XPS 13 screen flickers when waking up after Windows 10 upgrade

PCofInterest the C-State solution certainly seems to work  Thanks.  Are you (or anybody) aware of any downside to unchecking C-State?

In my case, updating a driver seems to have fixed the problem.

Intel(R) Management Engine Components Installer Driver
Chipset_Driver_KFR45_WN32_11.0.0.1153_A00.EXE

In my case, my screen was flickering almost every time I brought the XPS13 out of sleep. After updating this driver (the only driver Dell found needed updating), the laptop has experienced no screen flickering.

After installing, Dell updates requires this driver again and again, so I think that the driver does not install correctly.

There is anyway for a correct install?

I have this driver showing in the Dell Command Update but even after trying to install it, it still shows as being needed. Also tried downloading and manually installing but not luck.

For me switching the cstate option fixed the flicker issue.

I haven't found a fix, but I may have stumbled across what for me is at least a workaround. . .

When my screen starts to flicker (this most often happens when I bring my XPS13 out of sleep), I adjust the resolution and then bring it back.

My screen is normally set to 1600 x 900, since WIndows 10 does such a lousy job of scaling at 3200 x 1800. When the screen starts flickering, I right click on a blank part of the desktop, select Graphic Options | Resolution | 3200 x 1800. In my case, the screen immediately stops flickering. I can then return the screen resolution to 1600 x 900 and there's no more flicker. That is, until the laptop comes out of sleep, again.

MarkMessinger, the fix in the post by PCofinterest on August 15th regarding unchecking C-State in the BIOS works without having to redo anything periodically although Dell still needs to give us a proper updated BIOS that allows C-State.  Dell obviously knows about the problem as they came up with the C-State solution.  Without C-State it has been reported in this thread that battery life is somewhat shorter. It is worth repeating so here is PCofinterest's post:

"For all those suffering with this flickering problem on the XPS 13 after upgrading to Windows 10:

With the help of Dell technical support, I have found a work-around that has, thus far, completely eliminated the flickering problem.  You need to change a BIOS setting:

1. Reboot your laptop
2. Repeatedly press F2 as soon as the Dell logo appears on screen to enter BIOS
3. Navigate to the Performance section
4. Select C-State Control, and disable (uncheck) it, exit and reboot

This has completely stopped the flickering problem for me.  However, I consider this a work-around only (not a fix), as C-States are used by Windows to better manage power and I suspect there will be side-effects of turning this off (such as reduced battery efficiency).  But, it's a big improvement until there's a fix.

For the record, I am still using the graphics driver that was installed with Windows 10 (version 10.18.15.4256).

If you try this change, please post back to let the rest of the community know if it works.

DELL-RAVI BC: Please do your homework.  The Intel link that you posted installs the same version of the display driver that we all already got when we upgraded to Windows 10 (10.18.15.4256).  I know the entire package has a different version number from Intel (15.40.4.64.4256), but if you look at the package contents you'll see that it includes the same version of the driver we already have."

I turned off the C-State and the problem has completely gone away. I concur that this will dramatically reduce the battery life will not call this a fix. This work-around will suffice for a few days but after that I will return my laptop if Dell does not provide a real fix. After all $1400.00 is not a cheap laptop.

• Reboot your laptop
• Repeatedly press F2 as soon as the Dell logo appears on screen to enter BIOS
• Navigate to the Performance section
• Select C-State Control, and disable (uncheck) it, exit and reboot

Docstrum

Spoke to Tech Support about the C-State route and subsequent reduced battery life.  I got a shoulder shrug and advised to go back to Win8.1.  Now that's a solution!

I verified this as correct and resolved the flickering issue.

Although I already downloaded the same file (Chipset_Driver_KFR45_WN32_11.0.0.1153_A00.EXE) a few weeks ago after upgrading to Windows 10 to update all the drivers, I noticed the file size is different from the one currently listed in Dell.  The previous one is 92MB, and just to give it a try, I ran it again, it didn't installed.  I'm thinking it was not compatible with XPS 13, just like other drivers listed.  But I tried extracting it instead of installing.  The extracted folder came up empty. So I grabbed the file again from Dell support site, downloaded file size is 106MB, ran it, installed fine this time, reboot the computer, press F2, enabled C-State, reboot again, flickering is gone!  Sent to Sleep, opened lid, no flickering. Closed lid, opened, display's fine.

Finally, a real solution to the flickering issue.

Here's the direct link... 

http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/04/Drivers/DriversDetails?driverId=KFR45&fileId=3476633236

Update:

Looks like the flickering came back.  I closed my XPS13 lid, then re-open it after about 10 minutes, after I logged in, it's flickering again!  I normally pressed Ctrl-Alt-Del, clicked on cancel, and flickering's gone.  Not good, will have to test some more.  Sorry guys, but please try it on yours and post the results here.

IanZ, starting with the condition in my post above (8/28 - 9:51 pm) I closed the lid for 10 minutes and no problem.  Also forced sleep via power setting and again no problem.  The chipset download that I obtained (see listing below) was 104 MB and got it through the driver download support with Dell's detect program.  

Yes its the same file I downloaded and ran. After last night recurring issue, it's still happening today. I took a video and will try to post it here.

Hi Ravi,

The file name is 9343_Network_Driver_TJN9R_WN32_10.18.15.4240_A00.

When I ran it, it shows:

I clicked "Install"... afterwards, it is showing:

I selected "No" for obvious reasons.

Please explain.

Hi All,

I would suggest you all to enable the C-State Control in the BIOS and download the latest video driver using the link below to check if this fixes the flickering issue on your Dell XPS 13.

Download Video driver

Note: The video driver is labeled incorrectly as Network Driver please ignore it.

Please let me know if this helps.