables from the computer. 4. Press and eject any installed cards from the 9-in--1 Media Card Reader. 5. Disconnect your computer and all attached devices from their electrical outlets. 6. Disconnect all attached devices from you
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Back to Contents Page System Setup Alienware® M14x Service Manual Configuring the System Setup Configuring the System Setup The System Setup options allow you to: l Change the system configuration information after you add, change or remove any hardware in your laptop. l Set or change a user-selectable option. l View the installed amount of memory or set the type of hard drive installed. Before you use System Setup, it is recommended that you write down the current
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Advanced Menu Intel SpeedStep Allows you to enable or disable the Intel SpeedStep technology. Disabling this feature may improve performance, but will greatly reduce battery life. Allows you to enable or disable the Intel Virtualization technology. USB Emulation Allows you to enable or disable the USB emulation feature. This feature defines how the BIOS, in the absence of a USB-aware operating system, handles USB devices. USB emulation is always enabled during POST. NOTE: You cannot bo
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l Once: The new bus clock frequency is applied once until the next reboot. l Permanently: The new bus clock frequency is applied permanently after the next reboot. Memory Overclocking Memory Override Allows you to enable or disable the memory override option support. Support l Disabled: The memory override support is disabled. l Enabled: Displays additional memory override support options. Memory Voltage Allows you to increase memory voltage. Memory Frequency Allows you to set me
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Back to Contents Page Base Cover Alienware® M14x Service Manual Removing the Base Cover Replacing the Base Cover WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically touching an unpainte
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Back to Contents Page Internal Card With Bluetooth® Wireless Technology Alienware® M14x Service Manual Removing the Bluetooth Card Replacing the Bluetooth Card WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist groundin
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1. Follow the instructions in Before You Begin 2. Align the screw hole on the Bluetooth card with the screw hole on the system board. 3. Replace the screw that secures the Bluetooth card to the computer base. 4. Connect the Bluetooth-card cable to the connector on the system board. 5. Replace the palm-rest assembly (see Replacing the Palm-Rest Assembly). 6. Replace the keyboard (see Replacing the Keyboard). 7. Replace the center-control cover (s
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Back to Contents Page Coin-Cell Battery Alienware® M14x Service Manual Removing the Coin-Cell Battery Replacing the Coin-Cell Battery WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically
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5. Replace the keyboard (see Replacing the Keyboard). 6. Replace the center-control cover (see Replacing the Center-Control Cover). 7. Replace the battery pack (see Replacing the Battery Pack). 8. Replace the base cover (see Replacing the Base Cover). CAUTION: Before turning on the computer, replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer. Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer. Back to Contents Page
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Back to Contents Page Display Assembly Alienware® M14x Service Manual Removing the Display Assembly Replacing the Display Assembly WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: To avoid electrostatic discharge, ground yourself by using a wrist grounding strap or by periodically to
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13. Gently slide the Mini-Card antenna cables out through the slot on the computer base. 14. Lift the display assembly off the computer. 1 display assembly 2 screws (4) 3 display cable 4 touch-screen board cable Replacing the Display Assembly 1. Follow the instructions in Before You Begin. 2. Slide the antenna cables in through the slot on the computer base. 3. Place the display assembly in position and replace the four screws that secure the display
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Back to Contents Page Thermal Fan Alienware® M14x Service Manual Removing the Thermal Fan Replacing the Thermal Fan WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at www.dell.com/regulatory_compliance. CAUTION: Only a certified service technician should perform repairs on your computer. Damage due to servicing that is not au
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6. Follow the instructions from step 5 to step 20 in Replacing the System Board. CAUTION: Before turning on the computer, replace all screws and ensure that no stray screws remain inside the computer. Failure to do so may result in damage to the computer. Back to Contents Page
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Back to Contents Page Flashing the BIOS Alienware® M14x Service Manual 1. Turn on the computer. 2. Go to support.dell.com/support/downloads. 3. Locate the BIOS update file for your computer: NOTE: The Service Tag for your computer is located on a label at the bottom of the computer. If you have your computer's Service Tag: a. Click Enter a Service Tag. b. Enter your computer's Service Tag in the Enter a service tag: field, click Go, and proceed to step 4.
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Back to Contents Page Hard Drive Alienware® M14x Service Manual Removing the Hard Drive Replacing the Hard Drive WARNING: If you remove the hard drive from the computer when the drive is hot, do not touch the metal housing of the hard drive. WARNING: Before working inside your computer, read the safety information that shipped with your computer. For additional safety best practices information, see the Regulatory Compliance Homepage at dell.com/regulatory_compliance.
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3 pull-tab 4 hard-drive assembly 8. Remove the four screws that secure the hard-drive bracket to the hard drive. 9. Lift the hard-drive bracket away from the hard drive. 1 pull tab 2 screws (4) 3 hard-drive bracket CAUTION: When the hard drive is not in the computer, store it in protective antistatic packaging (see "Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge" in the safety instructions that shipped with your computer). Replacing the Hard Drive 1. Follow the instru
