while computer is plugged in turn it off with the power button then once it's turned off it will continue to give the same light code, then unplug the charger, hold down the power button for like a minute, then plug the machine back in, hold the power button for another minute then hopefully it will fix itself. I just did this and now i can unplug my machine and also get back the performance that it was lacking in. Hopefully your issue was the same as mine and that you don't need to replace any parts! Answer from camrashii on dell.com
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while computer is plugged in turn it off with the power button then once it's turned off it will continue to give the same light code, then unplug the charger, hold down the power button for like a minute, then plug the machine back in, hold the power button for another minute then hopefully it will fix itself. I just did this and now i can unplug my machine and also get back the performance that it was lacking in. Hopefully your issue was the same as mine and that you don't need to replace any parts!
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For users returning to this thread, the flash code of 4 amber (or blue in this case), 1 white or a constantly flashing amber light would be indications of a Temporary Battery Failure. The 4,1 code in particular would be due to 2 possible reasons. Either the battery has become too hot and has shut off the charging function to try to cool down the battery, or the computer has experienced an Over Current Protection event while charging and has shut off charging temporarily to protect the computer. Both of these scenarios are recoverable. However, the computer does not charge until the Temporary Battery Failure condition has been removed. This is working as designed to protect the computer. Use the following steps to recover the charging capability of the computer and stop the blinking LED code from being displayed: Reseat the AC adapter. This can be done by disconnecting the AC adapter for ten to fifteen seconds and reconnecting it to the computer. If the Over Current Protection circuitry has triggered this, it resets the protection and resumes charging If the battery has gone above its thermal threshold, move to a cooler ambient temperature environment and wait for the computer to cool. Once the battery temperature has decreased, the computer should resume charging. If still unresolved, remove the bottom cover and reseat the battery cable to the motherboard. Run the diagnostic to see if there is an error code for the battery Shutdown the unit Hold down the Fn key and the power button together A quick test should start. Make note of any errors if any If still unresolved, test with a known good OEM battery if available See this video for additional battery troubleshooting. Contact Dell GHN (Get Help Now) chat technical support Monday through Friday. Click the blue 'Get Help Now' on the right to start a private live chat session. Share the private Service Tag with them so that they can verify the ownership and warranty status. This will also generate a unique Technical Support case for your unique Service Tag. If already out of warranty, click here for the Dell out of warranty offerings.
Dell
dell.com › support › kbdoc › en-us › 000422770 › alienware-area-51-laptop-power-button-flashing-red-once-and-then-blue-four-times
Alienware Area-51 Laptop Power Button Flashing Red Once and then Blue Four Times | Dell US
April 10, 2026 - The power fluctuation can confuse the laptop into displaying the "a single red and then four blue" flash pattern. Restarting the laptop recovers it from the displaying the error. Note: Before starting the update, perform the following: Back up all personal data. For more information, refer to: Back Up and Recovery · Connect the AC adapter. Updating the Alienware 16/18 Area-51 System BIOS to version 2.0.1 or later on the laptop resolves the issue.
Videos
r/Alienware on Reddit: A51 16 laptop 1 red 4 blue flashes
r/Alienware on Reddit: M16 R2 Power button flashes Blue and Red
r/Alienware on Reddit: Why is my m18 r2 flashing red and blue?
r/Alienware on Reddit: M16 R2, 1 Red Light 8 Blue lights Flashing
r/Alienware on Reddit: M16 4 red flash and 1 blue
r/Alienware on Reddit: M16 won’t start, flashing blue 2x and red 2x
Reddit
reddit.com › r/alienware › 4 red 1 blue (alienware led blinking)
r/Alienware on Reddit: 4 Red 1 Blue (Alienware LED Blinking)
October 15, 2023 -
Hello, how you doin'?
I'd like a little help here! I want to know what this means: the alienware LED (top right on keyboard) is blinking: 4 red, 1 blue.
I found this may be a "Short in hinge cable tripped OCP2 (display)" but I do not know what it means.
I can use the laptop normally, didn't notice anything strange.
OS: Windows 11
Model: M15 R6 (1 year usage)
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Hey, did you ever figure out what the issue was and how to solve it? As far as I can tell I’m also getting 4 red 1 blue and I can’t figure out what to do.
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I've been dealing with 4 red 1 blue since the pandemic. As people have stated Dell has widely ignored this issue and I'm reaching out to every person who has this particular problem. It's time to suit up, since they can't fix their issue. Also false promises on repairs for me. Told me the were going to replace the motherboard but only put a new battery in and did not remove the code for me.
JustAnswer
justanswer.com › laptop › ojs7j-alienware-17-laptop-wont-load-power-button-flashes-3.html
My Alienware 17 laptop wont load, power button flashes 3. Times red and once blue. Tried holding the power button and it
March 25, 2024 - The flashing red and blue power button signals a hardware fault or failed update. First, perform a hard reset by unplugging the charger, removing the battery if possible, and holding the power button for 30 seconds.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/alienware › pc won’t turn on (2 red & 7 blue flashes)
r/Alienware on Reddit: PC won’t turn on (2 red & 7 blue flashes)
March 31, 2025 -
Hello, I have an Alienware 14x PC, and all of a sudden my PC seems to be unable to boot up, with the computer failing to even display anything on screen. No, my warranty has since expired.
