An Alienware m16 R2 that will not start is a powerful gaming laptop with a large battery and a large adapter, so a no-start problem is more often about power than about a dead machine, and Dell's own steps for a laptop that does not power on are the right order. Begin with what you can see: plug in the supplied adapter, check that the light on the adapter's plug is lit and that the laptop's charge light or the lights around the power button show something.
The checks in more detail
Try another wall outlet and, if you can, another adapter of the same rating, since this machine needs a large adapter and a smaller one will not start or charge it properly. Press the power button once and listen for fans or watch for the keyboard lighting. If the machine is totally dark, perform a power drain: unplug the adapter, hold the power button for fifteen to thirty seconds, plug the adapter back in without the battery being used and try again. Dell calls this removing residual charge, and it clears a laptop that has got stuck in a low-power state. If the laptop shows life but does not reach Windows, look at what it does.
A blinking battery or power light in a pattern is Dell's diagnostic code, and the pattern is listed in the service manual; note how many amber and white blinks you see. Disconnect everything: external drives, docks, USB devices and displays, then try again, because a faulty accessory can block start-up. Press F12 at the Dell logo to open the boot menu and run the built-in diagnostics, or hold Ctrl and Esc as it starts to open BIOS recovery, which can restore a corrupt BIOS.
If the screen stays black but the fans spin, connect an external monitor to see whether the display or the graphics path is at fault, and try the keyboard shortcut for toggling the display. A machine that was moved or dropped may have a loose memory module, and reseating it is a job for a technician unless you are comfortable opening it. If power drain, a good adapter and diagnostics do not help, contact Dell with the service tag from the base of the laptop, since the machine is under warranty for a period and the fault may be the motherboard, the battery or the power jack.
Differential
Likely causes of “Dell Alienware m16 R2 will not turn on or start”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A residual-charge or low-power state
What separates it The machine is completely dark
How to confirm Unplug, hold power for fifteen to thirty seconds and try again
- 2
An adapter that is too small or faulty
What separates it The charge light is off or flickers
How to confirm Try the supplied adapter and another outlet
- 3
A faulty accessory
What separates it It stalls after the logo
How to confirm Disconnect everything and start again
- 4
A corrupt BIOS
What separates it It never reaches the logo or loops
How to confirm Try BIOS recovery with Ctrl and Esc at start-up
- 5
A battery or board fault
What separates it Diagnostics report a fault
How to confirm Book Dell service with the service tag
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The pattern of the power or battery light
- Whether fans spin
- Whether an external monitor shows a picture
- The service tag
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCheck the adapter
ReversibleUse the supplied one and another outlet.
Drain residual power
ReversibleUnplug, hold power for fifteen to thirty seconds.
Disconnect accessories
ReversibleDrives, docks and displays.
Run diagnostics
ReversibleF12 at the logo for the boot menu.
Try BIOS recovery
ReversibleCtrl and Esc at start-up.
Contact Dell
ReversibleWith the service tag if nothing works.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Diagnostic lights
- Blink patterns map to faults in Dell's service manual.
- Large adapter
- Gaming laptops need their supplied adapter.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If diagnostics report a fault or nothing works after a power drain, contact Dell with the service tag
- !Do not use a damaged adapter
- !Back up if the drive is readable
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my Alienware not turn on?+
A residual-charge state, a poor adapter or a faulty accessory are the commonest causes.
What is a power drain?+
Unplugging and holding the power button to clear leftover charge.
Where is the service tag?+
On the base of the laptop.
Can a small charger be used?+
It may not start or charge a machine of this class.