Question Questions about the pre-2004 Alienware units

[MajorPager]

Hello all, I am in need of some information about the pre-2004 Alienware Aurora / Area-51 units since all information about them seems to be gone.

These units are the square style ones as shown below.

I want to know if the locks on the case prevent the unit from powering on or using the keyboard when in the locked position or potentially the unlocked position?
I'm not so sure how the locks work since I've never had a case with them but I have heard what they can do.

Also how would I obtain a set of keys for the locks?
I don't think the same model units would have the same keys, and I certainly can't picklock it, so I guess just drilling it out and replacing them would have to be done, correct?

 

[USAFRet]

Prevent from powering on?
Unlikely.

Notifying you of 'Case Intrusion' in the BIOS?
Likely.

What is your interest in these 20+ year old systems?
The case may look cool and retro, but the system inside....crap.

 

[MajorPager]

What is your interest in these 20+ year old systems?

I found a few cheap units that I might buy, mostly for the case, partially for the internals. They don't come with keys so I wanted to know if I would be hindered at all without them.

but the system inside....crap.

Indeed, but not entirely. if it works it works, and these systems had P4's which aren't bad from my experience.

 

[stonecarver]

That lock was just to lock the door so you could not get to power button and the CD/ DVD burner. I had the same case but not the Alienware official marketed one. Mine was a yellow banana color.

I still have the key in my PC tool box. 2002 or 2003 ish.

If you get one of these locked just pop off the front panel after you remove the side panels. pop the clips and remove the lock from the rear of the door.

 

[stonecarver]

Indeed, but not entirely. if it works it works, and these systems had P4's which aren't bad from my experience.

Interesting that It has a P-4 under the hood as I remember AMD was smacking it to Intel when those pre Dell Alienware's came out. I remember them having AMD FX-51 With a ATI 9700 or a Nvidia 5900 Ultra. I have an old magazine ad somewhere that's floating around.

 

[stonecarver]

https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://preview.redd.it/tsxtujr17xj41.jpg?width=1080&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=21f56e5388f7a6a03126cf5067760bb329103e01

Here is really the birth of the P-4 CPU 1800Ghz

By 2003-4 these same case Alienware's were rocking AMD CPU's