The power button is flashing red twice and blue seven times, which from what I’ve looked up seems to mean several things. Either the lcd screen is broken, the RAM is having an issue, etc. I’ve even pried open my laptop open from beneath to scan for issues and I still have no solution.
Despite this I have found some new outcomes since the problem started. It seems that my issue is specifically with the boot up process, where my computer rarely displays the “Windows didn’t shut down correctly” screen. However, upon hitting “exit to windows 11” the whole problem starts all over. I can tell by listening to my computer’s fans that it seems to be trying to boot up over and over.
All my schoolwork is on it so I need a fix and fast. Any remedies?
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A flashing 2 red, 7 blue pattern on the Alienware power button indicates a display failure and could be due to a component failure or a BIOS update issue, requiring contacting Dell/Alienware support. This is what i found real quick searching for it, and it does sound about right honestly. So, if you can do a bios flash yourself, i would suggest it, if its covered on warrenty, dont do anything, call dell/alienware, and set up a support ticket. I'm sorry, there is no easy fix for this it appears.
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Hi, don't worry. I have the exact same model.. Alienware x14r1, and I have been living with this pain for a year now. Usually 2 red + 7blue flash indicated a cpu fault, but in reality it's just your display connector broke and is causing a short. Luckily dell firmware is smart enough to detect it and ignore if you connect to external Monitor. To be very very precise...if you had optimus on...you will HAVE To connect to your external Monitor to one of the two thunderbolt usb c port. It will NOT let you boot with hdmi or the right most solo usb c ( they both are connected to nvidia gpu directly). On the other hand if you have optimus OFF...that is discrete gpu first....then you MUST connect to hdmi or right most usb c port. For now do the following: Keep holding the power button and turn it off. Connect the external Monitor. Now power it on. It will try to power the internal display first...detect the broken connector..and then look for external display.
Tech News Today
technewstoday.com › home › hardware › alienware power button keeps flashing? here’s how to fix it
Alienware Power Button Keeps Flashing? Here’s How to Fix it - Tech News Today
January 9, 2023 - For example, if the power button blinks red twice and then blue once, this suggests that the system has detected a processor failure. The light combination is expressed in terms of light code, and the code, in this case, is 2-1. As per Alienware’s ...
Dell
dell.com › dell community › laptops › alienware
m15 R6, 1 Blue, 4 Red power button flashes - Alienware
March 16, 2023 - Hey, I recently started getting this error on my system. While playing some games, the power button would start flashing blue and red (1 blue 4 red) and the game would start stuttering. The flashes...
Dell
dell.com › support › manuals › en-us › alienware-17-r5 › alienware-17-r5-servicemanual › diagnostics
Alienware 17 R5 Service Manual | Dell US
The power and battery-status light blinks red and blue along with beep codes indicating failures.
Dell
dell.com › dell community › laptops › alienware
m15 R4, m17 R5, 4 flashing red and 1 blue power button battery issue (fix for some/most) | DELL Technologies
November 2, 2025 - In my case, I got two quick red flashes, like a little wink from Alienware that I found out the trick and it booted! Back to normal. Please leave this up to help others because all I found were closed threads that were unresolved. ... I have had similar problem which would also give me this error code of 4 red and 1 blue flashing power button.
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Hi. I had recently encountered this problem up to the 2 red 1 blue. I wasn't running anything demanding, just a browser and PL/SQL developer (nothing was compiling at the moment). After holding down the power button for 64 seconds it stopped blinking. Then I pressed the power button and the laptop started normally. I don't trust it anymore, but it works. I'll have it looked into when I can. Hope it helps
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2-1 is a CPU or mainboard failure -- it's not a UEFI/firmware issue. You'll need a replacement system board on most models. If you need further information, post the model number.
Linus Tech Tips
linustechtips.com › consumer electronics › laptops and pre-built systems
Alienware M15 R7 | No Display | power button blinking red and blue | Brand new replacement unit - Laptops and Pre-Built Systems - Linus Tech Tips
October 18, 2022 - I got a brand new laptop (M15 R7) delivered as replacement to the faulty system day before yesterday. Today, I opened the laptop for the first time. After the initial windows 11 Setup. I have not even used more than half an hour. All of a sudden, the laptop powered off and power button started bl...
Quora
quora.com › Why-is-my-Alienware-laptop-screen-not-showing-It-blinks-red-2-times-and-blue-7-times-I-left-it-for-like-5-minutes-and-came-back-to-this
Why is my Alienware laptop screen not showing? It blinks red 2 times and blue 7 times. I left it for like 5 minutes and came back to this. - Quora
A blink pattern of 2 red flashes followed by 7 blue flashes on an Alienware laptop is a diagnostic indicator from the system’s LED/error code scheme. That pattern typically points to a hardware issue related to graphics, display subsystem, or system board initialization. Below is a prioritized troubleshooting path to identify and often resolve the problem. ... Power-cycle fully: power off, unplug AC, remove battery if removable, then hold power button ...
