Disable SupportAssist alerts

Question

I need to remove the front panel card reader from a XPS9830 system, as required by USB-IF configuration document. When I do so, I got the following BIOS-level message and the reboot process stops:

"Dell SupportAssist has detected a failing component in your system that requires immediate attention. Go to blah-blah... Cables: check the following cable ()Alert! Front I/O cable failure..."

How can I disable this checkpoint and avoid the reboot stop? Or is there a way to re-configure the alert system to new configuration?

speedstep · Answer

Missing/broken front panel error is not going to be resolved. Uninstalling support assist wont help as well because bios will say error press F1 or F2 to continue.

speedstep · Answer

The USB 3.1 20 pin connector is on a different port than what you are referencing. The Point Grey (Fresco Logic FL1100 Silicon) add in card has a 20 pin connector that the Front panel USB goes to. This is NOT the same connector as the card reader.

Vic384 · Answer

It seems to me that either you missed a step in the configuration document or that the configuration document is incomplete because it did not take into account the issue with removing the front panel card reader. You should probably contact the organization (ssusbcompliance@usb.org) that wrote the document.

Alex654321 · Answer

Hi speedstep,

Thanks for replying. No, I am not talking about 20-pin front. I am talking about USB 2.0 card reader on a separate connector. The CR becomes permanently attached device, and the presence of unsolicited device messes up some test applications.

Also, from what I see, my XPS model doesn't have FL1100 controller on front panel, and if no devices are connected to front ports, the 20-pin connector doesn't make any functional difference. However, disconnecting 20-pin connectors also cause the Alert, because the ID signal is now missing.

Alex654321 · Answer

Hi speedstep, 'Missing/broken front panel error is not going to be resolved.' - then it will be very unfortunate. I might be forced to return the PC box back to Dell as unusable. I think a simple BIOS patch should do the job.

Alex654321 · Answer

Vic384, I believe the USB-IF document was written _before_ DELL introduced all this wonderful service with SupportAssist, making the XPS systems not user re-configurable. That's what I am gathering so far. If Dell will fail to provide the custom reconfigurability, I am afraid that USB-IF will be forced to remove the recommendation, and DELL will lose some amount of good customers.

Vic384 · Answer

@Alex654321  You are probably correct about the XPS system not being user re-configurable especially when it comes to removing some components. There have been posts by folks swapping from the XPS 8930 case to a more universal PC case that had to move the IO panel from the XPS 8930 to get rid of the front panel IO error and power switch startup errors. These errors are a result of what is in the BIOS and not SupportAssist. SupportAssist is just a Dell application and it can be uninstalled or disabled. The people who wrote the USB-IF document should be aware of this  If the alert is coming from SupportAssist and you don't want to see it just disable the SupportAssist startup process or uninstall the program. If the alert is coming from the BIOS there is nothing you can do about it except connecting the IO panel including the card reader.

RoHe · Answer

There are 2 'SupportAssist System Resolution' options in BIOS setup for the XPS 8930. Will disabling either/both of those help with this issue...?

RoHe · Answer

BTW: Have you tried clearing BIOS by removing the motherboard battery and then pressing/holding the power button for ~30 sec after you disconnect the card reader, and then reinstall the battery before booting?

NOTE: Clearing BIOS will reset both those SupportAssist Resolution options to their default settings. So you may want to make sure they're still disabled after clearing BIOS, assuming they have any impact on this issue.

Vic384 · Answer

@Alex654321  Thanks for the update. I think SupportAssist is not a complete system resolution tool and therefore removing the WiFi module did not cause it to complain.

Alex654321 · Answer

@Vic384 , apparently there are two (2) SupportAssist functions in the XPS system.

One is at the system OS level, and it's functionality is controlled by two flags that are set in BIOS under "SupportAssist System Resolution" option. This function is an OS application. I do have a fresh Windows 10 install, and I don't have this app installed, and the entire PC is not even on any network.Therefore the BIOS "resolution" settings have no effect on anything.

The other function that polices the hardware configuration pops up during reboot, and comes directly from BIOS. Unfortunately, the BIOS alert uses the same title as "SupportAssist", which apparently causes a lot of confusion, and messes up relevant net searches.

One "solution" I found is in removing the Green pin (USB D+) from the cable plug (#10 in Service Manual, named "media card reader connector"). It looks like the system does have some ID control (one of ground wires?) similar to the connector ID pin in 20-pin USB3.0 headers. So the Card Reader disappears causing no harm to tests, while the boot proceeds smoothly without "user intervention required". Problem "solved".

One thing is odd however. If the XPS has so stringent configuration control, how comes that when I removed the entire WiFi module (again, per USB-IF requirements), the BIOS-level SupprtAssist didn't complain? Sounds a bit inconsistent... The people who wrote the USB-IF document apparently underestimated advances in the DELL system design.

XPS Desktops

Disable SupportAssist alerts

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