Reddit
reddit.com › r/alienware › what does the power button blinking red light 2 times mean?
r/Alienware on Reddit: What does the power button blinking red light 2 times mean?
April 12, 2025 -
I have an M15R6. The power button blinks red 2 times and repeats this pattern. This happens only some times and not always.
What does this mean? The manual does not have an entry for this pattern. That's why I'm confused.
TIA!
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There's also a couple of very faint blue blinking (7 or 8 times, hard to say from the video). The blue led dies faster because of the heat of the components. Try to look at the signal in the dark. Hope it helps finding the right meaning in the manual!
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The mothership is going to recall your device soon.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/alienware › 2 red blinks & 1 blue. unable to turn on.
r/Alienware on Reddit: 2 red blinks & 1 blue. Unable to turn on.
June 8, 2017 -
So I turned off our 17 R4 to have dinner, tried to turn it back on after only to not be able to.
Not really sure what the problem might be. Anyone have any ideas at all please? I'm getting 2 red blinks & 1 blue from the power button.
It's an 17 R4 GTX 1060 I7-6700 HQ
Edit: Was able to reboot approx 10 minutes later, after holding the power button down for around 30 seconds. Seems to work fine currently.
Any ideas what could have caused this?
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Bad news, the '2,1' light pattern means: CPU failure. Here's the link to your Alienware 17 R4 service manual: http://www.dell.com/support/manuals/us/en/19/alienware-17-laptop/alienware-17-r4-servicemanual/Diagnostics?guid=GUID-5C341B78-B63D-499C-89D4-D341C006E437&lang=en-us
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I've had this twice. Called support and the trick is to disconnect the battery, hold the power button down for 30 seconds, re-connect the battery and then try turning it on. It seemed to happen with the battery running down and then plugging it in, although it only happened twice within the first couple of weeks of buying it (back in feb)
Dell
dell.com › support › manuals › en-us › alienware-15-laptop › alienware-15-r3-service-manual › diagnostics
Alienware 15 R3 Service Manual | Dell US
The power and battery-status light blinks red and blue along with beep codes indicating failures.
Dell
dell.com › support › manuals › en-us › alienware-m18-r2-laptop › alienware-m18-r2-owners-manual › system-diagnostic-lights
Alienware m18 R2 Owner's Manual | Dell US
For example, the power and battery-status light blinks red two times followed by a pause, and then blinks blue three times followed by a pause.
Reddit
reddit.com › r/alienware › alienware m15 won’t boot flashing blue and red power button
r/Alienware on Reddit: Alienware m15 won’t boot flashing blue and red power button
December 16, 2018 -
I went to turn on my Alienware m15 and it simply won’t turn on. When I press the power button the right half of the keyboard flashes a random color then the power button flashes blue 5 times and then red 3 times. I checked the manual and the flashing doesn’t correspond with any of their error messages. Anyone else have similar problems or have any idea what might help.
Update, I called tech support and they said the 5 blue 3 red means the bios is corrupted and they are sending a tech out with a new motherboard to replace it.
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Any luck? Can we have an update?
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Try a power drain first. But definitely call tech support. Use the service guide to open bottom cover. disconnect ac adapter. Disconnect the battery and the cmos battery too following the instructions CAREFULLY. Then press and hold power button for 30 seconds. Plug all in again. See what happens. Strangely enough codes 5 and 3 are both memory related, but that combination is not in the service guide. Try reseating the memory sticks while you are at it. Cmos battery is also known as coin-cell battery. Truth be told you can just unplug the little cable so you dont have to unplug the ssd as well. YMMV.
Dell
dell.com › dell community › laptops › alienware
m15 R6, 1 Blue, 4 Red power button flashes | DELL Technologies
March 16, 2023 - Hey, I recently started getting this error on my system. While playing some games, the power button would start flashing blue and red (1 blue 4 red) and the game would start stuttering. The flashes...
Asktech
asktech.support › laptop › r7t38-alienware-m18-won-t-turn-flashing-blue-blue-red.html
My Alienware m18 won’t turn on and is flashing blue blue red red. I believe I updated it 2 days ago but have used it
February 5, 2025 - Yes blue blue red red had you hold power button down until lights went out tried to turn it back on - keyboard lights turned on also logo is bright blue then went back to flashing lights the fan on at all ? No Was the fan working prior to this? Yes laptop cannot start on battery either Flashing light codes System-diagnostic lights https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-us/alienware-m18-r1-laptop/alienware-m18-r1-service-manual/system-diagnostic-lights?guid=guid-9bb02346-5c02-4b4a-b012-0dfe3933cfde&lang=en-us Looks to be 2,2 System board: BIOS or ROM (Read-Only Memory) failure According to code , originally thought it said processor failure but its listed as Bios or Rom failure But still contact Dell as the laptop needs to be serviced and to confirm the error code.